What Was The Role Of The Radio In The 1930's

As radio took center-stage as the most popular medium, millions of Americans utilized radio as a way to access information. It provided details regarding local, national and international news, weather reports, traffic reports, entertainment pieces, sports, and war. It also gave the public explanations of chaotic and upsetting events. Radio was a method for relaying threats of war and chaos that could have a major impact on the masses. Through radio broadcasting, political leaders and military officials could efficiently update the people of America with the most up-to-date news.
Prior to radio’s golden age in the 1930s, it was slowly but surely coming alive once the National Broadcasting Company became the first radio broadcast network.
Roosevelt used radio as a way to educate and inform the American people. When the Great Depression of 1938 occurred in America, following the Stock Market Crash, President Franklin D. Roosevelt used radio broadcast to explain the situation thoroughly. He provided insight into the process of how America would move forward through his Fireside Chats. He took advantage of its ability to communicate directly and intimately with the public. The “topics he spoke about ranged from domestic issues such as the economic policies of the New Deal, drought and unemployment, to Europe’s battle with fascism and American military progress in Europe and in the Pacific during World War II” (Franklin D. Roosevelt, 2009). Over the air, the president discussed information regarding his New Deal program and other policies to bring America out of its depression. He saw radio as a vehicle to transport information to others.
Soon after in World War II, radio became the most popular medium to follow the news of the war abroad. In this period, “90% of American families owned at least one radio set and listened to an average of three to four hours of broadcasting a day” (Horten, 2002, p. 2). Radio was Americans’ connection to the nation and the other parts of the world. This device enabled people to constantly remain informed about what was happening at the time. It was the primary medium of information. The role of radio has been described
Radio brought domestic and foreign current events into the home of Americans. Information was transferred fast and efficiently. In a matter of seconds, families at home would be able to be updated on the most current situation occurring overseas. Collectively as a whole, radio caused Americans at home to be extremely well informed.
Additionally, the United States government wanted to implement educational programming during this time to further enhance America’s knowledge of what was going on. Prior to this, there had already been processes to enforce educational programming over the air. The Office of Education produced twelve noncommercial network programs with the goal of putting “educational programs on network radio and to promote education by radio on local stations and in schools” (Horten, 2002, p. 19). Educational programming progressively became more and more apart of radio