The rise of news radio stations
Contributing Editor
Radio as a medium for news reaches the largest audience in the world. It requires no internet connection, no television set, and no reading skills. Here’s your introduction to the rise of news radio stations…
Over hundreds of years, technology has transformed the way we communicate. Long before the age of radio broadcasts, the only way to learn about the world was through letters, and eventually newspapers.
However, radio news introduced humanity to a method of sharing stories and crucial information across geographical boundaries.
While today, you might look at radio as a way to relax and unwind with your favorite tunes, its value goes so much further. Thanks to news radio, we can influence entire communities, inspire the masses, and educate everyone with the time to stop and listen.
News radio history:
When did news radio start?
Radio technology was always intended to support the transmission of information.
The world’s first radio sets were designed to share information between ships at sea. Gradually, they became a way for people at war to communicate safely and securely.
It makes sense that humanity would eventually turn to radio to get their daily dose of news.
News radio was the very first kind of “talk radio” – a genre dedicated to conversation and breaking updates, rather than music and entertainment. The first time that an audience ever tuned into an official news radio broadcast was in 1916.
Inventor Lee DeForest–frequently referenced for his role in radio history–shared information over radio about the outcomes of a presidential contest between Charles Evans Hughes, and Woodrow Wilson.
Although DeForest’s radio station could only span around 200 miles across New York City, thousands of people tuned in to listen. Four years later, when the next election cycle began, the WWJ (previously 8MK) station owned by Detroit News hosted its own show.
Additionally, Pittsburgh-based radio, KDKA reported the victory of Warren Harding over James Cox. In the days that followed, the station received hundreds of letters and postcards from listeners, telling them that they had tuned in.
Responding to the obvious demand for news radio, KDKA became the first licensed commercial radio station to produce its own regular news program.
News radio history began with reports about presidential elections and allowed people to learn about politics, without waiting for a newspaper to be released.
The first official news radio reporter in America was a man named Graham McNamee. He was explicitly hired to report the news by the WEAF flagship station of AT&T.
McNamee provided coverage of both Democratic and Republican campaigns in 1924. He became well-known for his in-depth descriptions of the events that transcribed in the political landscape.
In the US and across the sea in the UK, radio was also a crucial way to gather information about the war. People across the globe would sit by their radios to wait for news about how the battles were progressing.
From day one, news radio stations were a resounding hit. They changed the way that people received information and allowed us to access details faster than ever.
Radio news also altered the way that newspaper journalists reported stories, giving them more room to delve into complex stories, rather than just reporting the headlines.
In the decades to come, countless scheduled news broadcasts appeared on the airwaves, delivered by brands like CBS, NBC, and ABC.
Radio news in America:
Staying informed in the USA
It’s little surprise that news radio and the original talk broadcasting stations gained popularity in the US. Most Americans today still describe themselves as active consumers of the news.
According to the American Press Institute, 63% of Americans say that they actively seek out information and news. Another 59% say that they regularly look into the news several times per day.
What’s more, 9 in 10 Americans believe it’s crucial for them to keep up with the breaking stories in their country, and around the world.
Since the 1920s, the news radio station has been a crucial part of American culture. For decades, radio broadcasts have been essential for distributing entertainment and information to national audiences.
Around the world, radio was the first official “mass media” technology, capable of reaching thousands, if not millions of people.
After a while, many news stations decided to embrace “all-news” radio, ignoring other transmissions of entertainment and music so that they could solely focus on delivering news to the masses.
Today, All-news radio is still available in international and local formats. However, the majority of stations best-known for their radio news combine the delivery of information with other programs, to ensure diversity in their broadcasting.
Some of the most popular news radio stations in the US today in local cities include:
- WINS-AM, New York
- WCBS-AM, New York
- KFI-AM, Los Angeles
- WBBM-AM, Chicago
- WTOP-FM, Washington
- KCBS-AM, San Francisco
How radio news changed the world
No matter how you look at it, radio has been a disruptive force in the world since day one. Media industries have been drastically transformed throughout the years by the introduction of new ways to share stories and consume news.
When news radio history began, the newspaper industry was particularly affected. Usually, it would take days for printing presses for newspaper companies to complete the stages required to share breaking headlines with the public.
However, news stations could relay information immediately, like clockwork.
As the years passed, radio news grew to be a more significant part of the daily broadcasting schedule. People enjoyed the immediate nature of news broadcasting and the fact that they could listen to real, human voices telling them about the world.
News radio stations weren’t just convenient; they were more social and engaging too. The radio news broadcasts of the era were so popular that journalists unsuccessfully attempted to block stations from using their information in 1933.
By 1938, one-tenth of all the time that users spent on their radio was dedicated to listening to the news. People were keen to catch up on the latest information available about the conflicts around the world, and the wars attempting to halt the spread of German soldiers.
During the Munich Crisis, radios began to provide around-the-clock coverage, and radio receiver sales rose to their highest period in history. Only a month later, the Mercury Theatre of the Air launched its radio drama about a Martian invasion.
People became so enamored with their radio sets and the news they transmitted at that point, that they believed the attack was real.
As the decades flew by, news radio stations became one of the most crucial parts of the broadcasting world. They shared some of the biggest moments of history with listeners around the globe.
After Pearl Harbor, Franklin D Roosevelt even made his mark on news radio history by announcing a declaration of war on Japan. The broadcast was heard by more than 60 million Americans.
The most popular news radio stations
Although the way that we consume news has evolved over the years, there’s still an appetite for the news radio station.
While you can always catch up with information on Twitter, or tune into the news on your television set, it’s still convenient to listen to the latest announcements in your car on the way to work, or when you wake up first thing in the morning.
Even in this era of technology, there are still people who commit themselves to consuming news radio every day. Some of the most popular news radio stations around the world include:
1. BBC World News Radio
Otherwise known as the BBC World Service, BBC World News Radio is the world’s largest broadcaster of international news. The station transmits in more than 40 languages to locations around the world, through a variety of platforms.
The World Service is currently funded by the TV license fee in the UK, as well as limited advertising, and support from the BBC.
2. NBC News
The National Broadcasting Company or NBC also has one of the world’s most famous news radio stations. The radio network was founded in 1926, and often broadcast information about political events.
In 1942, NBC news sold one of its national networks (NBC blue), which eventually became the American Broadcasting company or ABC.
3. ABC News Radio
As mentioned above, ABC News Radio was the news radio station that broke off from NBC when the company was forced to sell one of its broadcasting stations.
The station now acts as a division of the ABC television network and is currently the largest commercial station for news in the United States. ABC Radio was also the station that first broadcast the news about the assassination of the president, John F. Kennedy in 1963.
4. CBS News Radio
Formerly CBS Radio News, CBS News Radio provides information to more than 1,000 stations across the US. Owned by the CBS Corporation, CBS news radio is one of the last remaining “original” news radio stations to emerge in the United States.
CBS is also one of the two national news broadcasts that’s currently owned and managed by the Skyview Networks company. Skyview is responsible for the distribution of national talk, news, music, and other programs.
5. Fox News Radio
Fox News Radio is one of the most recent companies to begin broadcasting the news through its own radio station. In 2003, the company started to syndicate brief radio updates to radio stations around the US.
A few years later, the company jumped completely into news radio broadcasting, hiring around 60 people in 2005 to provide news around the clock.
The Fox network struck a deal with Clear Channel Communications which allowed the stations to broadcast the newscasts and ensured that Fox had a way to nationally distribute its stories.
What’s next for news radio stations
It’s easy to assume that news radio stations are going the way of the dinosaurs.
We don’t need things like the BBC and ABC when we can rely on Twitter to give us all of the political updates and breaking stories that we like. Today, social media makes it easier than ever for people to tune into information wherever they are.
What’s more, because most people are walking around with a smartphone in their pocket, we have greater access to journalism than we ever did in the past.
However, it’s safe to say that news radio history is far from over. While radio might not be the most popular way to consume information anymore, it still holds an essential place in the hearts of listeners around the world.
For one thing, radio news is often far more accurate and reliable than the information that we can get online. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Centre, around 62% of Americans get their news from social media.
However, the research also reveals that 23% of those adults have shared fake news without realizing it.
Radio news is still one of the most reliable and well-respected ways for people to access information about the world around them.
When news radio stations emerged, they were designed as a quick and easy way for people across the globe to make sure that they were up-to-date with what was happening in the world around them.
Today, radio is still a convenient way to tune into the latest stories and develop our connections with countries around the world.
Radio has brought humanity together in a way that television broadcasts and newspapers never could. It’s that community-driven spirit that helps to ensure the endurance of news radio stations.
Radio has brought humanity together in a way that television broadcasts and newspapers never could. It’s that community-driven spirit that helps to ensure the endurance of news radio stations.
Is radio still the best way to get news?
Every year, on the 13th of February, UNESCO celebrates World Radio Day.
There’s a reason that radio has earned its own annual celebration. It’s not just because it gives us a great way to keep up with the latest music trends in the industry. Radio news ensures that people around the world can stay connected and informed.
According to UNESCO, radio remains the primary way to share information for most people across the globe. According to the United Nations, there are around 44,000 radio stations broadcasting to no less than 5 billion people.
That means that 70% of the global population are still tuning into radio news. Unlike any other platform, news radio can reach more people and deliver more information than any other technology.
Radio is a platform that ensures people across the globe can interact regardless of their educational levels.
What’s more, thanks to wind-up radios, even people in impoverished countries can use the radio to listen to the news without having to pay for expensive batteries or electricity.
For decades, the radio has been available in locations across the globe, becoming increasingly popular, and earning a place in the hearts and minds of countless communities.
The radio is particularly useful for households in developing countries, where the technology is cheap and accessible. According to UNESCO, radio news can be a lifeline for many people, even in the age of smartphones and internet connections.
In countries like Zambia, around a third of all citizens listen to news radio stations from their phone handsets each week.
Because radio stations online need a handful of towers to broadcast signals over vast areas, the technology can continue to thrive even in areas where mobile and internet connections have remained absent.
News radio might not have the same impact on the world that it had when it first emerged, but it’s hard to deny its continued importance.
News radio stations are still alive and well.
News radio FAQs
Q: When did news radio start?
A: The first news broadcast delivered via a radio station came from Inventor Lee DeForest in 1916. In November of 1916, DeForest announced his plans to broadcast the details of the presidential contest between Charles Evans Hughes and Woodrow Wilson.
Thousands of people tuned in across a 200-mile radius in New York City.
Q: Why do radio stations repeat the news so often throughout the day?
A: Breaking news is repeated regularly because news broadcasters want to make sure that everyone has a chance to hear it. There’s no guarantee that anyone will be listening to their radio the first time the news is aired.
Additionally, there’s rarely enough news to fill the portions of programming dedicated to news broadcasts on a radio station in a single day. That means that it’s easier to repeat the top stories and add information as it becomes available.
Q: Where was the first news radio broadcast?
A: The first news radio broadcast was in New York City. The transmission that followed that one was in 1920, and it was issued by a Detroit station called the KDKA.
Q: Who was the first news radio reporter?
A: Graham McNamee was the first official news reporter for a radio network, known for his exceptional description of transpiring events. McNamee was hired by WEAF in 1923.
However, H.V Kaltenborn also experimented with radio news journalism in 1921, when he discussed events live on air.
Q: How was audio recorded for news radio?
A: Initial news radio was made up of announcements read from wire copy or newspapers over the air. These audio recordings were enabled by transcription machines. The tapes were difficult to edit, and often complicated.
Q: Which were the first official news radio stations?
A: Some of the biggest news radio stations in the US are still active today, including CBS, and NBC. Another major broadcasting company at the time was Mutual.
CBS officially established itself as the leader of news radio with a dedicated team of reporters who remained with the channel for decades to come.
Q: What was the most famous news radio broadcast?
A: It depends on who you ask. In September 1938, European leaders met at the Munich Crisis to attempt to find a way to stop the German war. The radio networks at the time provided non-stop coverage, and receiver sales went through the roof.
However, radio news has been at the forefront of many crucial news stories across the decades. It was where Franklin D Roosevelt announced the war on Japan after Pearl Harbor.
News radio stations were also responsible for transmitting information about John F Kennedy’s assassination, and they gave Martin Luther King the opportunity to share his inspiring dream with people across the globe.
One of the best-known radio news broadcasts wasn’t even news at all. The War of the Worlds show transmitted by the Mercury Theatre of the Air left countless homes in panic after it convinced listeners that they were listening to the news report of a genuine Martian attack.
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