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Essay / The Growth of Radio - 1070
IntroductionOver the next two essays, we will explore and analyze the growth of radio as it has matured over the years, in addition to what might have happened differently if radio had been developed during the poverty of the Depression era rather than the wealthy atmosphere of the 1920s.1. Discuss the evolution of radio from the 1940s to the present, reflecting on significant changes. During World War II, radio was a vital information outlet for the masses. Listeners from around the world tuned into their radios as the broadcast's journalists gave vivid descriptions of battles, victories, invasions and defeats. Public figures and political leaders such as Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, and Franklin D. Roosevelt used radio to influence public opinion. Not only did radio function as a telecommunications channel for war realism as well as propaganda, but it also served as a constant source of entertainment and distraction, easing the difficulties and stresses of life during the war. Radio broadcasts and music programs allowed people to lose themselves in the moment of the story or song being played and were a welcome diversion from the hardships and sorrows of war. Thus was inaugurated the “golden age” of radio, which was listened to by all as a symbol of hope and fun. During the golden age of radio, which occurred in the 1940s, the amount of money spent on radio advertising increased significantly. This continued popularity has allowed radio to overtake the traditional newspaper as the most popular commercial marketing provider in the advertising industry. Radio listeners were loyal and supportive. As a result, radio became the medium largely because of radio's relatively easy and rapid transition into American life. By the time the Great Depression hit, radio was an integral part of culture.References: Part 1: The Evolution of Radio, Part II. The Schenectady Antique Radio Club. Retrieved from http://dadellers.tripod.com/index.htmlAdams, Mike. A century of radio. Retrieved from http://www.californiahistoricalradio.com/100years.htmlGovier, Gordon. Rock & Roll and radio news. Retrieved from http://www.radioscribe.com/formats2.htmlRADIO – A BREAKTHROUGH IN MASS COMMUNICATION. Retrieved from http://www.zainbooks.com/books/mass-communication/introduction-to-mass-communication_30_radio%E2%80%93a-breakthrough-in-mass-communication.htmlPart 2Dominick, J. (2009). The dynamics of mass communication: media in the digital age. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education