Celebrating World Radio Day
Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, World Radio Day is celebrated yearly on February 13th. This year marks over 110 years since the invention of the radio and the impact of this medium is celebrated globally. To help make this year special, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) made evolution, innovation, and connection the major themes of this year’s celebration. Despite radio being a century-old medium, it has evolved to keep up with global innovation in order to maintain the connection between listeners and the platform.
In the late 19th century, scientists began to study and better understand electromagnetic technology and their potential role in wireless communication. In 1894, Guglielmo Macaroni engineered the first commercial radio technology, relying on decades of science and experimentation. This technology was first used in a military and government format. However, once the reliability and popularity of this form of communication was solidified, the technology began to be mainstreamed and used for entertainment purposes as well. Soon enough, the radio was a staple in households around the world, bringing families and people together to listen to different programming. The 1930s-1940s marked the “Golden Age of Radio”. In the 1950s, TV was introduced, making this new technology even more popular in the home. However, due to radio’s persistence, the medium continued to adapt and capitalized on portable options like car and hand-held radios. Over the years, even with the constant invention of new technology, the radio has remained a prominent media platform.
Today, radio can reach its listeners in a variety of different ways, through mobile phones, computers, cars, and more. Whether you enjoy listening to hip-hop music or are deeply interested in political talk radio, there is something for everyone. If you tuned into my #VirtualSmallTalk this week you know that my relationship with the radio transitioned me from just a listener into a creator, pushing me to work for a radio station and take on a variety of different roles. As a Public Relations major, I am typically working with the media from an outside perspective instead of developing broadcast content. My time working as a radio DJ and producer helped me appreciate radio as a consumer, creator, and PR practitioner, helping me see just how valuable and impressive this platform truly is. After serving in this role, I understand how accurate UNESCO’s major themes of this holiday truly are. I encourage everyone to get involved in radio, whether it is working for a station or starting your own podcast. When you do, I hope you remember the long, ever-changing history of radio and appreciate the true power of one of our very first modern communications inventions.
Here are 5 fun facts about radio that you can learn and share with friends to celebrate the occasion!
AM stands for Amplitude Modulation and FM stands for Frequency Modulation.
KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the world’s first commercial radio station.
There are approximately 14,885 radio stations in America
One 30-second TV commercial in the 2015 Super Bowl will cost $4.5 Million. The same advertiser could fund a full, 52-week, national campaign on radio for that price.
Famous radio personality, Howard Stern, is a brown belt in Japanese Shotokan karate.
In honor of World Radio Day and International Day of Women and Girls in Science, that was also celebrated last week, particularly on February 11, we prepared a video how to make your own AM radio from scratch. Trust us, this is so much easier than you can imagine!
Vocabulary list:
Innovation (n) — a new method, idea, product, etc.
Electromagnetic (adj) — relating to the interrelation of electric currents or fields and magnetic fields.
Solidified (v) — make stronger; reinforce.
Mainstreamed (v) — make stronger; reinforce.
Transitioned (v) — undergo or cause to undergo a process or period of change.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hailey Womer is a third-year student at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York pursuing a dual major in Public Relations and Political Science. With interests in communications, public diplomacy, and politics & government, she hopes to use communication to grow the passions of the public and advocate for others. In her free time, you can find her editing social media content, engrossed in the fashion trends of the season, catching up on the latest political buzz, or on a philanthropic mission to make the world just a little bit brighter!