History of Radio

A million Americans listen to this show each week. Some at Earthdate.org. But the huge majority on the radio.

That’s because, in our increasingly online world, radio is still the leading way people consume media.

It began when an engineer named Reginald Fessenden improved on early transmitters to create a continuous stream of radio waves.

In 1906, he made the first broadcast, of himself playing the violin and singing – a one-man talent show … that almost no one had a receiver to hear.

That quickly changed.

In 1920, the first commercial station went on air in Detroit. Within four years there were 600 stations across the country, as sales of home radios boomed.

In 1927, the government created the FCC to parcel out different wavelengths to radio stations.

In the 100 years since, those grew to 15,000 stations in the US, among 44,000 worldwide, delivering some famous radio moments that united us all.

FDR guided America through the Depression with his radio fireside chats. Rock and roll was born, largely as a radio phenomenon. Millions listened to Neil Armstrong’s first words from the moon.

Today, 92% of Americans listen to radio weekly. Worldwide, people average 104 minutes a day! And you just enjoyed two of them.