RADIO IN THE 1930's
July 5, 2017
By Olivene Godfrey
For the radio, the 1930's was a golden age. At the start of the decade twelve million American households owned a radio. By 1939 this total had exploded to more than twenty-eight million, according to research I've done. I had the privilege of growing up during this period.
As technology improved radio's became smaller and less expensive. They became the central piece of furniture in the average family's living room, with adults and children alike. Most crowded around the set to hear the latest installment of their favorite show. We had a large radio in the living room and a small radio in the kitchen. I remember when I was an elementary school student and would listen to Chattanooga's Luther Massingale's program early in the morning while I ate my breakfast.
Radio provided a great source of entertainment with much loved comedian's such as Jack Benny and Fred Allen. It marked the advent of the soap opera, a running story that people could return to, with characters they could sympathize with and love. I remember returning home from school in the afternoon, eating the snack my mother always had waiting and listening to the radio soap, "Stella Dallas". That poor woman had more to bear than any person should have to endure, but somehow she always overcame her troubles.
Radio programs provided a source of inspiration with heroes like the Lone Ranger and The Shadow - "who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men." Ha Ha!
News broadcasters influenced the way the public experienced current affairs. I remember during World War II listening to newscaster, Gabriel Heater, giving his "good" and "bad" news while we ate supper.
Franklin Roosevelt's "fireside chats" helped the population feel closer to their president than ever before. One of my greatest thrills was when I saw FDR in person, in Chattanooga when I was a child.
By the end of the decade radio had exacted quite an influence on the American media. Advertisers capitalized on the radio's popularity and the idea of the "sponsor" was born. Radio also helped establish the national broadcasting networks such as NBC and CBS, still present to this day.
An after thought; In my last blog, I wrote about my strange family. I neglected to mention that often at night, my daddy would stroll through the house, quoting scary passages of Edgar Allen Poe's epic poem, "The Raven". It didn't scare me, it just caused me to be interested in the poet.
See you next time. Comments welcome. (Edited and typed by Tam.)
By Olivene Godfrey
For the radio, the 1930's was a golden age. At the start of the decade twelve million American households owned a radio. By 1939 this total had exploded to more than twenty-eight million, according to research I've done. I had the privilege of growing up during this period.
As technology improved radio's became smaller and less expensive. They became the central piece of furniture in the average family's living room, with adults and children alike. Most crowded around the set to hear the latest installment of their favorite show. We had a large radio in the living room and a small radio in the kitchen. I remember when I was an elementary school student and would listen to Chattanooga's Luther Massingale's program early in the morning while I ate my breakfast.
Radio provided a great source of entertainment with much loved comedian's such as Jack Benny and Fred Allen. It marked the advent of the soap opera, a running story that people could return to, with characters they could sympathize with and love. I remember returning home from school in the afternoon, eating the snack my mother always had waiting and listening to the radio soap, "Stella Dallas". That poor woman had more to bear than any person should have to endure, but somehow she always overcame her troubles.
Radio programs provided a source of inspiration with heroes like the Lone Ranger and The Shadow - "who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men." Ha Ha!
News broadcasters influenced the way the public experienced current affairs. I remember during World War II listening to newscaster, Gabriel Heater, giving his "good" and "bad" news while we ate supper.
Franklin Roosevelt's "fireside chats" helped the population feel closer to their president than ever before. One of my greatest thrills was when I saw FDR in person, in Chattanooga when I was a child.
By the end of the decade radio had exacted quite an influence on the American media. Advertisers capitalized on the radio's popularity and the idea of the "sponsor" was born. Radio also helped establish the national broadcasting networks such as NBC and CBS, still present to this day.
An after thought; In my last blog, I wrote about my strange family. I neglected to mention that often at night, my daddy would stroll through the house, quoting scary passages of Edgar Allen Poe's epic poem, "The Raven". It didn't scare me, it just caused me to be interested in the poet.
See you next time. Comments welcome. (Edited and typed by Tam.)
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