Electronic Media History

As anyone who knows me or my writing is aware, this has been a long-term teaching and research interest...surely since I was first exposed to the history of radio and television in the mid-1960s. My prime focus is more on development of technology, policy and the industry rather than programs. There are scads of websites on all these topics—here are just a handful (including several important archives) on both domestic and international radio and television. They are followed by some suggested books of value.

This complex antenna array is located near Sackville, New Brunswick and is part of the transmitting apparatus for Radio Canada International. The short wave facility includes nine transmitters and numerous antennas, all controlled by computers---the programs are produced elsewhere. Such international radio services were a central feature of the Cold War and have remained active in the years since.

Websites

Recording Technology History A topic sometimes hard to find information on, here's a good deal of information provided in a straight-forward fashion.

FM Broadcasting Chronology Ever since my dissertation days in the late 1960s, this is a story I've been following. Here's a useful link-filled chronology.

History of American Broadcasting A long page of well-organized links (with brief annotations) to oodles of other pages!

The Broadcast Archive Barry Mishkind provides a variety of useful information and many links concerning oldtime radio.

Edwin H. Armstrong Perfectly fascinating site reproduces original documents by and about the inventor of FM radio (1890-1954).

Library of American Broadcasting The former Broadcast Pioneers collection is now greatly expanded and housed at the University of Maryland---a treasure trove, with lots to see online as well.

U.S. Early Radio History This is one of the most impressive radio sites on the Web, filled with well-researched articles (including how call letters and the AM radio "band" developed). Written by Thomas White, the site focuses on the period before 1930. Highly recommended!

Michael Keith's Radio Site Few people know more about radio (or have published more books about it!)--there are lots of useful things here including a long page of subject-divided web links.

Clark Radioana Collection Originally collected by an RCA official, and now housed at the Smithsonian, this is one of the most important archives of information on the first decades of radio, from its invention to broadcasting. This index provides extensive details on its holdings.

Useful links to other sites: This realtor's website includes a section on "appliances that changed the home forever," and among them are links to a number of sites about both radio and television history (and one on the VCR) that are worth exploring.

Kelly Books Limited Leading Specialists in the Literature of Broadcasting and Mass Media

Suggested Books

Barnouw, Erik. A Tower in Babel: A History of Broadcasting in the United States to 1933. New York: Oxford University Press, 1966. Along with the following two volumes, this is the standard history, beautifully written, and increasingly opinionated as he deals with more recent events.

(Ibid). Golden Web: A History of Broadcasting in the United States 1933-1953. New York: Oxford University Press, 1968. See above.

(Ibid). The Image Empire: A History of Broadcasting in the United States From 1953. New York: Oxford University Press, 1970. See first title.

(Ibid). Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990 (2nd rev. ed.). A summation and updating of the material above, though only for television.

Bergreen, Laurence. Look Now, Pay Later: The Rise of Network Broadcasting. New York: Doubleday, 1980. The only recent attempt at an overall history–though given its publication date, it makes little reference to cable, competition from which would soon hit the networks hard.

Bliss, Edward Jr. Now the News: The Story of Broadcast Journalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 1991. Best one-volume source by a long-time newsman and later academic.

Dunning, John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Without question, the best directory of network and syndicated OTR programs into the 1960s.

Halper, Donna L. Invisible Stars: A Social History of Women in American Broadcasting. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2001. The first overall history, this does a fine job of redressing the balance as women have too often been overlooked in this story.

Hilliard, Robert L., and Michael C. Keith. The Broadcast Century and Beyond: A Biography of American Broadcasting. Woburn, MA: Focal Press, 2005 (4th ed.). Great brief history with good illustrations and a running time line along its pages.

Hilmes, Michele. Radio Voices: American Broadcasting, 1922-1952. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1997. One of the country's major radio scholars discusses the pre-television era.

Keith, Michael C. Any of his many radio titles--he's easily the most prolific author of radio books!

Lichty, Lawrence W. and Malachi C. Topping, eds. American Broadcasting: A Sourcebook on the History of Radio and Television. New York: Hastings House, 1975. Sometimes hard to find, but a wonderful anthology of articles and data.

Newcomb, Horace, ed. Encyclopedia of Television. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2004 [2nd ed.] (4 vols). The best single source with a stress on America but including much on people, programs, and trends in other countries as well.

Slotten, Hugh R. Radio and Television Regulation: Broadcast Technology in the United States, 1920-1960. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000. One of the very few historical treatments of broadcast regulation and its impact.

Sterling, Christopher H., ed. Encyclopedia of Radio. New York: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2004 (3 vols). Heavily emphasizes U.S., but includes some good material on Asia, Britain, Canada and numerous other nations. Nearly 700 entries by nearly 250 authors on some 1,600 pages.

Sterling, Christopher H. Electronic Media: A Guide to Trends in Broadcasting and Newer Technologies, 1920-1983. New York: Praeger, 1984. An historical abstract of time series data, carefully annotated.

Sterling, Christopher H. and John Michael Kittross. Stay Tuned: A History of American Broadcasting. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002 (3rd ed.). The most complete one-volume history with valuable appendix reference material.