21L.015
INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA STUDIES
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- CASE STUDY: THE CHANGING FUNCTIONS OF RADIO
- Thursday 20 February 1997
- Henry Jenkins
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- Suggested paper topics
READINGS
- Catherine L. Covert, "We May Hear Too Much: American Sensibility
and the Response to Radio, 1919-1924"
- William Boddy, "The Rhetoric and Economic Roots of the American
Broadcasting Industry"
RADIO AND AMERICAN CULTURE: CHRONOLOGY
- 1850-1890s
- Prehistory Era of the Telegraph Scientific discoveries by Hertz, Maxwell,
Von Hlelmholtz
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- 1890s
- Emergence of the Wireless Marconi's inventions Point-to-point transmission
of morse code
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- 1900-1905
- Transitional Period, technological inovations improve radio signals.
Emerge of "Radiotelephony" as model.
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- 1907
- Lee DeForest proposes "broadcast" paradigm for radio.
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- 1907-1914
- Age of Amateur Radio.
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- 1914
- WWI leads to a shutting down of Amateur Radio, Focus on military applications
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- 1915-1920
- Transitional Era, Emergence of many Local Stations run by churches,
schools, department stores, advertising agencies, recording companies,
and private individuals. RCA's vision of a radio monopoly.
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- 1920-1934
- Emergence of National Radio Networks as dominant model for use of the
medium.
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- 1934-1947
- Radio as a Central National Cultural Institution.
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- 1947-1955
- Gradual Displacement of Network Radio by Network Television.
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- 1950s
- Radio searches for alternative social functions, embraces stronger
ties with music recording industry. FM radio becomes primary vehicle for
rock-n-roll. Development of transitor radios and car radios allows link
to mobile youth market.
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- 1960s
- Emergence of "alternative" or "people's radio"
stations as part of the counterculture.
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- 1970s
- CB-Radio Craze rediscovers prospect of participatory amateur medium;
Jimmy Carter and Larry King facilitate popular access to celebrities.
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- 1980s
- Emergence of "Shock Jocks," growing importance of national
talk radio with conservative hosts, increased visibility of NPR, rising
role of "pirate radio" stations in minority communities.
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- 1990s
- RealAudio links radio with the Digital Realm.
mroberts@mit.edu