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Populate initial radio

Radio became a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s. What else was radio used for? How did it impact society? Throughout the late 1890s and early 1900s, many scientists were experimenting with radio waves, transmitters, and receivers. While Guglielmo Marconi is widely given credit for patenting the first radio, there were many others who came before—and after—Marconi whose work was also important. By 1920, the technology had advanced far enough that radio was ready for public consumption. The first broadcast from a commercial radio station was made by KDKA, a station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. KDKA took to the airwaves for the first time on November 2, 1920, reporting the results of the 1920 presidential election. Unfortunately, not many listeners heard this historic broadcast because very few people owned radios at the time. That would change rapidly, however. As the new decade commenced, radio became more and more popular. Before long, radio was the one device that every family just had to have. Manufacturers struggled to keep up with the growing demand. By 1922, radio sales were estimated at $60 million a year, and there were already more than 500 radio stations across the country. Very few other technological devices have been adopted by the public as quickly as radio. Radios came in all shapes and sizes too. The smallest and least expensive could be purchased for as little as $8. The most expensive units were well over $300 (that would be about $4,000 in today’s currency!). As radio became more commonplace, programming became more diversified. Before long, news broadcasts, weather reports, popular music, classical music, opera, sports, and fictional programming could all be found. Fictional radio programs became the most popular, especially in the latter part of the 1920s and into the 1930s. Similar to today’s television programming, a variety of different genres appealed to a wide array of tastes. Westerns, mysteries, comedies, romance, and children’s shows were all popular. Radio drastically changed American home life. Families would come home in the evening and gather around the radio to listen to the latest news and their favorite radio programs, very similar to how families might watch television today. Some would even have radio parties, inviting over friends or family who might not have a radio yet. For the first time, a national culture began to develop. Listeners across the nation were enjoying the same music and laughing to the same comedy sketches. Baseball fans in Kentucky could listen to a game being played in Boston, while teenagers in Texas might be listening to the latest jazz music from the Cotton Club in New York City. At first, the federal government had very little regulation over the radio industry. As radio became more and more popular, the government eventually stepped in and began passing laws to monitor content and regulate other aspects of the industry. The Federal Radio Act of 1927 authorized the creation of the Federal Radio Commission which oversaw radio. Not everyone was a fan of radio, though....