1928: Radio becomes a mass advertising medium

Abstract

This magazine has observed that “we have neither adequately gathered the history of broadcasting nor acknowledged its importance.” At that time the lack and loss of primary historical data that might be of future use to broadcasters was being decried. Painstaking analysis and synthesis of such data would be the next, and most directly valuable, step. The following article is that sort of historical writing. It should be of interest to every broadcaster, and of use to those here and in other countries who need to examine the antecedents of the American system of economic support for broadcasting. The thesis of this article argues that it is possible to locate a period in the late 1920's in which broadcast facilities, audiences, programs, and station owner attitudes, were “right” for the national advertiser to enter upon radio sponsorship in a serious way.