A Case Study of Edwin Howard Armstrong's Public Relations Campaign for Frequency Modulation

Abstract

Edwin Howard Armstrong is commonly remembered as the inventor of frequency modulation (FM). There are those, however, who dispute this claim and assert that Armstrong's legacy is a work of fiction rather than history. This study examines the extensive public relations campaign on behalf of both FM and Armstrong from 1940 until after his death. This thesis is a case study of this campaign for the purpose of understanding the narrative presented to the American public.

KEYWORDS:

• Edwin Howard Armstrong
• frequency modulation
• media technology
• media history

Notes

1. Lessing, Man of High Fidelity.

2. Frost, Early FM Radio.

3. Besen, ‘AM versus FM: The Battle of the Bands,’ 375–96.

4. Lessing, Man of High Fidelity.

5. Frost, Early FM Radio.

6. Frost, Early FM Radio.

7. Sterling and Kittross, Stay Tuned.

8. Sterling and Kittross, Stay Tuned.

9. Lessing, Man of High Fidelity.

10. Douglas, Listening in, 63.

11. Douglas, Listening in, 63.

12. Gary Frost, personal interview, October 16, 2012.

13. Ugland, ‘Education for Victory,’ 447.

14. Ugland, ‘Education for Victory, 447–8.

15. ‘FM for Education,’ 3–4.

16. ‘Program Planning for FM School Stations,’ 4–6.

17. ‘The Needs of Educational FM Broadcasting for Additional Channels,’ 1–5.

18. ‘Looking Forward to FM Broadcasting,’ 11–3.

19. ‘Education's Opportunities in Radio,’ 5–9.

20. Boutwell, ‘How Can an FM Educational Station Be Used?’ 34–7.

21. ‘Education's Interest in FM Broadcasting,’ 305–9.

22. Wakefield, ‘FM and Education,’ 39–44.

23. Ebel, ‘Frequency Modulation and Its Place in Post War Broadcasting,’ 9–11, 37.

24. Broderick, ‘Radio in the Curriculum,’ 28–9.

25. ‘FM and Education,’ 197.

26. Boutwell, ‘FM Educational Station,’ 36.

27. Dunham, ‘FM Broadcasting Offers New Opportunity for Schools,’ 372.

28. Fuller, ‘Radio's New Chance,’ 841–2.

29. Owen, ‘What About FM Radio?’ 13–4.

30. Benson, ‘Press Lords Trying to Seize FM Radio; Public Urged to Act,’ 4.

31. ‘More Air for FM,’ 30.

32. ‘More Air for FM,’ 30.

33. ‘More Air for FM,’ 30.

34. ‘More Air for FM,’ 30.

35. Fuller, ‘Radio's New Chance,’ 841–2.

36. Fuller, ‘Radio's New Chance’, 841.

37. Fuller, ‘Radio's New Chance’, 841.

38. Fuller, ‘Radio's New Chance’, 841.

39. Benson, ‘Trying to Seize FM,’ 4.

40. Benson, ‘Trying to Seize FM,’ 4.

41. Frost, ‘Early FM Radio.’

42. Young, Adventures in Advertising.

43. Young, Adventures in Advertising, 135.

44. John Orr Young to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 13 November 1945. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

45. John Orr Young to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 27 February 1946. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

46. John Orr Young to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 28 February 1947. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

47. Millard Faught to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 28 March 1947. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

48. John Orr Young to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 28 February 1947. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982.

49. Millard Faught to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 8 January 1948. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

50. Millard Faught to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 8 January 1948. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982.

51. Millard Faught to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 12 November 1946. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

52. Millard Faught to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 28 February 1947. Series 1, Box 157, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

53. ‘Radio's Second Chance,’ 613–4.

54. ‘Armstrong of Radio,’ 89–91, 198, 200–10.

55. Conly, ‘They Shall Have Music,’ 91–5.

56. Armstrong, ‘Letters,’ 4.

57. Armstrong, ‘Letters,’ 4.

58. Armstrong, ‘Letters,’ 4.

59. ‘Armstrong of Radio,’ 89–91, 198, 200–10.

60. ‘Armstrong of Radio,’ 89–91, 198, 89.

61. ‘Armstrong of Radio,’ 89–91, 198, 89.

62. ‘Armstrong of Radio,’ 89–91, 89–90.

63. ‘Armstrong of Radio,’ 89–91, 89.

64. ‘Armstrong of Radio,’ 89–91, 91.

65. ‘Armstrong of Radio,’ 89–91, 206.

66. Alfred McCormack to Marion Armstrong, 17 June 1955. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 7, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

67. Marion Armstrong to William Sullivan, December 1961. Series 5, Box 240, Folder 10, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

68. Alfred McCormack to Marion Armstrong, 17 June 1955. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 7, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

69. 69.Alfred McCormack to Marion Armstrong, 17 June 1955. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 7, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982.

70. William Breeze to Edwin Howard Armstrong, 3 January 1963. Series 5, Box 241, Folder 5, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

71. Remington Kellogg to Charles Laporte, 24 September 1954. Series 5, Box 238 Folder 9, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

72. Remington Kellogg to Marion Armstrong, 22 September 1956. Series 5, Box 238 Folder 9, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

73. Alfred McCormack to Marion Armstrong, 6 May 1955. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 16, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

74. Alfred McCormack to Marion Armstrong, 6 May 1955. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 16, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982.

75. Marion Armstrong to Alfred McCormack. Series V, Box 262, Folder 7, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

76. Marion Armstrong to Carl Dreher, 3 May 1956. Series 5, Box 242, Folder 4, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

77. Marion Armstrong to Carl Dreher, 3 May 1956. Series 5, Box 242, Folder 4, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982.

78. Lee DeForest to Carl Dreher, 15 May 1956. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 17, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

79. Lee DeForest to Carl Dreher, 15 May 1956. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 17, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982.

80. Carl Dreher to Lee Deforest, 1956. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 17, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982, Rare Book & Manuscript Library Collections, Columbia University.

81. Carl Dreher to Lee Deforest, 1956. Series 5, Box 214, Folder 17, Edwin Howard Armstrong Papers 1886–1982.