An Elon University article [1] and one on Radio King [2] are two of numerous pieces online that discuss the history of radio.
Though
a form of radio developed in the 1800s, radio first became popular during the 1920s.
The first public radio station, KDKA in Pittsburgh, began broadcasting in 1920.
Others soon followed. Economic prosperity made radios affordable in the 1920s
for the general public.
Radio’s
use continued to expand in the 1930s and 1940s, as persons used it as a major
source for news and entertainment.
Radio’s
Golden Age occurred from the 1920s to the 1950s. Some sources narrow that range
to the 1930s and 1940s. Radio’s heyday was in the 1940s according to various sources,
including Britannica.[3]
Most
Popular Radio Comedy
My
dad told me that during his childhood Amos 'n' Andy was an enormously popular radio
show. The show broadcast from the 1920s to 1960 according to History. [4] Various sources report it to be radio’s most
popular comedy of all time.
The
show’s racial stereotypes and use of two white persons to portray two black
leading characters likely would not pass muster now. But this comedy was a hit. Many episodes of it are available online for viewing or can be purchased.
News
and Entertainment
From
the 1920s until television became popular in the 1950s, radio was perhaps the
main form of household entertainment.
My
mom told of her enjoyment listening on the radio to the show Beulah and to Christmas
carols during her childhood. She mentioned her dad enjoying the evening news on
the same radio. She said she’d get upset when her dad would sometimes switch
the station to the one carrying the newscast before the end of Beulah.
A
Couple of Memorable Radio Moments
Those
who grew up listening to radio experienced memorable moments like the scare
created by the fictional radio broadcast The War of the Worlds on October 30,
1938. The program created panic as many listeners thought a real Martian invasion was
occurring, despite announcements during the program about it being fiction.
The
announcement of the December 7, 1941, Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor is
another of the many memorable moments. I cannot imagine what it must have been like listening to that news being broadcast on radio.
My
Childhood in the 1960s and 1970s
My childhood in the 1960s and 1970s included more television watching than radio listening. And I probably devoted more time to reading than to either.
We only
got three major television networks, and typically only three different programs
were on at a time.
However,
after dark I could pick up a huge variety of radio stations in southeastern
Kentucky where I lived, stations from New York City, Chicago, New Orleans, and
many other cities.
I
especially enjoyed listening to WHAS in Louisville in the early 1970s. The
radio call-in show Metz Here, hosted by Milton Metz, facilitated discussion of a nice variety
of topics. Metz allowed persons of different views to speak respectfully, without injecting his own viewpoint. I still think he’s the best talk radio
show host I’ve ever heard. His show was entertaining and educational.
WHAS
also broadcast University of Kentucky basketball and football games, as well as
Kentucky Colonels ABA professional basketball games. Back in those early 1970s
few games were broadcast on television. I was (and remain) a Kentucky sports
fan.
During
the 1970s WHAS even began broadcasting a suspense radio drama, The CBS Radio Mystery Theater, a new broadcast, which gave me an idea of what my mom and dad
listened to during their childhoods. In some cases I actually enjoyed being able to visualize
scenes from the radio description and my imagination more than seeing similar programs on
television.
I
also occasionally listened to music on the radio, as well as news. Car radios
were popular, and mom often listened to music on a radio station while doing housework.
Below is a photo of two of the AM-FM radios I own. Both are clock radios. The one on the bottom is one I received as a gift from dad and mom in the early 1970s. It’s over 50 years old. Its clock no longer works. But I still listen to the radio regularly.
Now
Despite
the Internet, television, and video games, radio remains popular today.
I
still listen to radio newscasts daily. I often listen to three different ones
(NPR, ABC, and Fox) via three local radio stations here in Lexington, Kentucky.
I also sometimes listen to talk radio shows, Christmas music in season, and other things on the radio. A nice thing about radio is that I can be looking at something else while I'm listening, instead of focusing my eyes on a video screen.
But there
is a decline in local news reporting on radio. Furthermore, large companies own
huge numbers of radio stations, eliminating local ownership of many stations.
However, radio remains popular. Radio talk shows, music, news, sports, etc., attract significant audiences.
Millions of persons drive with car radios on and/or listen to the
radio while doing things in their home. A 2023 Pew Research Center article [5]
is one of many that discuss radio’s continuing popularity.
ENDNOTES:
[1] “1890s-1930s: Radio”; Elon University; webpage accessed January 2, 2026; https://www.elon.edu/u/imagining/time-capsule/150-years/back-1890-1930/
[2] “Radio History: What You Need to Know”; Radio King; April 7, 2025; webpage accessed January 2, 2026; https://www.radioking.com/blog/radio-history/
[3] Skretvedt, Randy; “The Golden Age of American Radio”; webpage accessed January 2, 2026; https://www.britannica.com/topic/radio/Variety-shows
[4] “Original ‘Amos “n” Andy’ Debuts on Chicago Radio”; History; published November 24, 2009; last updated May 27, 2025; webpage accessed January 2, 2026; https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/january-12/original-amos-n-andy-debuts-on-chicago-radio
[5] Forman-Katz, Naomi; “For National Radio Day, key facts about radio listeners and the radio industry in the U.S.”; Pew Research Center; February 13, 2023; updated August 17, 2023; webpage accessed January 2, 2026; https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/17/for-national-radio-day-key-facts-about-radio-listeners-and-the-radio-industry-in-the-us/
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