1919 in radio

1919 in radio marked the transition from wartime restrictions to post-World War I experimentation and commercialization, featuring the establishment of key institutions and the onset of regular audio broadcasts that foreshadowed the broadcasting era.^[1] The year saw the formation of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) on October 17, through the consolidation of American Marconi's assets and patents from General Electric and Westinghouse, aimed at advancing wireless communication under U.S. government influence to prevent foreign control.^[2] This development accelerated radio's growth, enabling the rapid production and sale of receivers that would transform public access to information and entertainment by the mid-1920s.^[2] Experimental stations across North America initiated voice and music transmissions, building on vacuum-tube technology refined during the war. In the United States, the Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C., conducted early demonstrations, including a wireless phonograph playback of "Pretty Baby" on February 26 that highlighted radio's entertainment potential.^[1] The U.S. Navy's station on the USS George Washington broadcast nightly concerts to ships during transatlantic voyages in early 1919, reaching audiences up to 100 miles away, while a planned July 4 transmission of President Woodrow Wilson's speech, though partially failed, demonstrated long-distance relay capabilities.^[1] Pioneering broadcasts included live music from Cleveland's Glenn L. Martin aviation plant starting April 17 and aerial publicity from military aircraft in August, showcasing radio's versatility for public events.^[1] Notable milestones included Vice President Thomas Marshall's first radio address by an elected official on August 24 from Washington, D.C., using an Army transmitter, and Hugo Gernsback's review in September of a Chicago grand opera transmission that envisioned synchronized audio with films.^[1] In October, Westinghouse engineer Frank Conrad launched weekly phonograph concerts from station 8XK in Pennsylvania, inspiring amateur listeners and contributing to the surge in receiver sales.^[1] Lee De Forest's station 2XG in New York aired live football game reports on November 18, one of the earliest sports broadcasts.^[1] By December, the Navy's Chicago station NUR provided entertainment for soldiers, and amateur operator Allen H. Wood, Jr., tested concerts from Massachusetts.^[1] In Canada, the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of Canada's experimental station XWA in Montreal began voice transmission tests in spring 1919 and received the world's first commercial broadcast license on December 1, 1919, with early programs featuring news, weather, recorded music, and live performances by artists like ragtime pianist William Eckstein.^[3][4] These broadcasts, among the earliest sponsored efforts, reached local amateurs, underscoring radio's commercial viability and prompting sales of public receivers. Overall, 1919's innovations, driven by military surplus technology and entrepreneurial vision, shifted radio from point-to-point telegraphy to mass entertainment, setting the stage for the 1920 commercial boom.^[1]

Events

Transatlantic and Long-Distance Transmissions

On March 19, 1919, Marconi engineers W.T. Ditcham and H.J. Round achieved the first east-to-west transatlantic transmission of spoken words using longwave radio from the station with call sign YXQ in Ballybunion, County Kerry, Ireland. The transmission consisted of the simple message "Hello Canada," which was successfully received at receiving stations in Chelmsford and Louisburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. This feat marked a significant advancement, as prior transatlantic communications had been limited to Morse code signals due to the limitations of longwave technology during and immediately after World War I.^[5] The transmission utilized longwave frequencies around 3,800 meters, which allowed for better propagation across the Atlantic compared to the longer wavelengths previously employed. Engineers faced considerable challenges, including atmospheric interference and the need to resume operations in a post-war environment where radio equipment had been repurposed for military use and international regulations were in flux. Despite these obstacles, the clarity of the voice signal demonstrated the potential of longwave for reliable long-distance voice communication, paving the way for future international broadcasting networks.^[5] This milestone underscored the viability of transatlantic voice radio, shifting the focus from experimental telegraphy to practical telephony and influencing subsequent developments in global radio infrastructure.

Formation of Key Organizations

On October 17, 1919, General Electric incorporated the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) under Delaware law, acquiring the operations of the American Marconi Company, the Pan-American Telegraph Company, and assets controlled by the United States Navy to consolidate U.S. wireless interests.^[6][7] This formation, effective December 1, 1919, marked a pivotal shift toward commercial radio infrastructure, with David Sarnoff transferring from American Marconi to serve as RCA's first commercial manager.^[8] Sarnoff's early role laid groundwork for his later leadership in developing the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and RKO Pictures.^[9] RCA's establishment addressed post-World War I concerns over foreign dominance in radio technology, as the U.S. Navy had urged General Electric to purchase American Marconi—then a British subsidiary—to ensure American control of transoceanic communications.^[8] By absorbing these assets, RCA prevented potential British or other foreign influence, securing U.S. preeminence in international radiocommunications amid the rapid postwar advancements in vacuum tubes and radiotelephony.^[10] In February 1920, the U.S. government transferred seized wartime radio stations, including the key New Brunswick facility, back to RCA, enabling the resumption of commercial long-distance services by March 1920.^[8] RCA's initial structure emphasized research and manufacturing to advance wireless capabilities, with Owen D. Young as chairman of the board, Edward J. Nally as president, and Sarnoff handling commercial operations, supported by executives like Lewis MacConnach as secretary and George S. DeSousa as vice president and treasurer.^[8] The company's charter focused on transmitting and receiving signals, developing electromagnetic wave technologies, conducting progressive research, and producing radio apparatus for domestic and international use, while holding patent rights to foster innovation independent of foreign entities.^[8] This framework positioned RCA as a cornerstone for future broadcasting and electronics manufacturing in the United States.^[11]

Resumption of Experimental Broadcasting

Following the end of World War I, civilian radio activities in many countries had been severely curtailed by government restrictions that prioritized military use of the spectrum, effectively halting experimental and public broadcasting efforts from 1917 onward. In the United States, for instance, the Navy took control of all radio operations, banning private transmissions and receptions to prevent interference with wartime communications; these measures persisted until April 1919 for listening and fully lifted for transmitting on October 1, 1919. This postwar resumption marked a pivotal shift, as amateur and experimental broadcasters repurposed surplus military equipment to explore entertainment and informational programming, laying foundational groundwork for the structured schedules that would define commercial radio in the 1920s.^[1] In the United States, inventor Lee de Forest exemplified this revival by reactivating his experimental station 2XG from the High Bridge section of the Bronx, New York, around October 1919, shortly after the transmission ban ended. Operating on approximately 400 meters wavelength, 2XG aired phonograph record concerts five evenings a week, featuring popular music to attract listeners equipped with homemade receivers; these broadcasts, which reached a radius of about 20 miles, were among the earliest postwar efforts to deliver regular, audience-oriented content. Richard Klein, from de Forest's sales organization, served as the station's first known program director, coordinating the musical selections and announcements to enhance listener engagement.^[12][1] Internationally, similar experimental restarts occurred, such as in newly independent Czechoslovakia, where the first radio program of spoken words and music was transmitted on October 28, 1919, from the Petřín lookout tower in Prague. This one-hour broadcast, using French-supplied military equipment, commemorated the first anniversary of Czechoslovakia's declaration of independence on October 28, 1918, and symbolized the nation's embrace of modern technology amid postwar reconstruction. Conducted by engineers from the Czechoslovak Telegraph Office, it reached listeners within a limited range using crystal detectors, foreshadowing Europe's shift toward public service broadcasting. These 1919 resumptions, by demonstrating radio's viability for cultural and celebratory programming, encouraged further investment and innovation, transitioning from sporadic tests to anticipated regular services.^[13]

Debuts

Experimental Stations in the United States

In 1919, following the end of World War I and the lifting of restrictions on amateur radio operations, several experimental stations in the United States resumed or initiated broadcasting activities, laying foundational groundwork for commercial radio. These efforts, driven by engineers and enthusiasts, focused on transmitting music, news, and voice content to amateur receivers, demonstrating the potential of radiotelephony for entertainment and communication.^[14][15] On October 17, 1919, Dr. Frank Conrad, an assistant chief engineer at Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, began regular broadcasts from his experimental station 8XK, located in the garage of his home in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. Using a 100-watt transmitter powered by vacuum tubes, Conrad aired phonograph music—including grand opera, popular tunes, jazz, and orchestral selections—for approximately two hours, announcing record titles between pieces and occasionally incorporating live elements like applause or his wife’s laughter transmitted inadvertently. These Saturday evening concerts, heard by amateurs up to 30 miles away, marked one of the earliest scheduled entertainment broadcasts and inspired widespread interest in radio receiving sets, ultimately prompting Westinghouse to establish KDKA as a commercial station in 1920 to capitalize on the demand.^[16][14] Later that year, on November 19, 1919, the Doubleday-Hill Electric Company in downtown Pittsburgh launched experimental station 8ZAE to promote radio technology sales, operating from a ninth-floor studio with a 20-watt transmitter assembled from scavenged parts like a Ford spark gap. Managed by company employee F. C. Potts and utilizing De Forest radiophone equipment, 8ZAE pioneered request-based programming by playing phonograph records selected via telephone from dealers demonstrating sets, establishing it as one of the earliest regular broadcasters with Tuesday and Thursday evening schedules of popular music from 7 to 10 p.m. The station's aerial spanned the street, enabling clear reception by local amateurs in areas like Butler and Vandergrift, and it transitioned to the commercial callsign KQV in January 1921.^[17][18] Around December 1919, Harold J. Power, founder of the American Radio and Research Corporation (AMRAD), relaunched experimental station 1XE on the Tufts College campus in Medford Hillside, Massachusetts, after wartime shutdowns halted operations in 1918. Power, a Tufts alumnus who had secured campus land for a 304-foot tower and laboratory in 1915, resumed voice and music broadcasts several evenings weekly, supported by AMRAD staff and student volunteers, to test receivers and promote the company's wartime-developed equipment for civilian use. This post-war revival positioned 1XE—later redesignated WGI in 1922—as a key early broadcaster in the Boston area, contributing to the surge in amateur radio experimentation influenced by pioneers like Lee De Forest.^[15][19]

International Station Launches

In the aftermath of World War I, which concluded with the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919, radio experimentation resumed across Europe and North America, fostering early station launches that reflected recovering infrastructures and lingering British wireless influences. These international efforts outside the United States highlighted a global push toward entertainment and public broadcasting, building on wartime telegraphy advancements. On 6 November 1919, Dutch engineer Hans Idzerda launched station PCGG in The Hague, Netherlands, initiating one of Europe's earliest regular entertainment programs with live musicians performing in the studio, including the debut of a music box jingle. This broadcast marked a pivotal shift toward commercial radio in the region, amid the Netherlands' neutral stance during the war allowing quicker post-conflict innovation. PCGG's programming, which continued sporadically until 1931, exemplified Europe's tentative embrace of radio for cultural dissemination during reconstruction.^[20][21] A month later, on 1 December 1919, the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of Canada established experimental station XWA in Montreal, Quebec, as North America's first licensed broadcasting outlet beyond U.S. borders, conducting regular test transmissions of recorded and live music, news, and weather. Tied to British wireless traditions through its Marconi origins, XWA operated from a 500-watt transmitter adapted from military telephony, reaching amateurs and ships over distances up to 30 miles initially, and symbolized Canada's post-war pivot from wartime restrictions—lifted in April 1919—to commercial applications like promoting radio receiver sales. The station, later renamed CFCF in 1923, laid groundwork for bilingual broadcasting in Canada until its closure in 2010.^[22]

Births

In the United States

Dallas Selwyn Townsend Jr. was born on January 17, 1919, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.^[23] He graduated from Princeton University in 1940 and began his career in journalism shortly thereafter, joining CBS News in 1950 after earlier stints in print media.^[24] Townsend became a prominent broadcast journalist, anchoring the CBS Radio Network's morning news roundup for 25 years starting in 1962 and covering every major U.S. presidential convention and campaign from 1948 to 1980.^[23] His work contributed to the expansion of radio news during the post-World War II era, a period when stations like KDKA were pioneering regular broadcasting formats that Townsend later exemplified in his concise, authoritative delivery. He died on June 1, 1995, in Montclair, New Jersey.^[25] Eugenia Lincoln Falkenburg, known professionally as Jinx Falkenburg, was born on January 21, 1919, in Barcelona, Spain, to American parents, and raised primarily in the United States after her family relocated to Chile and then Southern California.^[26] Starting as a model in the 1930s, she transitioned to acting in films before becoming a pioneering radio and television personality during the 1940s and 1950s.^[26] Falkenburg hosted her own radio variety show, Hello, Jinx!, which aired on CBS from 1943 to 1947, blending celebrity interviews and light entertainment in a format that anticipated modern talk shows amid the growing popularity of network radio in the interwar and wartime years.^[26] She also entertained troops via USO tours and co-hosted radio programs with her husband, Tex McCrary, influencing early broadcast media's shift toward conversational styles. Falkenburg died on August 27, 2003, in Manhasset, New York.^[26] Tennessee Ernie Ford, born Ernest Jennings Ford, was born on February 13, 1919, in Bristol, Tennessee.^[27] After studying speech and drama at the University of Tennessee and serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, he began his broadcasting career as a radio announcer in the late 1940s, adopting the persona Tennessee Ernie Ford on stations in San Bernardino and Pasadena, California.^[27] Ford became a radio star through his country music and comedy programs, including Barney Arnold's Bar 'n' Ranch and later network shows on NBC and CBS in the 1950s, blending gospel, folk, and novelty tunes that popularized radio's role in American music dissemination. His signature hit "Sixteen Tons" originated from radio performances. Ford died on October 17, 1991, in Reston, Virginia.^[27] Edwin Harold Newman was born on January 25, 1919, in New York City, the son of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.^[28] After attending the University of Wisconsin and serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he joined NBC News in 1949 as a wire service reporter before moving into radio and television broadcasting.^[28] Newman gained renown as a radio journalist for his eloquent commentary on NBC's Monitor program in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as moderating presidential debates and delivering news analyses that emphasized precise language during radio's golden age of informational programming.^[29] His career paralleled the resurgence of experimental U.S. stations in the 1920s, contributing to radio's role as a trusted source for public discourse. Newman died on August 13, 2010, in England.^[28] Lawrence Dobkin was born on September 16, 1919, in New York City, to Russian Jewish immigrant parents.^[30] He began performing in off-Broadway theater as a teenager and studied at the Yale School of Drama, funding his education through early radio work in the late 1930s.^[31] Dobkin emerged as a versatile figure in radio during the 1940s, directing and acting in suspense dramas such as Suspense and The Whistler on networks like CBS and NBC, where his multifaceted roles helped shape the era's narrative-driven broadcasts following the 1919 resumption of radio experimentation.^[30] Later transitioning to television and film, his radio contributions included voicing characters and overseeing productions that advanced dramatic audio storytelling. Dobkin died on October 28, 2002, in Los Angeles.^[31] Gene Rayburn was born on December 22, 1919, in Christopher, Illinois, and raised in Chicago. After early work as an opera singer and page at NBC in New York, he entered radio announcing in the 1940s, hosting programs like Celebrity Time and Winky Dink and You on NBC and CBS, where his engaging style and rapid-fire delivery defined the golden age of network radio entertainment. Rayburn's career bridged radio and television, notably as host of The Name's the Same and later Match Game, influencing quiz and variety formats that echoed the experimental broadcasts of the early 1920s. He died on November 26, 1999, in New York City.

In Europe

In 1919, several notable figures in European radio were born, contributing to the medium's development in music commentary, documentary production, acting, presenting, and quiz content creation across Britain, Austria, and France. Hans Keller was born on 11 March 1919 in Vienna, Austria, to a Jewish family, and later emigrated to Britain in 1938 following the Anschluss.^[32] He became a prominent musicologist and broadcaster, joining the BBC in 1959 as a permanent staff member after initial freelance work starting in 1956, where he pioneered "functional analysis"—a wordless method of musical critique tailored for radio audiences.^[33] Over two decades, Keller oversaw BBC music programming, including talks, chamber music, orchestras, and new music initiatives, while chairing the European Broadcasting Union's concert planning group; by the 1970s, he was the BBC's most recognizable voice in music commentary, leaving in 1979. He died on 6 November 1985 in London.^[33][32] Charles Parker was born on 5 April 1919 in Bournemouth, England.^[34] After wartime service as a submarine commander, he joined the BBC in 1954 as a producer in Birmingham, specializing in documentary radio that amplified ordinary voices to preserve oral histories.^[34] Parker collaborated with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger on eight innovative radio ballads in the 1950s and 1960s, blending folk music with verbatim accounts to explore working-class lives, though the format proved costly and was discontinued.^[34] His editing techniques uncovered poetic depths in everyday speech, earning acclaim as creative genius, until his departure from the BBC in 1972. He died on 9 December 1980 in Birmingham.^[34] June Spencer was born on 14 June 1919 in Nottingham, England.^[35] She emerged as a pioneering radio actress, joining the original cast of BBC Radio 4's The Archers in 1951 as matriarch Peggy Woolley, a role she portrayed for over 70 years until retiring in 2022 at age 103—the last surviving founder member.^[36] Spencer's performance evolved Peggy from a conservative rural figure to one addressing modern issues like dementia care, helping transform the soap into a cultural institution that blended everyday drama with social commentary. She received an OBE in 1991 and a CBE in 2010 for services to radio. Spencer died on 8 November 2024 in Surrey.^[36][35] Cliff Michelmore was born on 11 December 1919 in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.^[37] His broadcasting career began post-World War II with the British Forces Network in Hamburg, where he presented radio dramas and a gardening program before co-hosting the BBC's Two-Way Family Favourites from 1940s to 1960s, linking service personnel abroad with UK families.^[37] Michelmore transitioned to BBC current affairs, anchoring radio and television coverage of major events over a 60-year span, including the innovative nightly Tonight program from 1957; he was appointed CBE in 1969 and later received a Lifetime Achievement Award from BAFTA. He died on 17 March 2016 in Hampshire.^[37] Laure Leprieur, known pseudonymously as Madame Leprieur d'Agon-Coutainville, was born in 1919 and became a celebrated French radio personality through her prolific contributions to RTL's Les Grosses Têtes, a daily quiz show hosted by Philippe Bouvard from the 1970s onward.^[38] Though never on-air herself, she submitted over 80,000 encyclopedic and witty questions—often risqué riddles—over two decades, challenging panelists and earning fame as "Madame 80,000 Questions." Her work, compiled posthumously in a 2005 book of selected queries, exemplified listener-driven engagement in France's evolving broadcast entertainment. She died in 1999.^[38]