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• CHAPTER EIGHT Words Withou t Pictures ; Pictures Withou t Words : Radio an d Movie s RADIO BROADCASTIN G i s th e transmissio n an d receptio n o f communication signal s mad e u p o f electromagneti c wave s traveling throug h th e air and used in programs broadcas t for publi c information, education , an d entertainment . Radi o broadcastin g added a significant ne w dimensio n t o moder n communication , a breakthrough tha t wen t beyon d th e mass communication o f mo tion picture s an d telephon e becaus e it combined th e sound o f one with th e direc t entertainmen t o f th e othe r an d carrie d the m di rectly int o th e home . Thi s moder n for m o f communicatio n ha d considerable potentia l bot h a s a means of social manipulation an d control, an d o f education , relayin g news , ideas , an d entertain ment fro m th e worl d outside . Radi o wa s t o exercis e a profoun d social force , no t leas t economically , expandin g an d intensifyin g the campaig n fo r th e consume r marke t b y introducin g advertis ing an d al l it s pressure s int o th e home . Moreover , i t wa s th e success o f radio broadcastin g i n th e 1930 s that provu^ d th e mode l and commercia l foundatio n fo r th e developmen t o f televisio n i n America afte r Worl d Wa r II . However, becaus e it was not unti l the 1930 s that radio enjoye d RADIO AN D MOVIE S • 30 7 its golden ag e of varied program s an d widesprea d popularit y an d influence, broadcastin g i n Americ a wa s a relatively lat e phenom enon i n th e earl y twentiet h century . Indeed , th e histor y o f radi o was neithe r straightforwar d no r smooth . Lik e th e origin s o f th e other ke y technologie s o f the twentieth century , th e invention o f radio canno t b e attribute d t o on e perso n no r trace d bac k t o a single momen t i n history . Wherea s advance s i n th e automobil e and airplan e require d grea t practica l an d mechanica l knowledge , the developmen t o f radi o depende d upo n considerabl e scientifi c knowledge, notabl y i n mathematic s an d physics . Th e late r tech nical sophisticatio n o f radi o wa s a produc t o f science-base d in dustry an d militar y research . Wireless Telegraphy Daniel Czitrom argue s in Media and the American Mind (1982 ) tha t there i s a continuou s threa d o f endeavo r leadin g fro m telegrap h to telephon e an d the n t o radio , tha t radi o wa s th e produc t o f a concerted technica l evolution . Ironically , onc e electromagneti c telegraphy ha d been develope d i n the nineteenth century , variou s scientists bega n t o loo k fo r way s t o dispos e o f th e wires . Nota bly , Benjami n Mors e propose d an d experimente d wit h conduc tion throug h wate r t o exten d hi s syste m t o telegrap h lan d lines . Many wer e based on the principle of induction, whereb y a n electric current appear s i n on e circui t whe n i t is placed nea r another . In the end, th e scientific basis of radio lay in the idea of electromagnetic wave s travelin g throug h spac e a s expounde d b y suc h university scientist s a s Willia m Crooke s an d Cler k Maxwel l i n Britain, Heinric h Hert z i n Germany , an d Edouar d Branl y i n France. Willia m Crooke s playe d a crucial rol e in seein g th e nee d and findin g th...

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