Radio In The 1920s Essay

426 Words1 Page

The increased financial prosperity of the 1920s perpetuated the notion of mass entertainment resulting in a dominating emphasis on entertainment and leisure. The influx of wealth, in conjunction with innovative technological advancements, fueled the increasing popularity of radio programs. After the initial broadcast of KDKA, which is now known as CBS Pittsburgh, the American public was overcome with radio mania thus the radio became an integral aspect of everyday life in the 1920s.
By the late 1920’s, radio shows had rapidly increased in number with content spanning across multiple genres to accommodate specific consumer tastes. Westerns, murder mysteries, children’s shows, romances, soap operas, and comedies grew more sophisticated with carefully orchestrated plots, evocative soundtracks, and dynamic dialog. Syndicated radio shows, such as Amos ‘n’ Andy, entertained the nation. The nationwide popularity and mass consumption of programs like Amos ‘n’ Andy cultivated a consumer connection, obfuscating the “regional differences in dialect, language, music, and even consumer taste” …show more content…

Families during the 1920s scheduled their “day-to-day activities around popular radio shows” (MortalJourney). It was a habitual custom to end the day gathered around the radio as a family to listen to a witty skit or the local news. The radio affected not only the daily life of urban families but also agrarian families. In the photograph entitled “Milkman Listens to Radio”, a middle-aged farmer can be seen milking a cow while listening to a radio (George Mason University). The increase in consumerism was not limited to specific demographic; rather, the impact of the radio was seen across the entirety of the

Open Document