Why was radio important to American life?

Answer 1

During the golden age of radio, AM transmissions were used. In a nation where the population was so scattered at the time, AM was the best way to get information cross country. With enough wattage, you can have an AM station carry halfway across the country because the waves bounce off the ionosphere (just like shortwave, but they don't carry as far.) The station where I work, like all other AMs now, has to power down at sunset so it doesn't interfere with other stations with the same frequency--at low power, you don't get the "skywaves."Add a few relays and you can have nationwide coverage. It was the only way you could have the entire population get the exact same information over such a large area. Newswires at the time were mostly teletype, and local broadcasters would do some of the newscasts. It was the quickest way to keep up with what was going on.

Just to give you an idea of how far these waves can carry: The general manager at the last station where I worked here in Connecticut sent out a full-power AM test signal at night once---and we got a guy requesting a QSL (a type of verification of receipt of signals) from Bakersfield, California who said he heard us loud and clear. FM can't do this, as it's what's called "line of sight." It can't go past the horizon because of a difference in modulation and a higher frequency.

Answer 2

1. It started giving people a common core of experience...listening to the same medium, having the same pop culture references, etc.

2. It promoted some family time. They didn't all have Walkmen. You had to gather around the big old vaccuum tube radio in the living room.

Answer 3

To keep in touch with what was going on in the world

Answer 4

cuz it kool like dat, brutha.