28th October 1946: A member of the Fulham Council Electricity Department demonstrates a radio set at the Electricity and Lighting Company, Fulham. The radio sets and televisions are being sold by London Boroughs. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
28th October 1946: A member of the Fulham Council Electricity Department demonstrates a radio set at the Electricity and Lighting Company, Fulham. The radio sets and televisions are being sold by London Boroughs. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
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Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be on radio. My dream job would have been to broadcast Major League Baseball.

I grew up with some of the greats of the day — Harry Carry of the Cardinals and Cubs, Mel Allen on TV, Vin Scully of the Dodgers and many more.

Talk Radio is an interesting medium. You sit in a room and talk to the walls. If you think it’s easy try it in your car on the way to work.

See if you can talk about something out loud (out loud is the key) for 15 -20 minutes.

While you are contemplating that challenge here are some fun facts about radio.

Fun Facts About Radio

  • Guiglielmo Marconi is credited with the first radio transmission in 1896 but he didn’t transmit voice just a signal. Radio voice came along in the early 1900s. The actual credit for the radio should go to Nikola Tesla who came up with the design in 1892. Due to Marconi’s patents Tesla did not get true credit until around 1943.
  • You have a captive audience with radio. In the car, or with your morning coffee, surfing the net, background while shopping, radio is everywhere.
  • It’s the only broadcast medium that gives you local news, weather, sports, talk and music while you are doing something else. And most people are doing something else when listening.
  • Radio has always been a “call to action” medium. At any given time of day 20% of people surfing the net are also listening to radio and are one click away from clicking on your brand or looking up your business online.
  • Radio Is Emotional and Personal. It can change our mood, elevate our blood pressure, sooth our hurts, and inspire our dreams. Radio is like an old friend who’s there to tell you everything will be OK. When broadcasters talk about, “Our friends at XYZ company … ,” that creates a personal connection with that company for the listener.
  • Radio can create word pictures that would be extremely costly in any other medium. Stan Freberg, a broadcaster, and comedian used to show the value of word pictures using radio. Imagine draining Lake Michigan, filling it with hot chocolate and flying a plane overhead dropping in a big marshmallow. Now that’s a word picture.

Some Final Thoughts

When I started in radio I made the mistake so many do of thinking radio is just a medium of communication to reach people. While that’s true it’s much more.

When I push that red button and start talking there are a whole bunch of people behind the scenes that make that possible.

And, their very jobs depend on me, and others like me, to deliver ears to our station.

Radio is a business that supports a lot of people but it only has one voice. Those of us who punch that button and go on the air to entertain and inform you.

We are accountable to the listeners, sponsors, sales staff, station manager, district manager, and corporate owners.

If we fail to deliver everyone goes home.

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