Summary:

Radio is one of the most effective forms of mass communication, providing information, knowledge, and entertainment. It was invented by Marconi in 1885 as a wireless communication device, overcoming the limitations of telephones. Radio broadcasting began in 1906 with H.A. Eussender's first program. The BBC was founded in 1927, playing a crucial role in radio's development. In the Indian subcontinent, radio clubs emerged in 1924, leading to the Indian Broadcasting Corporation in 1927. Despite financial struggles, the government took over in 1930, renaming it All India Radio in 1936. By 1944, multiple stations were operational, expanding radio’s influence.

The Evolution of Radio: From Marconi’s Invention to Global Broadcasting:

RADIO AS A SOURCE OF MASS COMMUNICATION:

Radio:

Radio is considered as important and the most effective source of mass communication. Through it we hear different messages on air. Along with knowledge and information, it is also an important source of entertainment with its catchy tunes.

Invention of Radio:

The basic principle of radio and telephone is the same. Telephones were initially used to communicate over wires, but the wires sometimes broke down and made it difficult to transmit messages. After much deliberation on this point, Marconi finally developed a device that worked without wires. It was named radio and its production started in 1885 and thus radio was invented as an effective means of mass communication by overcoming the shortcomings of the telephone. This was its beginning. For two years Marconi continued to use it for commercial purposes. Thus in the beginning specific objectives were achieved through radio. Then in its importance and usefulness began to increase day by day.

Beginning of Broadcasting:

Radio broadcasting first started in 1906 and the first program was presented by H.A Eussender, an American who presented this programme from his private experimental station.

This program was broadcast on Christmas Eve in 1906. Thus the first program was broadcast.

After Eussender's experiments, a large number of experts were attracted towards it and new experiments started. In 1906, David Samoff made a box through which, with the help of radio waves , we can listen program sitting on the comfort able sofas of our homes. In this way broadcast were sent from a specific place to homes. The first broadcast radio program was a music program which was broadcast from a garden in 1922 and thus the radio broadcast started. As the scope of radio was limited so it was used for special bulletin and convey messages.

Establishment of BBC:

In 1922, British Broadcasting Company, a private organization of Great Britain, started broadcasting. When people expressed their extraordinary pleasure at the broadcast of this institution, the British government realized the importance of radio. Being frightened and considering a threat of this private institution , the government abolished or banned it in 1924 and replaced it with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1927. This institution which can be called the first broadcast institution achieved and earned a lot of fame through internal and external broadcasting. Its external broadcasts are particularly important in this regard and are as critically reliable today as they were in the beginning. The BBC has played a central role in the development of radio.

Radio in the Sub-Continent:

The first Radio Club was established in the Indian subcontinent on May 16, 1924 in Madras. After that radio clubs were also established in Bombay and Calcutta. These radio clubs broadcast only to a limited population and were very popular among them, so in 1927 the Indian Broadcasting Corporation was established. It was a commercial enterprise licensed by the Government of India. Several radio stations were established through this company. The first of these was on 23 July 1927 when Lord Daron, the Viceroy of India, inaugurated the Bombay station of the Indian Broadcasting Corporation. Thus, the scope of radio broadcasting was expanded. In 1928, a small radio station was established under the YMCA in Lahore, people started showing great interest and the number of listeners started to increase, but as a result of the financial crisis, this company went bankrupt in 1930 and the Government of India itself took control of it and it was named Indian State Broadcasting Service and it started to have a separate budget. Contrary to the requirements of the time, its budget was reduced and thus the quality of broadcasting began to decline instead of rising. In 1931, due to continuous losses, the government closed it down.

Protests were raised everywhere against this move of the government, but no one was ready to deal with this deficit. It was then handed over to government custody.

The government regulated it with strict licensing rules and regulations. In 1936, the BBC started special programs for the British newcomers and people's attention increased towards it and the institution continued to run on the crutches of government grants. On 8 June 1936, the name of the Indian Broadcasting Service was changed to "All India Radio" and thus a separate government broadcasting organization of India was established.

In 1936, the Government of India gave a special loan to the Frontier Province to establish the radio station.

Apart from this, the transmitter of Marconi Company was also bought in Peshawar. The station established in Lahore in 1928 was closed in 1930 and regular session of All India Radio was established in Lahore on 16 December 1937. In 1939, a radio station was established in Dhaka. By 1944, different stations began to work at different locations.