teacher tips/RADIO

MILLIONNIRES' MEDIA
Ratheesh Kaliyadan

Guglielmo Marconi

Radio journalism is quite different from print journalism in all aspects. 1920s mark the embryonic period of radio. It was in 1896 the dream of radio became a reality by the works of James Clerk Maxwell a Scottish physicist which predicted the existence of electromagnetic waves. Heinrich Hertz introduced the so called radio magnetic waves in 1880s.Guglielmo Marconi succeeded in sending signals in May 1895. He moved to England in 1896. In England Marconi attempted at wireless telegraphy and transmitted messages to short distances. Marconi became a great success in his attempts to transmit wireless signals across the Atlantic in 1901.The wireless telegraph used to send and receive wireless signals had invented by Edwin H Armstrong in 1922 made available of broadcaster receiver.

Radio in India

In India the Radio club of Bombay broadcasted its first programme in June 1923 and the Calcutta Radio Club in November1923.They loaned transmitter from Marconi Company. The Madras Presidency Radio Club with a 40 Watts transmitter began transmitting on July 31, 1924.Rao Bahadur C.V. Krishna Swami Chetty, an Electrical Engineer to the Corporation of Madras was the driving force behind the Madras Presidency Radio Club.

Indian Broadcasting Company

The early years of Indian Radio Clubs were not flourishing. They faced financial problems. Bombay and Calcutta presidency clubs decided to form a private limited company. Thus Indian Broadcasting Company Ltd was formed. First broadcasting station in India under Indian Broadcasting Co. opened in Bombay on July 23, 1927. The station was inaugurated by the British Viceroy of India Lord Irwin. In the inaugural function the welcome speech was delivered by Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola, chairman of Indian Broadcasting Co. the speech became a prediction by the words: : “India cannot lag behind the rest of the world in so great a development, the potentialities of which are only just beginning to be realized.” The enthusiasm had driven the developments in Indian radio. On August 26, 1927 the second station established in Calcutta. The Calcutta station was inaugurated by the Governor of Bengal Sir Stanley Jackson. These stations opened with a 1.5KW medium wave transmitters.

Indian State Broadcasting Service

Indian Broadcasting Company Ltd became under the direct control of the Government of India on April1, 1930. The company abolished and instituted the Indian State Broadcasting Service under the department of Industries and Labor. A separate office with the Controller of Broadcasting as its head was constituted on March1, 1935. The Controller of Broadcasting was in charge of the installation of transmitters, studio and arranging programmes. Lionel Fieldon was appointed as the Controller of Broadcasting on August30, 1935. Home department took over the responsibility of Indian State Broadcasting Service in 1936. The name Indian State Broadcasting Service was rechristened as All India Radio on June 8, 1936.

All India Radio

The new name and face was the contribution of Lionel Fieldon. The amazing story of change in name told by Fieldon is available in PRINCIPLES OF MASS COMMUNICATION. If YOU are interested to know more about radio through Principles of Mass Communication,contact Media Analysis &Research Center.
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