Radio
Transmission of sound or other signals over electromagnetic waves.
The original inventor of the radio, at the time called wireless telegraphy, is contentious, but some key developments in its early history were created by Nikolai Tesla and patented by Guglielmo Marconi. Many of its early uses were naval, for sending morse code messages between ships and land. Today, radio takes many forms, including mobile communications of all types, as well as commercial radio broadcasting. Read more about radio's /History.
Before the advent of television, commercial radio broadcasts included not only news and music, but dramas, comedies, variety shows, and many other forms of entertainment. In the late 1940's and early 1950's, the advent of television gradually eroded the popularity of most radio shows, and by the late 1950's radio broadcasting took on much the form it has today.
Radio broadcasting is still very popular, with many stations devoted to news, talk, sports and especially popular music. A recent development is web radio.
Notable radio programs:
See also Radio /propagation and ionosphere.