7 Sound Music and Talk Across Media

7 Sound Music and Talk Across Media

The Development of the Recording Industry • Thomas Edison: § invented the phonograph in 1877 § first recording, “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, lasted 10 seconds

• Emile Berliner: § invented the gramophone by 1888 § utilized flat disks, provided more lifelike recordings § first to envision idea of royalties

Development of the Recording Industry (cont. ) • high fidelity—refers to a combination of technologies that allowed recordings to: § reproduced music more accurately § have higher high notes and deeper bass • magnetic tape industry standard by 1949 • recording allowed for preservation: § non-notated music—music that does not exist in written form

Transmitting Music and Talk: The Birth of Radio • Samuel Morse: § invented the telegraph in 1844

• Heinrich Hertz: § experimented with radio waves in 1888 § created a simple transmitter and receiver

• Guglielmo Marconi: § developed the wireless telegraph

Transmitting Music and Talk (cont. ) • Reginald Fessenden: § started sending voice signals over a radio in 1901 § broadcasted Christmas carols and poetry in 1905

• David Sarnoff: § American Marconi employee § in 1915, wrote the Radio Music Box memo • radio as a popular mass medium • essentially ignored • focus was on support of United States in World War I

Transmitting Music and Talk (cont. ) • Frank Conrad (Westinghouse): § began broadcasting music on Sunday afternoons § Westinghouse built a more powerful transmitter § released a broadcast schedule § goal was to get people to buy radios

§ KDKA was licensed on October 27, 1920

Radio Advertising • WEAF in New York City: § first to sell air time to advertisers • Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover: § believed ads would destroy credibility of radio news • Sales of radios thought to be main revenue source • Early executives realized advertising revenue necessary

Radio Networks • In 1923 more than 600 radio broadcast stations in the United States: § provided limited programming in a localized area • Sarnoff’s idea of a network: § could provide more programming to a wider group of stations • RCA established NBC July 22, 1926: § actually two networks, Red and Blue

Radio Networks (cont. ) • William Paley § interested in promoting family cigar business on radio: § purchased United Independent Broadcasters (UIB) • renamed Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) § Paley understood the vital role of advertising

From the Golden Age to the Television Age • Golden age of radio— 1920 s, 1930 s, and 1940 s § Radio the primary form of entertainment • Live music, dramas, action programs • Start of soap operas § first programs targeted specifically at women § The Guiding Light started in 1937

From the Golden Age to the Television Age (cont. ) • Amos ‘n’ Andy (1926): § First nationally broadcast daily drama § Story of Sam and Henry, owners of Fresh Air Taxi Co. • Sam and Henry were African American characters • roles played by two white actors—Charles Correll and Freeman Gosden • program controversial, but did portray middle class African Americans at a time when such portrayals not common

Radio News • KDKA broadcast the results of the 1920 election • Newspapers threatened by radio, in 1930 s: § threatened to cut off radio’s access to AP wire service § threatened to stop printing radio program listings • Live news was radio’s advantage: § brought immediacy and broke stories. § Edward R. Murrow’s 1939 reporting during the German bombing of London

The BBC: Voice of the Old Empire • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) : § created as a public service in the 1920 s § during World War II, broadcast in more than 40 languages § strong international reach § utilization of a variety of technology • Webcasting, FM stations, and satellite services

Akio Morita’s “Personal Soundtrack” • Sony Walkman introduced in 1979: § two versions - tape player or a stereo FM radio § initial cost upward of $200 • Some enjoyed the personal privacy provided • Others argued it initiated a withdrawal from society • Model for modern portable music (i. Pods, etc. )

Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Integration of Music • During World War II, Armed Forced Radio played wide variety of music • Race records—pre-1948 recordings by popular black musicians § 1949, referred to as rhythm and blues by Billboard • Wynonie Harris § on December 28, 1947, recorded “Good Rockin’ Tonight” in Cincinnati, Ohio § considered the first rock ‘n’ roll recording • Elvis Presley • Chuck Berry

• Rock ‘n’ Roll (cont. ) • Dewey Phillips (WHBQ in Memphis): § on October 29, 1949, started Red Hot ‘n’ Blue § played R&B records • Berry Gordy Jr. : § founded Motown Records § promoted black artists and their music § sold to Boston Ventures for $61 million in 1988

The British Invasion: A Rougher Rock • Began in 1964 • British interpretation of American rock ‘n’ roll sound • Beatles: § by 1966, found it impossible to play live § 1967—recorded Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band • concept albums—brought together a group of related songs on common themes • designed to be played from beginning to end

• The Growing Importance of Producers § producers as significant as the recording artists: • Rick Rubin • Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds • Alan Parsons • Country: Pop Music for Adults § originally called old-time or hillbilly music § became popular in 1950 s and 1960 s in Nashville § songs deal with real life issues

Making Money In The Recording Industry • Long-playing record (LP): § developed by Columbia Records in 1948 § labeled unbreakable; provided 23 minutes of music per side § demonstrated to RCA and Sarnoff; RCA stuck with 45 format • 45 -rpm disc: § RCA’s format § provided four minutes of music per side § affordable and popular with teens • By 1950, LP the standard (minus RCA)

Making Money in the Recording Industry (cont. ) • Compact Discs and Digital Recording: § Klaas Compaan began work on CD in 1969 • Philips Electronics physicist § Philips joined with Sony to create a standard format: • Wanted to avoid another format war (LP versus 45) § The CD launched in Europe in 1982; in the United States in 1983

Making Money in the Recording Industry (cont. ) • Digital recording—a method of recording sound that involves storing it as a series of numbers: § no degradation in reproductions § impacts sales of original recordings • Music on the Internet: § MP 3 (Moving Picture Experts Group audio layer 3) • compressed format, easy to share § allows for new artists to get attention § music industry concerned about copyright violations

• The Problem of Payola § Payola—payoffs to disc jockeys in the form of money or gifts so they will play a particular record § Alan Freed: • fired from WABC on November 21, 1959 • failed to sign a statement saying he had not participated in payola scandal § Dick Clark: • shifted career to television music shows

The Business of Radio • Popular Radio Formats: § 2006—country music most popular format in the United States • Carried on 12. 5 percent of stations § News/talk— 10. 4 percent § Adult contemporary— 7. 1 percent § Classic rock— 4. 9 percent • Spanish-Language Broadcasting § 2006—more than 700 Spanish-language stations § strong support from advertisers

The Business of Radio (cont. ) • Talk Radio—Politics, News, Sports, and Shock Jocks § 1985, only 200 stations carried the format; by 1995, more than 1, 000 § major source of political information to 44 percent of Americans § Shock Jocks: • • Opie and Anthony Todd Clemm Don Imus Howard Stern - Moved to satellite broadcasting in 2006

Radio Consolidates and Goes Hi-Tech • Telecommunications Act of 1996 § § relaxed broadcast radio ownership rules led to more concentrated ownership 2003—number of owners fell 35 percent 2006— 50 percent owned by major media companies

• National Public Radio (NPR) § 1967 Public Broadcasting Act • set aside lower end of FM dial for non-commercial broadcasts § went on the air in 1971—All Things Considered § allowed for in-depth coverage § 16 percent of budget comes from federal government • remaining comes from donations and sponsorship

• Radio’s New Look—HD and Satellite § 90 percent of American listen to terrestrial radio every week § High definition radio: • expensive, equipment not readily available in 2007 § Satellite Radio: • monthly subscription • XM and Sirius merge in 2007 • provides quality reception despite location

Music and the Long Tail— Alternatives to Broadcasting • Webcasting: § Internet sites, Apple’s i. Tunes player § greatly extends the reach of stations • Podcasting: § audio programs recorded as MP 3 files § any MP 3 player will work; Apple i. Pod has a huge share of market § August 2006— 12 percent of Internet users had downloaded a podcast

New Economic Models for the Music Industry • Computer technology allows for easy piracy. • In 2006, CD sales declined by nearly 5 percent: § Sales of downloads increased by 65 percent from 2005. • Overall, music sales increased 19 percent in 2006.