The Radio

by Camille Rubel

After World War I, the popularity of radio as a household technology exploded. Tuning in rapidly became a common practice;  anyone with access could hear entertainment, news, sporting events, music, talk shows, and commercials (The Formation of Modern American Mass Culture). Because radio turned into a hallmark of American culture during the era of Modernism (late 19th to early 20th century) it is essential to analyze the ways in which the invention affected the mindset and subsequent art of the period.

One of the main facets of Modernism is the concept of the crowd as mass migration to cities from across the United States and abroad due to a manufacturing boom. The crowd forced people to change perspective about their position in society, and radio plays a key role in this change. In Charlie Chaplin’s film Modern Times, Chaplin visually compares a herd of sheep to men running off a boat and arriving in a city, reflecting the uneasiness that resulted from masses of people (Modern Times). City crowds were filled with a diverse mix of people. This mix of culture juxtaposed with the single-mindedness of a crowd of people caused many to question the identity of America. Radio served to simultaneously answer and confuse this question. Music broadcasts led to a blending of culture as people began to share similar musical interests. Commercials also gave people an idea of what life in the home should be like and created a singular culture around what they believed traditional home life should be (Effects of Radio on Society). However, news broadcasts highlighted differences through interviews of people who spoke in a unique accents.

The voice of America was also in question among Modernists because of the mixing of cultures. Artists such as Gertrude Stein in Melanctha use dialogue to give voice to characters who supposedly represent American culture (Stein). In Melanctha, all dialogue, despite differences in speaker, has an uneducated, common style that does not help to liven her characters. Perhaps Stein is commenting on the inability of art, even her own, to truly represent life and the American sound. Radio shows such as Amos ‘n’ Andy, which was popular between 1928 and 1960, also attempts to define an American voice. In the show, white actors often play black men who have conversations and go about their daily activities (Gosden). The program changed people’s perceptions of what issues are important to the average American and attempted to answer the Modernist question of how Americans sound. Listen to the first minute or so of the Amos ‘n’ Andy while they talk about the presidential election and think about how their voice, discussion, and interactions send messages about race and culture.

Similar to how the media helps to determine the political agenda through over under covering certain issues today, the radio served to define the culture of America in the Modernism Period. Because radio quickly became an intrinsic part of daily life, it is important to assess in what ways it affected or contributed to Modernism and interesting to think about how radio might have challenged Modernist artists to convey American culture.

Works Cited

"Effects of Radio on Society." Zain Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Sept. 2016.

"The Formation of Modern American Mass Culture." Digital History. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2016.

Gosden, Freeman, and Charles Correll. "The Presidential Election." Amos 'n' Andy. WMAQ. Chicago, Illinois, 17 July 1928. Radio.

Lule, Jack. "Understanding Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication, v. 1.0." Flat World Knowledge. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.

Modern times. Dir. Charlie Chaplin. RBC Films, 1936.

Stein, Gertrude. Three Lives: Stories of the Good Anna, Melanctha, and the Gentle Lena. Mansfield Centre, CT: Martino, 2012. Print.