Radio and the Press
E.H. Harris · The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science · 1935
Just as aviation has found its place in the field of transportation, so radio must find its true sphere in our social structure. Many refinements have been made in the technique of broadcasting, but no country as yet has presented a practical solution of the problem of how radio may be made to function for the benefit of society. Since ether is the medium through which sound is transported instantaneously by means of radio impulses, it may be classified as one of the world's great natural resources, the utilization of which must be conserved, directed, or controlled if society is to be benefited. Radio broadcasting is simply a means of converting sound waves into another form of energy that can be transmitted instantaneously over almost limitless areas. It has speeded up the transmission of the human voice so that it can be transported as fast as light waves travel. This new art can be utilized as a powerful influence for the promotion of social progress or social decay. If the use of the ether for the purpose of transporting sound is properly directed or controlled, it constitutes a valuable means for the advancement of civilization; improperly directed, its influence may be equally detrimental, because it invades the family circle with a potential emotional appeal that cannot be conveyed by the printed word. Radio broadcasting, therefore, has become a factor which has a direct and important bearing on our social order. The application of an telligent control over this medium of communication is receiving serious consideration from those who are interested in the advancement of civilization.