Radio ad from the 1920's. Courtesy of The Chronicle of America.
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A couple listening to a radio program. Courtesy of David E. Kyvig
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A family listens to the radio. Courtesy of Sharon M. Himsl
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The Innovative Radio
One popular pastime was listening to the radio. At first, radios were expensive (They cost about 600 dollars in today's money) and they were also hard to use. Large amounts of static made it hard for people to hear and on top of that only one person could listen at a time. Only after the first national broadcast of the presidential returns and Warren G. Harding's inauguration did the radio craze begin. Between 1923 and 1930, 60% of American families bought radios. Radio was a way to escape everyday cares. One could sit and listen for hours to a variety of things such as music, comedies and plays, “soaps”, newscasts, and even children's programs. Even during the depression in the 1930's radio still remained an extremely popular form of entertainment.
