Sounds of Change: A History of FM Broadcasting in America / Edition 1

by Christopher H. Sterling, Michael C. Keith

Overview

When it first appeared in the 1930s, FM radio was a technological marvel, providing better sound and nearly eliminating the static that plagued AM stations. It took another forty years, however, for FM's popularity to surpass that of AM. In Sounds of Change, Christopher Sterling and Michael Keith detail the history of FM, from its inception to its dominance (for now, at least) of the airwaves.

Initially, FM's identity as a separate service was stifled, since most FM outlets were AM-owned and simply simulcast AM programming and advertising. A wartime hiatus followed by the rise of television precipitated the failure of hundreds of FM stations. As Sterling and Keith explain, the 1960s brought FCC regulations allowing stereo transmission and requiring FM programs to differ from those broadcast on co-owned AM stations. Forced nonduplication led some FM stations to branch out into experimental programming, which attracted the counterculture movement, minority groups, and noncommercial public and college radio. By 1979, mainstream commercial FM was finally reaching larger audiences than AM. The story of FM since 1980, the authors say, is the story of radio, especially in its many musical formats. But trouble looms. Sterling and Keith conclude by looking ahead to the age of digital radio—which includes satellite and internet stations as well as terrestrial stations—suggesting that FM's decline will be partly a result of self-inflicted wounds—bland programming, excessive advertising, and little variety.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807858882
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	07/15/2008
Edition description:	1
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Christopher H. Sterling is professor of media and public affairs at George Washington University. He is author or editor of two dozen books, including Stay Tuned: A History of American Broadcasting.

Michael C. Keith is associate professor of communication at Boston College. A former broadcast professional, he cofounded the Broadcast Education Association's Radio and Audio Media division and is author of twenty books, including Dirty Discourse: Sex and Indecency in American Radio.

Table of Contents

Foreword   Lynn Christian   Bill Siemering     ix
Acknowledgments     xv
Introduction: FM in Radio's History     1
Creating a New System (Before 1941)     13
War and Evolution (1941-1945)     37
The Dismal Years (1945-1957)     67
Turnaround (1958-1965)     101
A Sound Alternative (1966-1980)     127
Dominance: FM Is Radio (1980-1995)     155
Clouds in the Air (Since 1995)     177
Epilogue: Defining the Context of FM     209
AM, FM, and HD Radio Technology     225
FM Historical Statistics, 1945-2005     234
Changing FM National Coverage, 1949-2005     242
Notes     247
Selected Bibliography     289
Index     299

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Sterling and Keith . . . intelligently consider FM's present and future. . . . Allowing FM's story to date—a distinctly American tale of art, science, business, and ingenuity—to conclude satisfyingly, loud and clear.—The Atlantic Monthly



Another solid contribution to our understanding of the broadcast industry.—Journalism History



A story of ambition, depression, hope, and success told with skill by two of broadcasting's best scholars.—Centre Daily Times



Fills a significant gap in the literature. . . . Likely to remain the definitive history of FM radio for some time to come.—H-Net Reviews



The history of FM radio is often overlooked in general accounts of broadcasting; television gets the limelight while FM fades into the background. Chris Sterling and Michael Keith tell an important and neglected story in the history of broadcasting and, by implication, the history of American culture. The authors are two of the leading historians of U.S. radio, and their depth of knowledge is apparent throughout the book. Sounds of Change fills a significant gap in broadcasting scholarship.—Michele Hilmes, University of Wisconsin-Madison



From classical to pop and country to hip-hop, from egghead education to topical talk, from DOA to portable pervasiveness, Sterling and Keith trace in entertaining and dramatic terms the rags-to-riches saga of the medium that most Americans carry with them wherever they go: FM radio. Well researched and well written, with new revelations and anecdotes, Sounds of Change is a must read for radio listeners, station employees, researchers, students, and the just plain curious.—Robert L. Hilliard, former chief, Public Broadcasting, Federal Communications Commission

Editorial Reviews

Well researched and documented. . . . This interesting, well-written book is worth acquiring. . . . Essential.—Choice

From the Publisher