Show Notes: RUSC Guide to Old Time Radio – Episode 1: From Beeps & Dashes to Broadcasts
Welcome to the debut episode of the RUSC Guide to Old Time Radio! This week, we’re winding the clock way back—before sitcoms, superheroes, and shadowy detectives ruled the airwaves. We’re diving into the electrifying early days when radio was a futuristic dream, delivering only mysterious beeps of Morse code across wires, oceans, and finally, thin air.
Join us as we uncover the unlikely heroes behind the magic: from Samuel Morse and his speedy dots and dashes to Guglielmo Marconi’s “ghostly messengers,” and the game-changing Christmas Eve when Reginald Fessenden shocked wireless operators with a human voice over the air. We’ll also relive the Titanic’s fateful night, where radio’s importance truly hit home.
You’ll learn how these inventive leaps turned radio from a novelty into a lifeline—and the foundation for generations of storytelling, drama, and connection. Next week, tune in for the story of radio’s first scheduled broadcasts and the wild ride of the 1920 presidential election returns.
Settle in, spark your imagination, and discover the untold beginnings that made old time radio the heartbeat of American homes. Happy listening, and as Ned at RUSC would say: see you next week!
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