901, the first transatlantic wireless signal was broadcast. Developed and marketed by Italian inventor and engineer Guglielmo Marconi, Marconi radios (wireless telegraph technology) had many benefits, including ending the isolation of ocean travel and, for example, saving the lives of the approximately 700 Titanic survivors (more lifeboats would have saved the other 1,500 passengers, but that’s another issue).
The wireless telegraph brought its own set of problems, however. Which of the following statements identifies the major issue faced with the advent of the wireless telegraph?
The early wireless telegraph was highly controlled by the United States government, and it was only allowed to be used in activities related to war and national security.
The messages had to pass through public air space, and ownership and regulation of the airwaves had yet to be determined.
Messages sent through the wireless telegraph were very expensive, and only the wealthy could afford to pay the high prices for the convenience.
The wireless telegraph required someone who was highly trained to operate it, and unfortunately there were not enough people trained to meet the demand.
Bookmark question for later
In the United States, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) determines the use of airwave frequencies and allocates licenses to radio stations for specific frequencies. Before FCC regulation, competition among radio signals depended on which company emitted the strongest signal. The FCC ended the free-for-all, but with government regulation came other issues.
Based on your reading, what other issue occurred with early government oversight?
Radio broadcasting became so popular that the government was not able to keep up with approvals for requests for licenses for new radio stations.
The government agencies in charge of assigning frequencies were often interested with controlling the transmitted content, resulting in censorship and propaganda.
Government oversight resulted in issues with approval of what could be advertised, which in the United States was the major source of financing for radio stations.
Because the technology was so new, the government did not have employees who understood what radio stations needed, and many delays in radio broadcasting occurred.
