Seeing how communications have changed makes the entire world of radio, television, and other forms of media seem all the more impressive.

Two Tin Cans and Some String

Okay, so all of those movies that show people talking through tin cans were a little overdramatic (though admit it, you’ve tried it), they aren’t far from the truth. People used to communicate in very simple ways, with very simple pieces of technology. And why is this? Because they didn’t know any better. For the majority of people, all they knew was the land around them and that means they were the only ones around. So, who would they have to call? Everyone they needed to communicate with was right next them or off on a hunt. No cell phones needed.

Newspapers and Pamphlets

Of course, people innovate and writing suddenly became something that was in vogue. By writing down things, people could pass on information from generation to generation. And that then allowed people to begin to have another form of communicating with others. With the introduction of the printing press and then the mass production of paper, people were able to pass their ideas onto others, and then they passed them on to others…

The Telephone Began the Talking

The telephone and the radio were next in the evolution of communication. This allowed people to talk over greater distances and listen to others. Entertainment was born. While the telephones of the past weren’t anything too special, they were able to connect people who were on the system, allowing for news to be shared more quickly than it could be printed up in a daily newspaper.

Onward into The Modern Days

Now that radio has become somewhat less important and phones can be carried anywhere, it seems that communication has nowhere else to go. The future of communications might be on the Internet, but we’ve yet to figure out what this might look like and how this might change the world around us. You might not get into the radio hall of fame, but the Museum of Broadcast Communications tours might be getting bigger in the future once we figure out new ways to spread the word.

Communications and radio use have changed over the years, but the radio is still a reliable source of information for many.

Turn Up the Dial

Since you probably shouldn’t be talking on your cell phone while putting on your lipstick and watching TV in your car, the radio still is a handy feature. And today, you can get all sorts of channels due to the invention of digital programming. People turn to radio not only for the news, but they also listen for:

• Talk programs
• Music
• Crappy morning shows
• Crappy afternoon shows
• Shock jocks
• Late night conspiracy call in shows
• Another public radio support drive

You might flip your radio on instinctively when you get in your car because it seems like a good idea to pass the time until you make it to the dentist or some other location. And then again, you might be one of the hard core radio listeners who like to listen to the radio all the time. You might pop on your favorite public radio station just to fill up your brain with blah, blah until you can make it to wherever you’re trying to go.

Communicating Over Radio Waves

But in all seriousness, the radio is a pretty handle tool for communication. While communication methods have changed, this form of communication still makes sense, especially in emergencies. Since your computer is probably going to be down during the apocalypse, you will need to dust off your radio to find out where the dark horsemen are going to be. A crank radio will be best since batteries are only going to last so much, so keep that in mind.

Though students might only see an old time radio at a museum, this doesn’t mean that the radio is completely useless anymore. The radio is retro, you know. And it’s still giving people a chance to connect to others and to listen to the opinions of others. Plus, you can yell back at the people on the radio and they’ll never know.