Watch Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio is a 1991 documentary film that depicts the captivating history of radio and its pioneers. The documentary is narrated by Jason Robards and features interviews with some of the legendary radio figures such as Red Barber and Erik Barnouw. With a running time of around 120 minutes, the film is considered to be one of the most comprehensive portrayals of the development of radio and its impact on society.

The film explores the lives of three individuals - Lee De Forest, Edwin Howard Armstrong, and David Sarnoff - who are commonly referred to as the "titans of radio." The documentary takes us through the early days of radio, when it was primarily used for point-to-point communication, to the development of broadcasting which revolutionized the way people communicated with each other.

Lee De Forest, who is regarded as the father of radio due to his invention of the Audion vacuum tube, is one of the principal figures explored in the film. De Forest was a visionary who saw the potential of radio for mass communication and devoted his life to advancing the technology. We see how De Forest's ideas were initially met with skepticism, but he persisted in his work, and his vision was ultimately realized.

Edwin Howard Armstrong, another of the pioneers of radio, is also profiled in the documentary. Armstrong was a brilliant engineer who invented the superheterodyne circuit, which revolutionized radio reception. The documentary details the intense patent dispute between Armstrong and David Sarnoff, President of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), which ultimately led to Armstrong's tragic suicide.

David Sarnoff, who is considered to be one of the most powerful figures in the history of American radio, is the third titan profiled in the film. Sarnoff was a pioneer in the development of commercial broadcasting and is credited with establishing NBC as a dominant force in the industry. The film explores Sarnoff's rise to power and his contribution to the growth of radio as a mass communication medium.

The documentary not only focuses on the technical aspects of radio but also the social and cultural impact of the medium. We see how radio played a crucial role in shaping public opinion during World War II and how it was used to reach out to people during natural calamities such as the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The film also explores the impact of radio on popular culture, including the music industry, and the rise of radio personalities such as Red Barber.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the film is the archival footage and audio recordings that are used to bring the story to life. The documentary features rare footage of some of the pivotal moments in radio's history, such as the transmission of the first radio broadcast in 1916 by De Forest, which was a musical performance by the contralto, Marie Rappold.

In conclusion, Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio is a fitting tribute to the pioneers who laid the foundations of one of the most significant media inventions of the past century. The film succeeds in capturing the complexity of the personalities it portrays while also giving an insightful overview of the development of radio as a mass communication medium. With top-notch narration from Jason Robards, Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of radio and its evolution.

Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio is a series that ran for 1 seasons (1 episodes) between January 29, 1992 and on Amazon Addon