On the Air: The Story of Radio Broadcasting (1944)

★★★★ · 3..2..1.. POINT · Spuzz · 2022-03-25

Not a bad telling of radio history. Since this is a Westinghouse sponsored film, it's very skewed towards their peoiple. Like the invention of broadcasting and the "father" of radio all happen to be Westinghouse people. Once you get past that, the film presents facts about all aspects of radio, about how waves are transmitted to how they make sound effects. In a way, it does sort of go all over the place. but it was entertaining nevertheless.

★★★ · Radio, the Westinghouse Version · Dodsworth the Cat · 2023-12-01

It's refreshing seeing a film about the history of radio that doesn't include the word "Sarnoff." Granted, this is Westinghouse propaganda, so we get a ridiculous boardroom scene ("Gentlemen, we will call it 'broadcasting') but Frank Conrad did play a role in the start of the medium and it should be recognised. It's a pretty good overview of radio and how a broadcast is transmitted. Jack Shaindlin's Lang-Worth library furnishes the music. The opening cue is "Extase" and the tune when the radio is turned on at 1:00 is "Broadway Tableau."