Broadcasting Stations in the U.S.
September 1932 Radio News Article

September 1932 Radio News [Table of Contents] Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Radio & Television News, published 1919-1959. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) claimed in 2013 to be receiving more than 30,000 applications per year for commercial broadcasting licenses. That covers the gamut from AM and FM to television, Low Power FM, Low Power TV, translators and booster stations, as well as some non-commercial stations for educational purposes. Inexpensive, turnkey broadcast station equipment make entry into the realm very affordable. Accordingly, there are many stations vying for space in a very crowded section of the electromagnetic spectrum. Contrast that to the year 1932 list of broadcasting station in the U.S. which was able to fit onto a single page of the Radio News magazine - about 500 to 600 in number. Interestingly, the wavelengths are expressed in meters, at a time when metric units were rarely used in the U.S. 

Broadcasting Stations in the U.S.

Posted November 10, 2021
(updated from original post on 8/8/2014)