In the early evening hours of November 2, 1920, the history of human communication changed forever when, atop the Westinghouse “K” Building in East Pittsburgh, radio station KDKA began its first broadcast with reports on election returns in the Presidential race between Warren G. Harding and James M. Cox. It was the first radio station in the United States to be granted a limited commercial license. On Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 2 p.m., the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society will be presenting local radio station KHTS co-owner Carl Goldman who will be giving a talk on “The History of Radio Broadcasting” as part of their Lecture Series. The event will be held at the Saugus Train Station in Heritage Junction at William S. Hart Park, 24101 Newhall Avenue (formerly San Fernando Road), in Newhall, California.
When Marconi first communicated from a radio in his attic to a receiver behind a hillside, he never envisioned the impact his invention would have on society. Radio became the first mass communication medium. It entertained, informed and frightened. Whether it was FDR calming a panicked nation with his Fireside Chats, Jack Benny changing how families spent their nights together or Orson Welles creating mass hysteria in 1938 with his fictitious Martian Invasion, “War of the Worlds” radio re-shaped our society.
As television took over as the dominant medium in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s radio was given its death toll. Instead it reinvented itself, thriving as the music and later the talk medium. Since then, radio has been given the death toll on numerous occasions. Eight-Track Cartridges, MTV, Satellite Broadcasting and the Internet have all been claimed by the experts to be the death of radio.
Instead radio has fought back, reinventing itself with each challenge. Today, radio is as strong as ever. But the death bells are ringing again as new technologies force it to once again re-invent itself as a medium. What’s in store for radio for the next hundred years? KHTS co-owner Carl Goldman takes a look at radio’s future by exploring radio’s past. In this informative and entertaining discussion, Goldman will share some of radio’s greatest moments and challenges. He’ll also share the checkered, yet successful history of Santa Clarita’s own radio station, AM-1220, KHTS. Join him for a compelling afternoon and discover what radio will be like during the next hundred years.

The Historical Society is proud to host Carl Goldman at the Saugus Train Station. The general public is welcome. Admission will be free.
For more information on this and other upcoming programs from the SCVHS, please call Pat Saletore or Alan Pollack at 661-254-1275 and visit www.scvhs.org .