COMN 2200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: At&T Station, Long-Distance Calling, Harman Grisewood
9 Apr 2016
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The patent crossing license between rca and at&t in 1920 gave the right to employ pooled patents for radiotelephony. When new prospects for revenue were introduced, the telephone company was quick to extend its interpretaion of the agreements to include all commercial broadcasing. At&ts broadcasing business plan was inluenced through the economics of a long distance telephone service where its customers are charged by the minute of use of the telephone. At&t would be in the business of selling ime on its transmiters and adverisers would be invited to purchase a block of ime. At&t staion would be wbay which grew to become a more superior staion named weaf. 1922, weaf carried three commercials which in the same month caused some criicism on the idea on whether radio should be used for adverising. However, the idea of taking broadcasing away would be seen as peculiarly fantasic at best and unpatrioic at worst.
