Encyclopedia of Radio 3-Volume Set [Hardcover]

Christopher H. Sterling (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2003

Produced in association with the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, the Encyclopedia of Radio includes more than 600 entries covering major countries and regions of the world as well as specific programs and people, networks and organizations, regulation and policies, audience research, and radio's technology. This encyclopedic work will be the first broadly conceived reference source on a medium that is now nearly eighty years old, with essays that provide essential information on the subject as well as comment on the significance of the particular person, organization, or topic being examined.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* This new set is a companion to the Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Television (Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997) and echoes its predecessor's format while featuring a broader topical scope to reflect the medium of radio's advanced development. The 670 alphabetically arranged entries, written by scholars and experts, range from 1 to 10 pages and explore various aspects of radio broadcasting within radio's historical context. Types of entries include programs (The Green Hornet), people (Keillor, Garrison), networks and organizations (National Broadcasting Company), regulations and policies (Equal Time Rule), audience research (RADAR), evolving technology (Internet radio), radio stations (KYW), and radio's interaction with other societal forces (Violence and radio). Some entries are accompanied by one of 200 black-and-white photographs. The encyclopedia's scope is international, but treatment of non-U.S. radio is often done in broad surveylike entries such as Africa, Asia, and New Zealand. The majority of entries emphasize U.S. radio practices, with a secondary emphasis on key English-speaking nations like Britain and Canada.

A substantial general annotated bibliography precedes the entries, and within each entry is a bibliography for further reading. The index is fairly comprehensive but could be expanded even more to accommodate geographical interests. For example, it would help to list entries for individual radio stations under the cities in which they are located.

Several competent encyclopedias already exist with information on American radio programs and their performers, such as Luther Sies' Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960 (McFarland, 2000) and On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Oxford, 1998), also covering the "golden age" of radio. These are more inclusive of the less well known but lack the biographical details in Museum of Broadcast Communications and the scholarly yet accessible narrative bent that places each entry in its broader context. The Encyclopedia of American Radio: An A-Z Guide to Radio from Jack Benny to Howard Stern (Facts On File, 2000) covers recent years but has shorter entries and lacks the international scope of the current encyclopedia. The new encyclopedia is a major addition to radio reference works. It makes a fantastic complement to a detailed radio program chronicler, but it can also stand alone. If libraries can only afford one major reference work on radio, this is the best choice. Enthusiastically recommended for academic and public libraries. RBB
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Review

'Superior quality of research and topical scope... Highly recommended. All public and academic libraries.' -- Choice

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1696 pages
• Publisher: Routledge (December 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579582494
• ISBN-13: 978-1579582494
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,652,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)