EOTO2 Reaction

 Even though I am most interested in writing, the history of radio and television news fascinates me. I also know very little about sports, but I found it interesting to learn about their influence on the development of broadcast.

A boxing match was the first sport broadcast over the radio in 1921. It was an excellent choice for this first broadcast because boxing is easy to follow along with narration because there are only two participants. It was a great boon to the broadcasting industry, too, as interested sports fans who couldn’t attend in person could still listen in and participate.

The impact of sports on radio listenership was further demonstrated in the same year. In October, the match between the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University became the first college football game to be broadcast. The excitement about football was palpable, and it rapidly increased radio listenership. The advertisements in the broadcasts not only earned extra income for both the colleges and the stations but also highlighted the commercial potential of sports broadcasting.

When TV was introduced, already-existing worries that people would stop attending games flared more than during the radio era. Athletic departments were afraid that if people could watch from the comfort of their own homes, no one would want to go to the stadiums anymore.

However, these fears were unfounded, as many people still wanted to see the games in person, considering them a special event and outing. Advertising on television also gave a fantastic boost to sports programs. The first game on TV was a baseball game, Columbia vs. Princeton, in 1939.

I learned that sports and journalism are highly intertwined in history and current practices. Without journalism, sports would never have become the massive, culturally changing industry it is. Without sports, journalism would have less appeal to the masses, and a massive job market would never exist.