In the early months of 1941, as the world found itself on the brink of a monumental conflict, a quiet revolution was taking place in the heart of New York City. This revolution would not come from the battlegrounds or the political arenas but from the laboratories and meeting rooms of the Columbia University Radio Club. On February 24th of that year, they embarked on a venture that would forever alter the landscape of broadcasting: the first scheduled FM radio broadcasts.
This story unfolds around the lives of Evelyn Harper and Thomas Bennett, two individuals whose paths were unknowingly set to converge around this historic event in radio history.
Evelyn, a recent graduate of Columbia University’s journalism program, found herself navigating the male-dominated world of early 20th-century journalism. Her fascination with the power of radio to inform and connect had led her to a small but ambitious role at the Columbia University Radio Club, where she contributed to the burgeoning field of FM radio broadcasting. Evelyn saw FM radio’s potential to provide clearer, static-free broadcasts, a stark contrast to the AM stations that had dominated the airwaves until then.
Thomas Bennett, on the other hand, was an electrical engineer with a keen interest in Edwin Armstrong’s work on frequency modulation. Thomas’s passion for radio technology had brought him to Columbia University, where he became an integral member of the Radio Club’s technical team. His innovations and technical expertise were crucial in setting up the infrastructure that would allow FM broadcasting to move from theory to reality.
As the Radio Club prepared for its first scheduled FM broadcast, Evelyn and Thomas found themselves working closely together, their complementary skills driving the project forward. The broadcast was set to feature a variety of content, from classical music to lectures by Columbia University professors, showcasing the superior sound quality and broader range of FM radio.
On the evening of February 24, 1941, as the transmitter was switched on and the inaugural broadcast began, Evelyn and Thomas stood side by side, listening intently to the sound of history being made. The clarity of the broadcast was unlike anything listeners had experienced before, a moment of triumph not only for the Columbia University Radio Club but for Evelyn and Thomas as well.
In the weeks and months that followed, as the world spiraled deeper into war, the significance of their achievement became ever more apparent. FM radio offered not just improved quality but a new platform for unity and information in troubled times. For Evelyn, the success of the broadcast opened doors to a career in radio journalism, where she would go on to become a voice of hope and resilience for listeners across the nation.
For Thomas, the broadcast marked the beginning of a distinguished career in radio engineering, contributing to the development of FM technology and its adoption worldwide.
“The Frequency of Change” is a tale of innovation, collaboration, and the indomitable human spirit. It tells the story of how a group of students and young professionals, through their dedication and vision, contributed to a pivotal moment in radio history, transforming the airwaves and, in doing so, each other’s lives.