THE FIRST RADIO BROADCAST
Allow me to start our time by reading you a nifty story. It is called, "The First Radio Broadcast." For their entire careers, wireless operators onboard US Navy and merchant ships had only heard Morse code coming through their headphones. However, a few days before Christmas in 1906, operators from the shore informed the ships' crews to listen at 9 PM on Christmas Eve for something special.
With curiosity, the ships' operators--affectionately known as "sparks"--tuned in as was suggested. Suddenly, they heard something that made them think they were dreaming. They heard singing and a violin solo, then a man speaking. Some called their captain and ship's officers to come and listen along with them.
The genius responsible was Reginald Fessenden. He had succeeded in transmitting voice and music over the air. Fessenden played a violin solo of "O Holy Night" as he sang the last verse. He also read about the birth of Jesus from Luke chapter 2. Luke's account of the angels' song "Glory to God in the Highest--and on Earth--Peace to Men of Goodwill" was
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