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Centuries Collide

Cody Crouch: Reginald Fessenden - On The Air | Centuries Collide

January 30, 2025 | S1:E8

Cody Crouch: Reginald Fessenden - On The Air | Centuries Collide
Everyone likes to jam out to our favorite song on the radio. Thanks to the efforts of Samuel Morse and Reginald Fessenden - this became a possibility. In this episode discover the evolution of mass communications from Morse code to the fierce race of the first radio broadcast.
#History #inActive #CodyCrouch #Documentary

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Show Timecode
Centuries Collide | Cody Crouch: Reginald Fessenden - On The Air | Centuries Collide | January 30, 2025
  • ♪♪
  • 00:00:00.657 --> 00:00:01.424
  • - i am cody crouch.
  • 00:00:01.424 --> 00:00:02.592
  • I'm traveling the globe, uncovering the origins of
  • 00:00:02.592 --> 00:00:05.095
  • The stuff that we use every day. on centuries
  • 00:00:05.095 --> 00:00:07.797
  • Collide, we're creating some of history's
  • 00:00:07.797 --> 00:00:09.599
  • Greatest moments
  • 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:10.733
  • Exactly how they happen.
  • 00:00:10.733 --> 00:00:12.502
  • Well, almost exactly.
  • 00:00:12.502 --> 00:00:15.071
  • - the gutenberg press. [crickets chirping]
  • 00:00:15.071 --> 00:00:19.242
  • - charge!
  • 00:00:19.242 --> 00:00:21.177
  • - this is history like you've never seen it before.
  • 00:00:21.177 --> 00:00:24.180
  • ♪♪
  • 00:00:24.180 --> 00:00:30.053
  • Today everybody tunes into something, right?
  • 00:00:30.053 --> 00:00:31.621
  • Whether it's on our phones, tvs, computers,
  • 00:00:31.621 --> 00:00:33.923
  • We're all constantly consuming content.
  • 00:00:33.923 --> 00:00:36.092
  • Thanks to the clever marketing
  • 00:00:36.092 --> 00:00:37.527
  • While the tech companies right here in san
  • 00:00:37.527 --> 00:00:38.895
  • Francisco, it seems like we're updating to a
  • 00:00:38.895 --> 00:00:40.830
  • Different, latest, greatest device
  • 00:00:40.830 --> 00:00:42.565
  • Every week.
  • 00:00:42.565 --> 00:00:44.167
  • It's crazy expensive.
  • 00:00:44.167 --> 00:00:46.936
  • Consumer dollars and corporate competition is
  • 00:00:46.936 --> 00:00:49.439
  • What drives the tech industry.
  • 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:51.441
  • Innovation, investments and race to be the
  • 00:00:51.441 --> 00:00:54.144
  • First means
  • 00:00:54.144 --> 00:00:55.411
  • Not only higher profits, but way bigger paydays.
  • 00:00:55.411 --> 00:00:59.115
  • But historically though, the incentive to be first
  • 00:00:59.115 --> 00:01:02.886
  • Wasn't always money. back in the day,
  • 00:01:02.886 --> 00:01:05.321
  • To be first in any technology usually meant
  • 00:01:05.321 --> 00:01:07.590
  • You were able to save lives.
  • 00:01:07.590 --> 00:01:09.859
  • And in the case of the two geniuses that made
  • 00:01:09.859 --> 00:01:12.128
  • Mass communication possible, saving lives
  • 00:01:12.128 --> 00:01:14.998
  • Was the biggest, most important payday of all.
  • 00:01:14.998 --> 00:01:18.668
  • Stay tuned.
  • 00:01:18.668 --> 00:01:19.802
  • It's time for centuries collide.
  • 00:01:19.802 --> 00:01:22.071
  • ♪♪
  • 00:01:22.071 --> 00:01:25.909
  • The digital age is filled with amazing startups and
  • 00:01:25.909 --> 00:01:27.977
  • Massive global tech companies.
  • 00:01:27.977 --> 00:01:29.913
  • Apple, microsoft, samsung, google.
  • 00:01:29.913 --> 00:01:33.383
  • Chances are, you're probably watching me on
  • 00:01:33.383 --> 00:01:35.118
  • One of those devices right now, but this
  • 00:01:35.118 --> 00:01:38.321
  • Expansive tech industry was actually paved
  • 00:01:38.321 --> 00:01:40.657
  • Centuries ago
  • 00:01:40.657 --> 00:01:41.791
  • With the dreamers, scientists, and inventors
  • 00:01:41.791 --> 00:01:43.393
  • Of the past, men who could see a vision of the
  • 00:01:43.393 --> 00:01:46.162
  • Future that many couldn't and who fought to make
  • 00:01:46.162 --> 00:01:49.232
  • Those visions a reality for all of us.
  • 00:01:49.232 --> 00:01:53.136
  • ♪♪
  • 00:01:53.136 --> 00:01:54.270
  • It's hard to imagine in our world today, but in
  • 00:01:54.270 --> 00:01:55.438
  • The early 1800s, information from news to
  • 00:01:55.438 --> 00:01:57.974
  • Entertainment was strictly limited by where
  • 00:01:57.974 --> 00:01:59.876
  • You lived.
  • 00:01:59.876 --> 00:02:01.544
  • You had no way to tune into your favorite
  • 00:02:01.544 --> 00:02:03.146
  • Musical personality and the smaller your town, it
  • 00:02:03.146 --> 00:02:06.182
  • Would've been less access you had to the
  • 00:02:06.182 --> 00:02:07.784
  • Outside world.
  • 00:02:07.784 --> 00:02:10.253
  • - heard about the war?
  • 00:02:10.820 --> 00:02:11.955
  • - nope.
  • 00:02:11.955 --> 00:02:12.522
  • What about it?
  • 00:02:12.522 --> 00:02:14.958
  • - just wondered if you heard about it.
  • 00:02:14.958 --> 00:02:16.859
  • - hadn't heard about it.
  • 00:02:16.859 --> 00:02:18.261
  • Should i know about it?
  • 00:02:18.261 --> 00:02:21.164
  • - don't think so.
  • 00:02:21.164 --> 00:02:22.865
  • Just surprised you hadn't heard about it.
  • 00:02:22.865 --> 00:02:25.101
  • - well, i heard about it now from you.
  • 00:02:25.101 --> 00:02:28.404
  • So what should i know about it?
  • 00:02:28.404 --> 00:02:30.573
  • - nothing.
  • 00:02:30.573 --> 00:02:33.142
  • Just people are talking about it.
  • 00:02:33.142 --> 00:02:35.712
  • - well, what are they saying?
  • 00:02:35.712 --> 00:02:39.282
  • - just wanting to know if we heard about it.
  • 00:02:39.282 --> 00:02:41.517
  • - in fact, getting any information from one
  • 00:02:41.517 --> 00:02:43.253
  • Place to another was ridiculously slow and
  • 00:02:43.253 --> 00:02:45.622
  • Hard to do.
  • 00:02:45.622 --> 00:02:46.689
  • You basically only had a few options to get a
  • 00:02:46.689 --> 00:02:48.358
  • Message to someone far away.
  • 00:02:48.358 --> 00:02:50.059
  • You could walk, you could shout, get, ride a train,
  • 00:02:50.059 --> 00:02:53.663
  • A horse, a boat, or i guess smoke signals?
  • 00:02:53.663 --> 00:02:59.002
  • It drives you crazy like it does me to wait a few
  • 00:02:59.002 --> 00:03:01.804
  • Minutes for someone to reply to your
  • 00:03:01.804 --> 00:03:02.905
  • Text message,
  • 00:03:02.905 --> 00:03:04.340
  • Think of it like this.
  • 00:03:04.340 --> 00:03:05.441
  • It would've been like sending a text message
  • 00:03:05.441 --> 00:03:07.343
  • And then waiting
  • 00:03:07.343 --> 00:03:08.578
  • Not minutes or hours, not even days, but weeks or
  • 00:03:08.578 --> 00:03:12.181
  • Months for someone to even get the message.
  • 00:03:12.181 --> 00:03:15.585
  • Then you'd have to wait weeks or months to hear back.
  • 00:03:15.585 --> 00:03:18.254
  • Yikes.
  • 00:03:18.254 --> 00:03:19.889
  • They didn't have any cell service.
  • 00:03:19.889 --> 00:03:21.391
  • Actually, they didn't have any service at all.
  • 00:03:21.391 --> 00:03:24.060
  • In fact, long distance communication was so bad
  • 00:03:24.060 --> 00:03:26.663
  • That in the war of 1812, weeks after peace had
  • 00:03:26.663 --> 00:03:29.399
  • Already been declared, soldiers on both sides
  • 00:03:29.399 --> 00:03:32.201
  • Were still fighting and killing each other.
  • 00:03:32.201 --> 00:03:35.505
  • - excuse me, don't
  • 00:03:35.505 --> 00:03:36.939
  • You see what's going on here?
  • 00:03:36.939 --> 00:03:38.541
  • - can't you see
  • 00:03:38.541 --> 00:03:39.509
  • We're in the middle of a battle?
  • 00:03:39.509 --> 00:03:40.910
  • - haven't you heard the war is over?
  • 00:03:40.910 --> 00:03:42.945
  • Been done for about two weeks now?
  • 00:03:42.945 --> 00:03:47.417
  • - no, i hadn't heard that.
  • 00:03:47.417 --> 00:03:49.218
  • - what are we supposed to do?
  • 00:03:49.218 --> 00:03:51.287
  • - you could have a picnic with us.
  • 00:03:51.287 --> 00:03:55.158
  • - great idea. right. okay.
  • 00:03:55.158 --> 00:03:56.726
  • - okay, so long distance communication was a big
  • 00:03:56.726 --> 00:03:59.162
  • Problem, a problem that nobody had figured out yet.
  • 00:03:59.162 --> 00:04:02.265
  • That is until a man named samuel morse came
  • 00:04:02.265 --> 00:04:04.600
  • On the scene.
  • 00:04:04.600 --> 00:04:05.835
  • To find out more about him, i headed to washington dc.
  • 00:04:05.835 --> 00:04:14.877
  • ♪♪
  • 00:04:14.877 --> 00:04:17.447
  • Morse was the typical entrepreneur
  • 00:04:17.447 --> 00:04:18.915
  • We see today.
  • 00:04:18.915 --> 00:04:20.416
  • Talented, creative, and well, totally broke.
  • 00:04:20.416 --> 00:04:23.820
  • He actually wasn't considered a scientist
  • 00:04:23.820 --> 00:04:26.723
  • At all.
  • 00:04:26.723 --> 00:04:27.724
  • He was known better to his friends as a
  • 00:04:27.724 --> 00:04:28.958
  • Struggling artist trying to make a name for
  • 00:04:28.958 --> 00:04:32.595
  • Himself in the art world.
  • 00:04:32.595 --> 00:04:37.200
  • - what is this?
  • 00:04:37.667 --> 00:04:38.835
  • This is nothing.
  • 00:04:38.835 --> 00:04:40.136
  • This is dots and dashes. - precisely the yin and
  • 00:04:40.136 --> 00:04:43.773
  • The yang, the light in the dark, the dot
  • 00:04:43.773 --> 00:04:47.977
  • And the dash.
  • 00:04:47.977 --> 00:04:48.711
  • - this is ridiculous.
  • 00:04:48.711 --> 00:04:50.113
  • - we are looking for something more like
  • 00:04:50.113 --> 00:04:53.015
  • Transformational art.
  • 00:04:53.015 --> 00:04:54.350
  • Something that actually looks like a picture.
  • 00:04:54.350 --> 00:04:58.855
  • - but you don't understand.
  • 00:04:58.855 --> 00:05:01.090
  • This is transformational.
  • 00:05:01.090 --> 00:05:04.227
  • - perhaps you should get into another
  • 00:05:04.227 --> 00:05:06.429
  • Profession. perhaps plumbing.
  • 00:05:06.429 --> 00:05:08.831
  • - why plumbing?
  • 00:05:08.831 --> 00:05:11.167
  • - because it is crap.
  • 00:05:11.167 --> 00:05:13.669
  • - his career as the next up and coming
  • 00:05:13.669 --> 00:05:16.639
  • Michelangelo wasn't going too well until he caught
  • 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:19.308
  • The eye of the political elite right here
  • 00:05:19.308 --> 00:05:21.744
  • In washington.
  • 00:05:21.744 --> 00:05:23.012
  • They liked his art so much so that they
  • 00:05:23.012 --> 00:05:24.847
  • Commissioned him to paint a few paintings,
  • 00:05:24.847 --> 00:05:26.682
  • Including one of the biggest celebrities of the day,
  • 00:05:26.682 --> 00:05:29.752
  • The famous american revolution, war hero,
  • 00:05:29.752 --> 00:05:32.021
  • Marquee de lafayette.
  • 00:05:32.021 --> 00:05:34.257
  • - how would you like to paint in washington dc?
  • 00:05:34.257 --> 00:05:36.592
  • - washington dc? i would love it.
  • 00:05:36.592 --> 00:05:39.228
  • - okay.
  • 00:05:39.228 --> 00:05:40.630
  • - thank you.
  • 00:05:40.630 --> 00:05:41.364
  • - you're welcome.
  • 00:05:41.364 --> 00:05:44.000
  • - i have to go.
  • 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:45.435
  • - okay.
  • 00:05:45.435 --> 00:05:47.203
  • Where?
  • 00:05:47.203 --> 00:05:49.906
  • - to be honest, morse was actually a pretty
  • 00:05:49.906 --> 00:05:51.941
  • Good artist.
  • 00:05:51.941 --> 00:05:53.109
  • So good in fact, that recently one of his
  • 00:05:53.109 --> 00:05:54.844
  • Paintings sold for over $3 million, not so
  • 00:05:54.844 --> 00:05:59.482
  • Struggling anymore.
  • 00:05:59.482 --> 00:06:01.117
  • But then tragedy struck. while he was on a trip
  • 00:06:01.117 --> 00:06:04.921
  • Here to washington, he got a letter from back
  • 00:06:04.921 --> 00:06:07.023
  • Home in new york city. - speedy delivery.
  • 00:06:07.023 --> 00:06:10.293
  • - in this letter, it said that his wife,
  • 00:06:10.293 --> 00:06:11.694
  • Lucretia had suddenly passed away
  • 00:06:11.694 --> 00:06:14.597
  • Two weeks earlier.
  • 00:06:14.597 --> 00:06:17.200
  • - she's dead. - two whole weeks.
  • 00:06:17.200 --> 00:06:20.736
  • It had taken a simple letter over 14 days to
  • 00:06:20.736 --> 00:06:23.873
  • Travel only 200 miles between new york city and
  • 00:06:23.873 --> 00:06:27.710
  • Washington dc. since there was no way to send
  • 00:06:27.710 --> 00:06:30.680
  • Messages except through snail mail, he had no
  • 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:34.283
  • Idea it had happened.
  • 00:06:34.283 --> 00:06:36.319
  • By the time he got home, she had already
  • 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:38.888
  • Been buried.
  • 00:06:38.888 --> 00:06:40.590
  • The poor guy was devastated.
  • 00:06:40.590 --> 00:06:42.959
  • - i'm devastated.
  • 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:44.894
  • - but it wasn't just him.
  • 00:06:44.894 --> 00:06:46.629
  • He remembered back to all of the families of the
  • 00:06:46.629 --> 00:06:48.431
  • Soldiers who had died in the war of 1812
  • 00:06:48.431 --> 00:06:50.700
  • Because news had traveled so slowly to them as well.
  • 00:06:50.700 --> 00:06:54.770
  • He figured there had to be a better way to
  • 00:06:54.770 --> 00:06:56.939
  • Communicate information quickly.
  • 00:06:56.939 --> 00:06:59.675
  • Something had to be done. - something must be done.
  • 00:06:59.675 --> 00:07:03.646
  • - morse saw the need for quicker communication
  • 00:07:03.646 --> 00:07:06.082
  • Between places and began to work on a long
  • 00:07:06.082 --> 00:07:08.384
  • Distance solution.
  • 00:07:08.384 --> 00:07:10.253
  • So this painter put down his paintbrush and picked
  • 00:07:10.253 --> 00:07:12.755
  • Up a new passion, long distance communication.
  • 00:07:12.755 --> 00:07:16.759
  • Now, the idea of long distance communication
  • 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:19.028
  • Had been around for quite some time.
  • 00:07:19.028 --> 00:07:20.763
  • Many scientists and engineers had tried to
  • 00:07:20.763 --> 00:07:22.498
  • Pull it off, including one famous guy
  • 00:07:22.498 --> 00:07:25.835
  • We've all heard of, benjamin franklin.
  • 00:07:25.835 --> 00:07:29.572
  • But not even good old ben franklin can figure it out.
  • 00:07:29.572 --> 00:07:32.608
  • Then in a twist of luck and seemingly divine
  • 00:07:32.608 --> 00:07:34.777
  • Fortune, morse ended up on the right boat the
  • 00:07:34.777 --> 00:07:37.079
  • Right time
  • 00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:38.114
  • On a trip back in europe. he overheard a
  • 00:07:38.114 --> 00:07:40.216
  • Conversation that sparked an idea.
  • 00:07:40.216 --> 00:07:44.420
  • A passenger on the boat was describing how good
  • 00:07:44.420 --> 00:07:46.055
  • Old ben franklin had passed an electric
  • 00:07:46.055 --> 00:07:48.190
  • Current through miles of wire and had noticed an
  • 00:07:48.190 --> 00:07:51.160
  • Instantaneous spark on the other end.
  • 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:53.896
  • In that moment, morse realized that the idea of
  • 00:07:53.896 --> 00:07:56.032
  • Electromagnetism just might lead him to the
  • 00:07:56.032 --> 00:07:59.101
  • Long distance solution he was searching for.
  • 00:07:59.101 --> 00:08:01.604
  • - why? - it's electricity.
  • 00:08:01.604 --> 00:08:04.540
  • It'll change your life.
  • 00:08:04.540 --> 00:08:06.742
  • - between 1832 and 1837, morse took on two
  • 00:08:06.742 --> 00:08:10.613
  • Inventing partners and used things like a
  • 00:08:10.613 --> 00:08:12.515
  • Homemade battery and old clock gears to develop a
  • 00:08:12.515 --> 00:08:15.718
  • Working model of the electric telegraph.
  • 00:08:15.718 --> 00:08:17.920
  • But like some tech startups today, they
  • 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:20.022
  • Totally ran out of money.
  • 00:08:20.022 --> 00:08:23.593
  • So with literally 37 cents to his name, went
  • 00:08:24.594 --> 00:08:27.797
  • Back to his pals here in dc who had funded his art
  • 00:08:27.797 --> 00:08:30.132
  • Career and was like, hey guys, if you like my art,
  • 00:08:30.132 --> 00:08:33.202
  • You're going to really love my inventions.
  • 00:08:33.202 --> 00:08:35.271
  • And they were like -- - stick to painting.
  • 00:08:35.271 --> 00:08:37.773
  • - but with the help of an old school buddy who
  • 00:08:37.773 --> 00:08:39.442
  • Just happened to be the commissioner of the us
  • 00:08:39.442 --> 00:08:41.877
  • Patent office, they wore them down. in 1842,
  • 00:08:41.877 --> 00:08:48.184
  • He convinced us skeptical congress to give him the
  • 00:08:48.184 --> 00:08:51.020
  • Money he needed to bring his invention to
  • 00:08:51.020 --> 00:08:52.955
  • The big stage.
  • 00:08:52.955 --> 00:08:54.590
  • With the money he received, he strung one
  • 00:08:54.590 --> 00:08:56.158
  • Wire from the us capitol building to a train
  • 00:08:56.158 --> 00:08:58.394
  • Station 40 miles away in baltimore and on
  • 00:08:58.394 --> 00:09:01.697
  • May 24th, 1844, this telegraph machine was
  • 00:09:01.697 --> 00:09:05.201
  • Ready to be put to the test.
  • 00:09:05.201 --> 00:09:07.403
  • Now, two things.
  • 00:09:07.403 --> 00:09:08.537
  • You might be asking me, what does this telegraph
  • 00:09:08.537 --> 00:09:11.107
  • Thing have anything to do with me today?
  • 00:09:11.107 --> 00:09:14.143
  • Well, here's the thing.
  • 00:09:14.143 --> 00:09:15.244
  • Modern communications, everything from the phone
  • 00:09:15.244 --> 00:09:17.947
  • In your pocket to the radio in your car to
  • 00:09:17.947 --> 00:09:20.049
  • The tv you're probably watching me on right now,
  • 00:09:20.049 --> 00:09:22.351
  • It all started with the telegraph.
  • 00:09:22.351 --> 00:09:25.788
  • Secondly, morse's idea of being able to share a
  • 00:09:25.788 --> 00:09:28.424
  • Message with someone on the other side of the
  • 00:09:28.424 --> 00:09:30.159
  • Planet in an instant using electromagnetism
  • 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:34.163
  • Was impossible up to this point, and in fact seemed
  • 00:09:34.163 --> 00:09:37.600
  • Like a crazy insane idea to most people.
  • 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:41.604
  • But morse was convinced that instantaneous long
  • 00:09:41.604 --> 00:09:44.240
  • Distance messaging was possible, and as he got
  • 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:47.176
  • Deeper into this idea of a telegraph machine, he
  • 00:09:47.176 --> 00:09:49.712
  • Began to realize the real magnitude of
  • 00:09:49.712 --> 00:09:52.314
  • Possibilities if he could figure it out.
  • 00:09:52.314 --> 00:09:55.117
  • - here we go, baby.
  • 00:09:55.117 --> 00:09:57.720
  • [crazy laughter] [rock music]
  • 00:09:57.720 --> 00:10:04.627
  • - you got a little something.
  • 00:10:04.627 --> 00:10:08.798
  • - coming from a strong christian family,
  • 00:10:08.798 --> 00:10:10.933
  • Morse's father being a well-known preacher, morse
  • 00:10:10.933 --> 00:10:13.369
  • Realized that not only could greetings news and
  • 00:10:13.369 --> 00:10:16.539
  • Information be shared in an instant, but the
  • 00:10:16.539 --> 00:10:18.708
  • Greatest message of all time, the gospel.
  • 00:10:18.708 --> 00:10:21.477
  • On the day of the test, morse sat on one end of
  • 00:10:21.477 --> 00:10:25.114
  • The wire in dc and one of his partners sat on the
  • 00:10:25.114 --> 00:10:26.782
  • Other end in baltimore.
  • 00:10:26.782 --> 00:10:28.384
  • Then a colleague entered the room and handed morse
  • 00:10:28.384 --> 00:10:30.920
  • A note, a bible scripture when transmitted, it
  • 00:10:30.920 --> 00:10:34.457
  • Would show the whole world that his
  • 00:10:34.457 --> 00:10:36.692
  • Technology worked.
  • 00:10:36.692 --> 00:10:39.161
  • He opened it, took a deep breath and tapped out the
  • 00:10:39.161 --> 00:10:41.831
  • One line of scripture,
  • 00:10:41.831 --> 00:10:44.166
  • "what hath god wrought?"
  • 00:10:44.166 --> 00:10:46.469
  • Then they waited.
  • 00:10:46.469 --> 00:10:53.075
  • - he's done it.
  • 00:10:53.075 --> 00:10:57.079
  • - sure enough, the message was delivered.
  • 00:10:57.079 --> 00:10:59.715
  • His partner immediately responded by typing back
  • 00:10:59.715 --> 00:11:02.251
  • The same message for confirmation.
  • 00:11:02.251 --> 00:11:04.453
  • After that moment, sharing messages across
  • 00:11:04.453 --> 00:11:06.789
  • The world would never be the same.
  • 00:11:06.789 --> 00:11:09.024
  • Within a decade, there were more than 20,000
  • 00:11:09.024 --> 00:11:11.794
  • Miles of telegraph wire laid in the us alone, and
  • 00:11:11.794 --> 00:11:15.097
  • By 1866, a transatlantic line connected the us
  • 00:11:15.097 --> 00:11:18.267
  • To europe.
  • 00:11:18.267 --> 00:11:19.969
  • The world was now connected in an instant
  • 00:11:19.969 --> 00:11:22.738
  • Through the telegraph. this painter
  • 00:11:22.738 --> 00:11:25.407
  • Turned unlikely
  • 00:11:25.407 --> 00:11:26.742
  • Inventor changed the world.
  • 00:11:26.742 --> 00:11:29.678
  • In an interview someone once asked him, what was
  • 00:11:29.678 --> 00:11:32.081
  • Your secret to inventing the telegraph?
  • 00:11:32.081 --> 00:11:35.217
  • - whenever i can't find my way
  • 00:11:35.217 --> 00:11:36.952
  • Clearly, i would kneel down and pray and ask for
  • 00:11:36.952 --> 00:11:40.189
  • Light and understanding.
  • 00:11:40.189 --> 00:11:42.591
  • And may i tell you, when they came to me with the
  • 00:11:42.591 --> 00:11:44.727
  • Flattering honors from europe and america on the
  • 00:11:44.727 --> 00:11:49.999
  • Count of an invention that bears my name, i
  • 00:11:49.999 --> 00:11:53.402
  • Didn't think i deserved it.
  • 00:11:53.402 --> 00:11:55.171
  • I made a valuable application of
  • 00:11:55.171 --> 00:11:57.773
  • Electricity, not because i thought i was superior
  • 00:11:57.773 --> 00:12:02.144
  • To the other men, but solely because god meant
  • 00:12:02.144 --> 00:12:05.614
  • It for mankind, and he wanted to show it to someone.
  • 00:12:05.614 --> 00:12:10.619
  • He was pleased to show it to me.
  • 00:12:10.619 --> 00:12:13.022
  • - luckily for us though, long distance communication
  • 00:12:13.022 --> 00:12:15.391
  • Didn't just stop at beeps and boops.
  • 00:12:15.391 --> 00:12:18.394
  • For the next part of the story we're going to have
  • 00:12:18.394 --> 00:12:20.196
  • To head from pennsylvania avenue to the actual
  • 00:12:20.196 --> 00:12:22.565
  • State of pennsylvania where reginald fessenden,
  • 00:12:22.565 --> 00:12:25.434
  • A canadian man was in a tech race to be the first
  • 00:12:25.434 --> 00:12:27.503
  • Person to broadcast a voice over air.
  • 00:12:27.503 --> 00:12:31.907
  • He expanded his work here at the university of
  • 00:12:31.907 --> 00:12:33.876
  • Pittsburgh, then known as the western university
  • 00:12:33.876 --> 00:12:36.145
  • Of pennsylvania.
  • 00:12:36.145 --> 00:12:37.780
  • He taught in the engineering department and used his
  • 00:12:37.780 --> 00:12:40.216
  • Spare time to get rid of those pesky beeps and boops.
  • 00:12:40.216 --> 00:12:43.819
  • - okay.
  • 00:12:43.819 --> 00:12:45.588
  • [men laughing]
  • 00:12:45.588 --> 00:12:56.665
  • - his assistant, mr. kitner, jammed a
  • 00:12:57.499 --> 00:12:59.435
  • Morse code key and howled over the receiver.
  • 00:12:59.435 --> 00:13:02.905
  • [feedback screeching]
  • 00:13:02.905 --> 00:13:04.039
  • - come on, come on, come on!
  • 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:12.514
  • - we've got to fix that.
  • 00:13:13.082 --> 00:13:15.718
  • - yeah, we've got to fix that.
  • 00:13:15.718 --> 00:13:18.520
  • - fessenden concluded that if a howl like that
  • 00:13:18.520 --> 00:13:20.856
  • Could be transmitted, then why not a voice?
  • 00:13:20.856 --> 00:13:23.759
  • He didn't determined that sound could in fact be
  • 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:25.895
  • Carried by radio waves. if he could only achieve a
  • 00:13:25.895 --> 00:13:28.831
  • Steady enough frequency,
  • 00:13:28.831 --> 00:13:31.033
  • He was convinced that he could put voices on the air.
  • 00:13:31.033 --> 00:13:36.372
  • He didn't just see radio as a way to wirelessly
  • 00:13:36.372 --> 00:13:38.974
  • Exchange news and information through code,
  • 00:13:38.974 --> 00:13:41.410
  • But a way for voices and music to entertain and
  • 00:13:41.410 --> 00:13:44.813
  • Share the most important messages around the world.
  • 00:13:44.813 --> 00:13:48.550
  • [gibberish]
  • 00:13:48.550 --> 00:13:50.552
  • But fessenden wasn't the only one in a race to
  • 00:13:50.552 --> 00:13:52.588
  • Broadcast a voice over air. running against him was
  • 00:13:52.588 --> 00:13:55.291
  • An italian scientist by the name of guglielmo marconi.
  • 00:13:55.291 --> 00:14:00.663
  • Marconi also had ideas about sending messages
  • 00:14:00.663 --> 00:14:03.032
  • Long distances without the need of wires.
  • 00:14:03.032 --> 00:14:07.369
  • - it'sa marconi, not a macaroni, okay?
  • 00:14:07.369 --> 00:14:09.872
  • One is tasty, and one is a spicy.
  • 00:14:09.872 --> 00:14:12.608
  • - marconi was constantly writing about his
  • 00:14:12.608 --> 00:14:14.576
  • Amazement of god's creation and how it was
  • 00:14:14.576 --> 00:14:16.812
  • Intertwined with science.
  • 00:14:16.812 --> 00:14:19.014
  • He also envisioned the idea of religious
  • 00:14:19.014 --> 00:14:21.450
  • Broadcasting and one day being able to share the
  • 00:14:21.450 --> 00:14:23.752
  • Message of the gospel around the world.
  • 00:14:23.752 --> 00:14:28.390
  • - head to head, these two men were about to run
  • 00:14:29.425 --> 00:14:31.160
  • An exhausting race in pursuit of the dream.
  • 00:14:31.160 --> 00:14:33.862
  • But as for any new tech company,
  • 00:14:33.862 --> 00:14:35.531
  • Funding was limited and getting investors,
  • 00:14:35.531 --> 00:14:37.433
  • It's crazy competitive.
  • 00:14:37.433 --> 00:14:40.135
  • In 1896, marconi took the lead by completing an
  • 00:14:40.135 --> 00:14:43.539
  • Experiment in which he successfully transmitted
  • 00:14:43.539 --> 00:14:46.141
  • A silent radio signal.
  • 00:14:46.141 --> 00:14:48.544
  • So no voices yet, but it was enough to secure him
  • 00:14:48.544 --> 00:14:51.780
  • A massive grant and an exclusive patent from
  • 00:14:51.780 --> 00:14:54.883
  • The british government.
  • 00:14:54.883 --> 00:14:56.452
  • - yes, that's right.
  • 00:14:56.452 --> 00:14:57.820
  • The canadians gave a me the money.
  • 00:14:57.820 --> 00:15:01.390
  • - but fessenden wanted to transmit voices,
  • 00:15:01.390 --> 00:15:03.959
  • So we set up shop right here at cobb island on
  • 00:15:03.959 --> 00:15:06.362
  • The potomac river.
  • 00:15:06.362 --> 00:15:07.830
  • There was another receiving station 50 miles away
  • 00:15:07.830 --> 00:15:09.932
  • In arlington, virginia,
  • 00:15:09.932 --> 00:15:11.767
  • Connected by a telegraph wire.
  • 00:15:11.767 --> 00:15:13.535
  • Fessenden had already perfected morse code by
  • 00:15:13.535 --> 00:15:15.804
  • Using a new generator, but he experimented with
  • 00:15:15.804 --> 00:15:18.507
  • Voice transmission by hooking up a microphone
  • 00:15:18.507 --> 00:15:21.343
  • To his new improved system.
  • 00:15:21.343 --> 00:15:23.712
  • This would be the first time in history to
  • 00:15:23.712 --> 00:15:25.948
  • Broadcast a voice over wire if it worked.
  • 00:15:25.948 --> 00:15:29.251
  • Right here in this room on december 23rd, 1900,
  • 00:15:29.251 --> 00:15:33.722
  • Fessenden spoke into his microphone.
  • 00:15:33.722 --> 00:15:37.326
  • - check one, two, three, four.
  • 00:15:37.326 --> 00:15:38.894
  • - 1, 2, 3, 4.
  • 00:15:38.894 --> 00:15:40.496
  • Is it snowing where you are, mr. thiessen.
  • 00:15:40.496 --> 00:15:42.498
  • If so, telegraph me back and let me know.
  • 00:15:42.498 --> 00:15:44.500
  • - and let me know.
  • 00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:47.836
  • - thiessen replied, yep. it's snowing, bro.
  • 00:15:47.936 --> 00:15:52.241
  • It worked.
  • 00:15:52.241 --> 00:15:54.910
  • Fessenden had done it.
  • 00:15:54.910 --> 00:15:56.278
  • He had sent voice over wire.
  • 00:15:56.278 --> 00:15:58.447
  • This would lead to so many giant technological
  • 00:15:58.447 --> 00:16:01.283
  • Breakthroughs, including things like a little
  • 00:16:01.283 --> 00:16:03.318
  • Invention called telephone.
  • 00:16:03.318 --> 00:16:05.788
  • But unfortunately, voice over wire quickly
  • 00:16:05.788 --> 00:16:08.490
  • Became old news because marconi was one giant
  • 00:16:08.490 --> 00:16:12.795
  • Step ahead of him.
  • 00:16:12.795 --> 00:16:14.863
  • Marconi had discovered a wireless way to broadcast
  • 00:16:14.863 --> 00:16:17.599
  • Morse code.
  • 00:16:17.599 --> 00:16:19.568
  • Now people could transmit morse code
  • 00:16:19.568 --> 00:16:21.603
  • Long distances without the need of any wires at all.
  • 00:16:21.603 --> 00:16:25.107
  • To the average person, it seemed like the race was
  • 00:16:25.107 --> 00:16:26.809
  • Over and marconi had won.
  • 00:16:26.809 --> 00:16:29.178
  • - alright, macaroni. marconi.
  • 00:16:29.178 --> 00:16:32.614
  • - but then fessenden went fishing.
  • 00:16:32.614 --> 00:16:36.852
  • Fishing.
  • 00:16:36.852 --> 00:16:39.721
  • Discouraged because marconi was leading the race,
  • 00:16:39.822 --> 00:16:42.291
  • Fessenden said, forget this, i'm going to the lake.
  • 00:16:42.291 --> 00:16:45.461
  • So he headed up for a little fishing and
  • 00:16:45.461 --> 00:16:47.296
  • Brainstorming. there, he caught a new idea.
  • 00:16:47.296 --> 00:16:52.367
  • What fessenden realized by simply dropping a rock
  • 00:16:52.367 --> 00:16:54.736
  • Into the water was a huge scientific breakthrough.
  • 00:16:54.736 --> 00:16:58.907
  • So i guess fessenden was really the first person
  • 00:16:58.907 --> 00:17:01.677
  • To theorize that a continuous wave frequency
  • 00:17:01.677 --> 00:17:04.780
  • Was required for speech transmission.
  • 00:17:04.780 --> 00:17:06.715
  • But to check that theory, once again,
  • 00:17:06.715 --> 00:17:08.584
  • Fessenden would need money.
  • 00:17:08.584 --> 00:17:10.486
  • So he jumped back in the race in search of his own
  • 00:17:10.486 --> 00:17:12.488
  • Big investor and came up with the weather bureau.
  • 00:17:12.488 --> 00:17:16.492
  • Yeah, we can thank fessenden for our weather reports
  • 00:17:16.492 --> 00:17:19.495
  • Today. he sold 'em on the idea that once he got it
  • 00:17:19.495 --> 00:17:21.864
  • Working, they could use his tech for forecasting
  • 00:17:21.864 --> 00:17:24.433
  • The weather long distances.
  • 00:17:24.433 --> 00:17:27.569
  • Even though marconi had already broadcast morse
  • 00:17:27.569 --> 00:17:29.705
  • Code over the airways,
  • 00:17:29.705 --> 00:17:31.173
  • Fessenden being the genius perfectionist he was
  • 00:17:31.173 --> 00:17:34.009
  • Didn't like marconis method.
  • 00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:36.478
  • He felt like the wireless signal had both the
  • 00:17:36.478 --> 00:17:38.413
  • Potential to be cleaner and stronger, and again,
  • 00:17:38.413 --> 00:17:41.049
  • More than just beeps and boops.
  • 00:17:41.049 --> 00:17:43.552
  • He was determined that music and voice could be
  • 00:17:43.552 --> 00:17:46.488
  • Broadcast wirelessly.
  • 00:17:46.488 --> 00:17:48.290
  • He just had to figure out how and soon,
  • 00:17:48.290 --> 00:17:51.660
  • So he set up new stations in canada and scotland
  • 00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:54.730
  • And got to work trying to broadcast his voice over
  • 00:17:54.730 --> 00:17:56.999
  • The air with no wires.
  • 00:17:56.999 --> 00:18:00.602
  • Experiment after experiment failed,
  • 00:18:00.602 --> 00:18:04.006
  • But he kept trying.
  • 00:18:04.006 --> 00:18:05.541
  • Then in november, he received a letter from
  • 00:18:05.541 --> 00:18:08.143
  • His engineer at the scottish tower.
  • 00:18:08.143 --> 00:18:10.245
  • - got a letter from scotland.
  • 00:18:10.245 --> 00:18:12.514
  • - the letter said that he had been working at the
  • 00:18:12.514 --> 00:18:14.249
  • Station at about 4:00 am several weeks back,
  • 00:18:14.249 --> 00:18:17.486
  • And suddenly voices started coming in.
  • 00:18:17.486 --> 00:18:20.522
  • He recognized the voices and realized that he was
  • 00:18:20.522 --> 00:18:23.025
  • Overhearing conversations coming over the airwaves
  • 00:18:23.025 --> 00:18:26.028
  • From the other station in canada,
  • 00:18:26.028 --> 00:18:28.430
  • And the operator had been able to hear it
  • 00:18:28.430 --> 00:18:30.799
  • Perfectly clear. fessenden frantically checked
  • 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.535
  • Back in his logs for which tests were being
  • 00:18:33.535 --> 00:18:35.437
  • Done at the time, and realized the equipment he
  • 00:18:35.437 --> 00:18:38.207
  • Had invented actually worked.
  • 00:18:38.207 --> 00:18:40.576
  • - it worked! - it worked!
  • 00:18:40.576 --> 00:18:44.179
  • Oh yeah, it worked. it worked. it worked.
  • 00:18:41.710 --> 00:18:46.615
  • - he could totally transmit voices to another country.
  • 00:18:46.615 --> 00:18:50.219
  • Unfortunately, the victory was very short
  • 00:18:50.219 --> 00:18:54.022
  • Lived. before he could retest, a storm had blown
  • 00:18:54.022 --> 00:18:56.558
  • Through and destroyed his scottish receiving tower
  • 00:18:56.558 --> 00:18:59.595
  • Three weeks before christmas.
  • 00:18:59.595 --> 00:19:03.198
  • Then an even bigger blow. fessenden had learned that
  • 00:19:03.198 --> 00:19:07.736
  • Marconi had been given exclusive rights to build
  • 00:19:07.736 --> 00:19:10.906
  • Wireless stations in canada.
  • 00:19:10.906 --> 00:19:13.041
  • Even though fessenden was the canadian; marconi,
  • 00:19:13.041 --> 00:19:16.645
  • An italian scientist received not only approval,
  • 00:19:16.645 --> 00:19:20.215
  • But the funding of the canadian government.
  • 00:19:20.215 --> 00:19:23.118
  • This infuriated fessenden who was after all canadian.
  • 00:19:23.118 --> 00:19:28.657
  • Fessenden decided that he was going to try and give a
  • 00:19:29.825 --> 00:19:32.561
  • Public radio broadcast.
  • 00:19:32.561 --> 00:19:34.529
  • There were a dozen or so ships right here on the
  • 00:19:34.529 --> 00:19:36.865
  • Coast of brant rock, massachusetts that
  • 00:19:36.865 --> 00:19:38.500
  • Belonged to the us navy united fruit company.
  • 00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:41.403
  • These ships had been previously retrofitted
  • 00:19:41.403 --> 00:19:43.338
  • With radio receivers.
  • 00:19:43.338 --> 00:19:45.073
  • They would potentially become the audience for
  • 00:19:45.073 --> 00:19:47.042
  • The very first radio broadcast ever.
  • 00:19:47.042 --> 00:19:50.545
  • So from the radio tower that used to stand right
  • 00:19:50.545 --> 00:19:52.948
  • Here behind me, he messaged the wireless
  • 00:19:52.948 --> 00:19:54.750
  • Operators to listen in on christmas eve for
  • 00:19:54.750 --> 00:19:57.419
  • Something a little different.
  • 00:19:57.419 --> 00:19:59.921
  • At nine o'clock on december 24th, 1906,
  • 00:19:59.921 --> 00:20:04.059
  • The operators heard the familiar morse code cq,
  • 00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:07.329
  • Which means listen, all stations.
  • 00:20:07.329 --> 00:20:10.632
  • Then over the airwaves, boats over three miles away
  • 00:20:10.632 --> 00:20:14.703
  • Suddenly heard the sound of a violin playing
  • 00:20:14.703 --> 00:20:17.673
  • Old holy night.
  • 00:20:17.673 --> 00:20:19.541
  • - it's coming from the radio!
  • 00:20:19.541 --> 00:20:21.443
  • - you hear that.
  • 00:20:21.443 --> 00:20:22.844
  • - then a song by handel on phonograph,
  • 00:20:22.844 --> 00:20:25.514
  • And finally a reading of the christmas story
  • 00:20:25.514 --> 00:20:27.616
  • From luke chapter two.
  • 00:20:27.616 --> 00:20:29.418
  • - that's the christmas story they're reading!
  • 00:20:29.418 --> 00:20:33.922
  • - i love this story.
  • 00:20:33.922 --> 00:20:36.158
  • It's my favorite.
  • 00:20:36.158 --> 00:20:38.093
  • - history had just been made. after that night,
  • 00:20:38.093 --> 00:20:41.730
  • The world would really never be the same.
  • 00:20:41.730 --> 00:20:44.499
  • What's amazing is that the very first radio
  • 00:20:44.499 --> 00:20:46.902
  • Broadcast ever was used to tell one of the greatest
  • 00:20:46.902 --> 00:20:50.706
  • Stories of all time.
  • 00:20:50.706 --> 00:20:52.641
  • ♪ oh, holy night, the stars are brightly shining ♪
  • 00:20:52.641 --> 00:20:59.214
  • - fessenden knew that he had just given the world
  • 00:20:59.214 --> 00:21:01.450
  • One of the most important christmas presents it
  • 00:21:01.450 --> 00:21:04.086
  • Would ever receive.
  • 00:21:04.086 --> 00:21:05.620
  • He had transmitted human voices across vast
  • 00:21:05.620 --> 00:21:08.190
  • Distances, completely wireless.
  • 00:21:08.190 --> 00:21:10.559
  • ♪ the thrill of hope ♪
  • 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:13.528
  • - the competition between fessenden and marconi had been
  • 00:21:13.528 --> 00:21:15.664
  • Long and intense, but the true victory is what went
  • 00:21:15.664 --> 00:21:19.568
  • Out over the airwaves that fateful night.
  • 00:21:19.568 --> 00:21:23.171
  • With that breakthrough, a gateway opened up for the
  • 00:21:23.171 --> 00:21:25.707
  • Future of communications over the airwaves,
  • 00:21:25.707 --> 00:21:28.276
  • Radio, television,
  • 00:21:28.276 --> 00:21:30.112
  • Basically, every form of wireless broadcast can be
  • 00:21:30.112 --> 00:21:32.347
  • Traced to that night,
  • 00:21:32.347 --> 00:21:34.015
  • Over a hundred years ago, here in massachusetts.
  • 00:21:34.015 --> 00:21:37.152
  • Competition began to spur on more tech companies
  • 00:21:37.152 --> 00:21:39.688
  • Throughout the years, propelling wireless
  • 00:21:39.688 --> 00:21:41.556
  • Communication to the forefront of the
  • 00:21:41.556 --> 00:21:43.792
  • Technological revolution.
  • 00:21:43.792 --> 00:21:47.429
  • Today, radio plays everywhere.
  • 00:21:48.163 --> 00:21:50.098
  • The beach, the park, your car,
  • 00:21:50.098 --> 00:21:52.868
  • And around the world.
  • 00:21:52.868 --> 00:21:54.136
  • Thanks to fessenden, not only was the radio
  • 00:21:54.136 --> 00:21:56.037
  • A companion to the individual,
  • 00:21:56.037 --> 00:21:57.806
  • But the gospel had made its first major modern
  • 00:21:57.806 --> 00:22:00.776
  • Technological leap toward reaching the nations.
  • 00:22:00.776 --> 00:22:04.813
  • Now the gospel is broadcast around the
  • 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:07.849
  • World through the airwaves thanks to those men
  • 00:22:07.849 --> 00:22:10.318
  • And the many dreamers that came after them.
  • 00:22:10.318 --> 00:22:12.621
  • Pioneers in the broadcast industry,
  • 00:22:12.621 --> 00:22:14.423
  • Like my own grandfather, paul crouch.
  • 00:22:14.423 --> 00:22:17.092
  • In the early 70's, he had a vision to reach
  • 00:22:17.092 --> 00:22:18.994
  • The ends of the earth with the gospel
  • 00:22:18.994 --> 00:22:20.829
  • Through television. today, anywhere there's
  • 00:22:20.829 --> 00:22:23.265
  • Electricity, you can tune in and hear the
  • 00:22:23.265 --> 00:22:25.434
  • Life-changing good news, but none of it possible
  • 00:22:25.434 --> 00:22:28.770
  • Without the tireless, astonishing efforts of
  • 00:22:28.770 --> 00:22:31.573
  • Both samuel morse and reginald fessenden.
  • 00:22:31.573 --> 00:22:34.576
  • These two men, although separated by time,
  • 00:22:34.576 --> 00:22:37.245
  • Worked together to build the medium of mass
  • 00:22:37.245 --> 00:22:39.714
  • Communication for one purpose,
  • 00:22:39.714 --> 00:22:42.250
  • To share the most important message of all
  • 00:22:42.250 --> 00:22:45.287
  • The gospel of jesus christ.
  • 00:22:45.287 --> 00:22:45.287