Even though the world has a variety of news and entertainment mediums available to them, from satellite to the entire World Wide Web, there’s one medium that remains one of the most widely consumed, and that medium is radio. Radio has the ability to not only entertain but also to educate, and as a result, it’s an important medium for democratic discourse throughout the world.

That’s probably why UNESCO proclaimed that February 13th should become World Radio Day, a day that celebrates over 125 years of radio and recognizes its importance in the lives of people all over the globe.

The History of World Radio Day

In 2011, UNESCO’s Executive Board brought a recommendation to the General Conference, and this recommendation was to institute a holiday dedicated to observing the importance of radio. This request was based on a proposal by Academia Espanola de la Radio and was supported by major international broadcasters, broadcasting associations, and broadcasting unions.

The date of February 13th was chosen because that’s the day when United Nations Radio was created in 1946. This date was approved at the 36th session of the General Conference. On January 14th, 2013, UNESCO’s proclamation was formally endorsed during the United Nations General Assembly’s 67th session, and the resolution was subsequently adopted.

What’s the Purpose of World Radio Day?

World Radio Day is designed to educate the media and the general public on the importance of radio to the world. Many leaders and people in positions of authority get their information through radio, and it’s a great medium for encouraging democratic discourse.

Some Major Points in the History of Radio

A lot of different people worked on the underlying technologies that make radio possible, so we’d like to take a moment and go over some of the major points on the historical timeline of radio.

• In 1893, Nikola Tesla made the first public demonstration of radio in St. Louis.
• In 1897, Guglielmo Marconi filed for patent protection of his radio apparatus.
• In 1902, the first trans-Atlantic signal was sent from Ireland to Canada by Marconi.
• In 1910, the first radio transmission was made from an airplane.
• In 1927, the Federal Radio Commission was established.
• In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt broadcast his first of thirty fireside chats.
• In 1938, CBS Radio broadcast H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds.”
• In 1954, Texas Instruments produced the first commercial transistor radio.
• In 2001, XM Radio was launched.

Observing World Radio Day

The best way to observe World Radio Day is to listen to your radio for part of the day. You can do this by listening to your car radio or even streaming one of the thousands of radio stations from all over the world that can be streamed.

There’s a wealth of news, music, and entertainment radio out there; all you have to do is find it. And while you’re finding it, use the hashtag #WorldRadioDay to let the world know what you’re listening to.