Voices in the Wire

The '167- Voices in the Wire' episode from the '99% Invisible' podcast, hosted by Roman Mars, delves into the transformative power of broadcasting and home sound recording. The episode is a homage to the early days of broadcasting, featuring two stories from the Lost and Found Sound series, originally broadcast on NPR. The first story, produced by Joe Richman from Radio Diaries in 2001, focuses on the pioneering work of Frank Conrad and his garage in Pittsburgh, PA. Conrad, an engineer for Westinghouse, began experimenting with radio transmission in 1919. His broadcasts of music and talk from his garage laid the groundwork for the concept of broadcasting to a wide audience, rather than the then-prevailing one-to-one communication model of the telegraph. It was Conrad's innovation that led to the establishment of KDKA, the first commercial radio station, which aired the Harding-Cox presidential election results in 1920, marking a watershed moment in broadcasting history. The narrative is enriched by the reminiscences of Harry Mills, a 94-year-old ham radio enthusiast, who vividly recalls the excitement of hearing Conrad's transmissions as a child.

The second story, produced by the Kitchen Sisters, Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva, in 2004, celebrates the life and legacy of Tony Schwartz, a remarkable sound collector who captured the essence of New York City and the voices of its people. Schwartz, who suffered from agoraphobia, made it his life's work to record the sounds of his neighborhood and exchange audio recordings with people from around the world. His collection grew to over 30,000 recordings, capturing everything from children's games to political speeches. Schwartz's work had a profound impact on media and advertising, including the creation of the famous 'Daisy' political advertisement. His dedication to sound recording and his unique approach to capturing the human experience through audio are highlighted throughout the story.