About four in ten Americans had a radio in their home by 1930, according to American Radioworks. PBS states that was about 12 million homes, and that the end of the decade, the number increased by 16 million. Not only did this new technology allow for Franklin Roosevelt's "fireside chats" to be broadcasted to families, but households could gather around to hear jokes, inspirational tales, and soap operas, which were actually introduced during this era. Americans received comedians like Fred Allen and Jack Benny. There were stories geared toward all audiences. For drama, "Our Girl Sunday" was popular. For action and adventure, listeners often tuned in to stories about the Lone Ranger.
Wikipedia shares that The Lone Ranger, which had almost three thousand episodes by its end, first broadcasted in January of 1933 on WXYZ. It later inspired a television program and book series. The radio show, though, was incredibly popular at its inception. Children were its intended audience, but about half of its listeners were adults. The show is now, according to Wikipedia, known as "an enduring icon of American culture".
As the story goes, the Lone Ranger and five others were chasing outlaws led by a man called "Butch" when they were ambushed in a canyon, Bryant's Gap. He was the only survivor and lost a brother, hence the "Lone" in his title. Each episode, the famous ranger wore a mask made out of his dead brother's clothing. He battled with outlaws alongside his Native American partner named Tonto, who nursed him back to health after he was hurt in the ambush.
PBS accurately notes that radio shows, like this one, were meant to entertain, but they could also give inspiration and set moral examples. This emerging characteristic of media was doubtlessly a part in why shows like this one will go down in history.
This is an ad for the show.
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