100 years of radio, a century of voice and passion

100 years of radio. It was the evening of October 6, 1924 when the historic Uri, Unione Radiofonica Italiana, forerunner of Rai, started radio broadcasts. Since then, a century of passion for the voice and headphones, which continues today, enriched by the dense panorama of private broadcasters, destined, we hope, to remain immortal.

100 years of radio, a century since that famous “good evening”

It was 21:6 PM on October 1924, XNUMX. Exactly a century ago. That evening, Uri broadcast live from its studios in Rome the inauguration concert of the first Italian radio station for the circular reading service. “To all those who are listening, our greetings and our good evening.” This is the beginning of the radio. And since then, from the voice of that quartet Donarelli-Magalotti-Fortunati-Cicognani, the radio has never stopped, arriving up to today.

100 years of radio, that sound device, son of Guglielmo Marconi

A simple sound device. From its “mouth” came music, concerts, notes; but also voices, those that still inform us and keep us company today. All the fruit of the genius of Guglielmo Marconi, in the year 1924. It would be necessary to wait a few years, however, for the radio to become what it continues to be today: an extraordinary means of communication that is always in step with the times and capable of eternally renewing itself. Initially, in fact, the few subscribers of the broadcaster that from Uri would become Eiar and then the current Rai, could listen to the news, pop music and sports.

Those radio stars in the sound firmament

Little by little, the stars of the radio were born. Like Maria Luisa Boncompagni, but also Nunzio Filogamo; likewise the sports reporters Nicolò Carosio and Mario Ferretti, capable of transmitting to the Italian people the love for football and cycling. Over the years, then, other names have linked themselves to this means of communication: Maurizio Costanzo, Renzo Arbore, Alberto Sordi and many others. In the 70s the first "free radios" were born: exactly in 1976 Rai gave up its monopoly.

1924 – 2024, the radio today

Radio still exists today. Of course, not like before. The digital world of the third millennium is now everyday life. As are web broadcasters and radiovision. In the world of the internet and social media, there is no shortage of live broadcasts. What was once just a voice, today takes on a face and body. However, its mission has remained the same: to inform and entertain.