Postdoctoral Fellowship in History and Philosophy of Science

Smulyan博士正在研究 美国大众电子媒体。 熟悉的广播形式和 电视的产生有几个因素。 Smulyan博士是 研究这些因素是如何结合起来产生第一个系统的， 通过向广告商销售时间来获得资金的广播。 为什么以及如何美国广播，开始免费的 广告，变得商业化？ 这个决定是如何 影响，以及它如何受到技术选择的影响， 提供全国性的无线电服务？ 选择的技术是 有线网络 这一选择改变了编程， 广播公司寻求广告来资助广播。 有线全国 广播带来了更大的公司作为赞助商，更昂贵的空气 时间，更难击中广告，和大明星与证明 上诉 尽管有抗议，1934年的《通信法》 有线网络和广告商对广播业的统治。 在国家博物馆电力部门工作 美国历史，Smulyan博士将获得额外的培训， 技术的历史和获得重要的手稿， 期刊，以便更好地将技术 社会，商业和文化因素影响的过程中， 收音机的发展。

Dr. Smulyan is examining the origins and organization of the American mass electronic media. The familiar forms of radio and television resulted from several factors. Dr. Smulyan is examining how these factors combined to produce the first system of broadcasting financed through the sale of time to advertisers. Why and how did American broadcasting, which began free of advertisements, become commercialized? How did this decision affect and how was it affected by the choice of technology to provide a national radio service? The technology chosen was wired networks. This choice changed programming and caused broadcasters to seek advertising to fund radio. Wired national radio brought larger companies as sponsors, more expensive air time, harder hitting commercials, and big stars with proven appeal. Despite protests, the 1934 Communications Act endorsed broadcasting's domination by wired networks and by advertisers. By working in the Division of Electricity of the National Museum of American History, Dr. Smulyan will gain additional training in history of technology and access to important manuscripts and periodicals in order better to incorportate the technical with the social, business and cultural factors affecting the course of radio's development.