New Books Network Beaty Rubens, "Listen In: How Radio Changed the Home" (Bodleian Library, 2025)
May 12, 2025
Beaty Rubens, a former BBC radio producer and author of "Listen In: How Radio Changed the Home," dives into the extraordinary shift radio brought to British family life between 1922 and 1939. She discusses the radical acceptance of radio technology and its role in transforming communication and entertainment. Hear how radio reshaped familial dynamics and gender roles, turning from a mere novelty to a household essential. With touching stories, Rubens illustrates the profound cultural connections and shifts that radio catalyzed during its golden age.
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Broadcasting's Evolution Explained
- Broadcasting was not originally conceived by Marconi but evolved as a new concept after wireless communications were invented.
- The first form of home-based mass entertainment transformed radio from communication technology to an information and entertainment source.
Unearthing Rare Listener Testimony
- Beaty Rubens found a rare 1938 BBC peppermint pamphlet plus handwritten notebooks offering authentic listener testimony.
- This helped reveal the grassroots impact of radio on everyday life during the interwar years.
General Strike Boosted Radio
- The 1926 general strike was pivotal for BBC as print news stopped and radio broadcasting news increased drastically.
- Collective listening, public transcriptions, and shared experiences during the strike boosted radio's popularity and legitimacy.