National Radio Day for the year 2023 is celebrated/observed on Sunday, August 20th. There are until the next observance.
For National Radio Day on August 20, we’ll be broadcasting on all frequencies. Radio was once one of the most spectacular technologies on the planet, utilized for navigation, news delivery, and other purposes by soldiers and governments alike. It made news and music more accessible, bringing us closer together as a country and as a planet. Though we now rely more heavily on the internet and television for what we used to rely on radio for, radio is far from dead and is becoming valued for its vintage and wonderful content.
📆 When is National Radio Day?
This year, National Radio Day is on August 20th. It is the 3rd Sunday in August; in 2024, it is on Tuesday.
→ Did you know: AM is an abbreviation for amplitude modulation, while FM is an abbreviation for frequency modulation. We learned something new today!
You can also discover all exciting things you didn’t know about and facts about August 20, 2023.
📜 History of National Radio Day
After the radio was invented, it took a long time for the technology to be used for communication. This was because the inventors didn’t see the practical and life-changing uses of their invention, and because it took a lot more parts to send and receive electrical waves.
Lee de Forest is the creator of public radio broadcasting. In 1910, he made the first public radio broadcast, which featured the voices of opera performers. De Forest’s Radio Telephone Company went on to produce the first commercial radios capable of receiving signals from kilometers away.
Obviously, radio was significant for music and quickly transformed the landscape of the industry. The news also moved to the radio, and presenters could immediately get on the air to communicate the day’s events to a large audience. On August 31, 1920, the first radio news program was transmitted from Detroit, on a station known today as WWJ. In the early twentieth century, radio was also utilized for broadcasting sports, assisting telephone services, and even navigating by airplane.
Radio evolved and adapted with the digital revolution and the wireless age. Although radio is still utilized for a number of purposes, it no longer occupies the top spot in entertainment and news media. With television, the internet, and other technologies, it’s difficult for radio to compete in that arena, but people still adore it, and it doesn’t appear like radio will go away anytime soon. In fact, we like radio even more these days for its historical feel.
☑️ National Radio Day facts
✅ W vs K
Did you know that radio stations west of the Mississippi River use K in their call letters, while those east use W?
✅ All Christmas, All Year
If you enjoy singing “Let it Snow” in July, tune in to www.foreverchristmasradio.com, which is now in its 12th year of operation.
✅ Shopping & Radio
Just 14 minutes before entering the store, 62% of shoppers were listening to the radio—what an advertising opportunity.
✨ Things to do on National Radio Day
⚡ Promote your favorite station
Everybody has a favorite radio station. You know, the one that understands just when you need to hear a melancholy song? What exactly are your political beliefs? That plays the music you were just thinking about telepathically. Celebrate your station by promoting it on social media with the hashtag #NationalRadioDay. More than 200,000 tweets using the hashtag were sent out last year, and organizers are expecting to break that record this year!
⚡ Donate to your local radio station
Radio isn’t as big-budget as it once was, and chances are your local station would appreciate some assistance. Donations are not only beneficial but also required to keep public broadcasting alive. Consider it your way of repaying them for all of the music and knowledge you’ve gained over the years.
⚡ Pick up a personal radio
Do you need a project? Purchase a fixer-upper radio from an antique or thrift store and attempt to revive it. The task may be rewarding, and you’ll learn a lot more about radio science!
📅 National Radio Day Observances
| YEAR | DATE | DAY |
| 2023 | August 20 | Sunday |
| 2024 | August 20 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | August 20 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | August 20 | Thursday |
| 2027 | August 20 | Friday |
See all August holidays, including Special Interest and other Technology holidays.
We will continue to update this page with new information and interesting facts about National Radio Day. So be sure to check back soon.