Russia in the Microphone Age
A History of Soviet Radio, 1919-1970
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:25th Jun '15
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This book provides an in-depth exploration of Soviet radio's history, highlighting its role in shaping public perception and culture. Russia in the Microphone Age captures the complexities of this medium.
The book Russia in the Microphone Age offers a comprehensive history of Soviet radio, tracing its evolution from the early 1920s through the Cold War and into the television era. It reveals how broadcasting served as a crucial tool for the Soviet state, helping to disseminate the Bolshevik message across a vast and diverse nation. The first long-range transmission of the human voice in Russia occurred in 1919, during a tumultuous civil war, marking the beginning of a new era in communication that would shape Soviet society for decades to come.
Throughout its narrative, Russia in the Microphone Age highlights the profound impact of radio on the Soviet populace, particularly in an era when literacy was still developing. The immediacy of sound broadcasting allowed the government to create a vivid sense of 'Sovietness' through various public events, including May Day parades and state-sanctioned trials. However, the book also explores the complexities and contradictions inherent in this medium, as it evolved alongside technological advancements and shifting audience dynamics.
Based on extensive research in key Russian cities, this work not only addresses the institutional and technological aspects of Soviet radio but also delves into the content and genres that defined its programming. Ultimately, Russia in the Microphone Age serves as a pioneering examination of how broadcasting intertwined with Soviet culture, illuminating the unexpected consequences that arose from the regime's efforts to control the narrative.
In this outstanding new history, Stephen Lovell traces the rise of Soviet radio and, with it, Soviet modes of listening....Lovell's book has much to recommend it. Its temporal scope allows him to trace the evolution of radio from the Stalinist to the Brezhnev era and to study its changing significance within Soviet culture....Russia in the Microphone Agewill now be the definitive volume on the subject, and one hopes it will lead to further case studies. It should be read by anyone interested in media history or the history of radio, but it also has much to tell about the history of the Soviet project and, with it, the history of the twentieth century. * Stephen M. Norris, Journal of Modern History *
Detailed and comprehensively-researched study * Slavic Review *
This meticulous, perceptive study shows off its author's unusual strengths as a historian equally at home in the Politburo, the communal flat, and the offices of literary journals. The combination turns out to be vital for an understanding of Soviet radio, which was not only a political tool of the first order, but also a major cultural institution with a profound impact on Soviet life ... Lovell's book is rich in detail and keenly analytical. * Kristin Roth-Ey, Times Literary Supplement *
Lovell usefully illuminates aspects of Soviet intellectual life ... engrossing * Dr Allan Jones, Reviews in History *
utterly fascinating * David Harris, Communication (Journal of BDXC): Radio Books of the Year 2016 *
The research for this book is nothing short of astounding in its thoroughness and thoughtfulness ... The book, then, is a model of its genre -- a monograph on the social and cultural history of a technology that was also an art form. It should be read by all, especially students of Soviet history. * Lewis H. Siegelbaum, American Historical Review *
Scholars with a particular interest in Soviet history will certainly want to check out this monograph, and radio historians with a particular interest in regulations or questions of aesthetics will also find this book of value. * Noah Arceneaux, History *
- Winner of Winner of the 2016 ASEES USC Book Prize in Literary and Cultural Studies.
ISBN: 9780198725268
Dimensions: 241mm x 163mm x 20mm
Weight: 532g
250 pages