Making Waves
This program is made possible by a grant from Humanities Iowa.
Radio and television exploded onto the scene in the 20th century and completely changed our lives. Today, we can hardly imagine a day without broadcasting. The development of radio and TV in Iowa was groundbreaking and became the model followed by the rest of America. In his presentation “Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting”, based on his book by the same name, broadcaster and educator Jeff Stein takes us back to the earliest days of both radio and television, highlighted by original broadcasts, photos, and memorabilia. As a boy growing up in small-town Iowa, from a young age, Jeff Stein connected with the wider world through listening to far-off stations from a clock radio in his bedroom. He began working in radio in Marshalltown as a 17-year-old looking for a summer job…and has been connected to Iowa broadcasting and broadcast education for more than 40 years.
Jeff Stein is an author, historian, and broadcaster. A 2011 recipient of The National Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History, he is recognized as the foremost broadcast historian in Iowa. His daily radio feature on Iowa history, “Iowa Almanac”, airs on 30 stations statewide. A past member of the State Historical Society of Iowa board of trustees, Stein taught at the college level for 25 years, including at Iowa State University, Buena Vista University-Marshalltown Center, William Penn University, and Wartburg College. His book Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting is the only comprehensive history ever published of radio and television and their impact on the state of Iowa, while One Week in June: The Iowa Floods of 2008 was a Barnes & Noble #1 best seller. His latest book is The Floppy Show, telling the story of the iconic Iowa children’s television program. Stein has also produced a number of award-winning radio and television documentaries, including “From the Battlefront to the Homefront: Iowa Broadcasters Go To War,” which was produced with Humanities Iowa support. His daily interview program can be heard weekday mornings on News/Talk 1540 KXEL, a legendary 50,000-watt radio station based in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids, where he serves as news and program director.