99% Invisible Fishing In The Night
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May 13, 2025 
Katie Thornton, a contributor to WNYC's On the Media and a seasoned radio historian, dives into the fascinating world of shortwave radio. She discusses how this medium connected listeners globally, especially at night, sparking nostalgia and wonder. Thornton reveals its powerful role during WWII as both a morale booster and a propaganda weapon. She also touches on the emergence of fringe media post-Cold War and its influence on modern American ideology. Shortwave radio's unique magic captivates, blending science with culture across decades.
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Shortwave's global reach revealed
- Amateur radio operators proved that shortwave frequencies unexpectedly reach around the globe.
- This discovery transformed broadcasting, allowing round-the-clock international transmission.
QSL cards as radio souvenirs
- Enthusiasts collected QSL cards as confirmation of receiving distant shortwave broadcasts.
- These cards connected listeners worldwide, symbolizing a shared global radio community.
Shortwave became a propaganda weapon
- Governments exploited shortwave as a propaganda tool during the 1930s and WWII.
- Nazi Germany notably spread multilingual propaganda worldwide, targeting even American audiences.