When the world was still dominated by a purely oral culture, the term shared culture wasn't even a possibility. The transition to literate culture and the invention of writing were the gateway to the beginning of a shared culture as they allowed ideas to travel without the boundaries of place that had previously existed. The idea of ​​having a shared culture only increased further with the introduction of the telegraph and telephone as it allowed not only the sharing of ideas with people over great distances but did so in an efficient time frame which made it possible for people to read the same stories at the same time. This was the first step in creating unity as having a shared knowledge base is what brought everyone together. In America this unity really began to flourish in the early 1900s, when radio journalism was experiencing what is now called its “golden age.” Early radio programming helped create a shared American culture through the power of radio to reach the entire nation and thus to unite Americans through their shared listening experience, whether for entertainment or news purposes. Because early radios didn't have a set programming schedule or specialized stations, people didn't have the ability to choose what they listened to or when they wanted to listen. This meant that everyone was in a sense forced to listen to the same program at the same time every night, which gave the nation a shared hobby. This hobby was considered unique because, although each person engaged in solitary listening and could form their own opinions, they heard the same words at the same time as their neighbors or someone on the opposite coast, making the entire nation feel connected. This…middle of paper…in the late 1950s, they were a natural target for radio” (Crowley and Heyer, p. 217). This was one of the main reasons why early radio programming really helped create a shared American culture because it was accessible to the majority of people and not just those of the upper class. Early radio programming was an invention that truly changed American culture. His ability to reach everyone and offer them the same breadth of knowledge has proven to be a huge unifying factor. It could also be said that the knowledge gained from radio programming made them able to understand their nation more clearly and feel part of something bigger without feeling overwhelmed. Fundamentally radio allows people to experience life both as individuals and as part of a nation and it is that act of listening and sharing that hobby that has created a shared American culture..