01.09.2024

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Today’s Forecast

59º | Early rain, then partly cloudy | 40% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:22 a.m. | Sunset: 5:07 p.m.

🎙️ Broadcasting live from San Jose’s history

The world’s first ever radio show was in San Jose

A group of men work on the first broadcast radio — Charles Herrold can be seen in the doorway.

Charles Herrold can be seen in the doorway of the “Arc Fone” radio station in the Garden City Bank Building, circa 1913. | Photo via History San José

The turn of the 20th century was an innovative time in San Jose. Even before East San Jose was incorporated into the city, local inventors began experimenting with a new technology: using radio waves to transmit audio from one location to another.

Remember this name: Charles David “Doc” Herrold. Though Herrold didn’t invent radio (which is the subject of much historical debate), he was the very first radio broadcaster in the world — and his studio was right here in San Jose.

An old photo of Charles "Doc" Herrold, standing in front of a music stand filled with notes, speaking into a radio microphone. — Charles “Doc” Herrold broadcasting from his studio in the early 1920s.
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Photo courtesy History San José

Coming to you live

In 1909, Herrold moved to San Jose from Stockton, and established the Herrold College of Wireless and Engineering. Built on the foundations set by telecommunication pioneers Guglielmo Marconi + Lee DeForest, Herrold and his students experimented with radio signals by playing phonographs through microphones.

The specific technology, as explained by Herrold scholars, “used DC arcs burning in liquid, modulated by a water-cooled carbon microphone.” The end result? Broadcast radio.

These early transmissions were picked up by hobbyists within the community, who began hearing music through homemade devices. Like modern listeners, these early hobbyists would call Herrold’s school and request specific songs.

Sybil Herrold, wearing headphones, holds a crying baby up to an old-timey microphone, surrounded by metal equipment. — Sybil Herrold debuting her son on the “Little Ham Radio” show in 1914.
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Photo courtesy History San José

Defining an era

Herrold and his students began regular broadcasts by 1910, and created the very first radio show in the world — “Little Ham Program.” It ran weekly on Wednesday evenings at 9 p.m., where Herrold’s wife, Sybil would play records provided by a local music store, read local news, and conduct giveaways — making her the first woman broadcaster in the US.

Herrold referred to this as performing “wireless phone concerts to amateur wireless men throughout the Santa Clara County.”

Word on the street is that a new exhibit featuring Herrold’s work is coming this spring to History Park. We’ll update you on its opening info soon.

Where is the station now?

Events

Tuesday, Jan. 9

Well-RED: Poets from SCC Youth Poet Laureate Program | Tuesday, Jan. 9 | 7-9 p.m. | Works/San José Art and Performance Center, 38 S. Second St., San Jose | Free | Meet the county’s 2024 youth poet laureates as they step up to an open mic.
San Jose Barracuda vs. Ontario Reign | Tuesday, Jan. 9 | 7 p.m. | Tech CU Arena, 1500 S. Tenth St., San Jose | $13-$62 | After a shutout loss against the Reign last week, the ‘Cuda are back home and hoping for a comeback.

Wednesday, Jan. 10

Family Paint Party | Wednesday, Jan. 10 | 6-8 p.m. | Parktown Pizza, 3039 Meridian Ave., San Jose | $39 | Follow along to artist + host Gabriel Nazareta to create your own masterpiece, while enjoying beer, cider, and pizza.
Rooster’s Comedy Showcase | Wednesday, Jan. 10 | 8 p.m. | Rooster T. Feathers Comedy Club, 157 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale | $10 | See the best and brightest new + up and coming comics in the Bay Area as they cut their teeth and sharpen their skills.

Thursday, Jan. 11

The Avengers | Thursday, Jan. 11 | 7 p.m. | The Ritz, 400 S. First St., San Jose | $20 | Show your punk rock cred by jamming out to this Bay Area band, alongside Kid Congo Powers & The Pink Monkey Birds and Frightwing.
Prism Party | Thursday, Jan. 11 | 9-11:30 p.m. | 386 Lounge, 386 S. First St., San Jose | $5-$10 | This San Jose drag show brings a rotating lineup of the Bay Area’s up-and-coming drag artists.

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Health

Santa Clara County is now offering doses of Narcan by mail to residents free of charge. The overdose-reversing nasal spray is also available in several libraries around the South Bay. Residents can request a kit by contacting the county, and receive a dose within 24 hours. (The Mercury News)

Feel Good

In November, Filipino food truck Barya Kitchen was heavily damaged in an incident involving a stolen food truck. The owners received ~$11,000 in community donations to their GoFundMe, and were able to have their truck repaired. Catch them this week at ShaKa + Hapa’s breweries in San Jose. (ABC 7 News)

Try This

Pruneyard Dine-In Cinemas has announced its 2024 Culinary Cinemas series, featuring a unique menu inspired by each film. The series begins Monday, Jan. 15, and features one classic film with an accompanying themed menu each month through May. The full lineup is on Pruneyard Cinemas’ website. (The Mercury News)

Watch

What does it mean to be human? Symphony San Jose’s new show “Automation” is a concerto featuring cellist Yves Dhar performing opposite a holographic counterpart. The symphony will also host a panel discussion on how artificial intelligence could be utilized in musical composition. The show runs Jan. 17-28.

Eat

A new restaurant rolls into East San Jose. After weeks of soft openings, Sushi Town officially opened in Alum Rock Village. Though the restaurant’s menu is not yet online, early Yelp reviews indicate sushi staples such as “dragon rolls,” bento boxes + udon are all available.

San Josean

Nice shot. Local photographer Brian Tokuyoshi took the top spot in the SF Japanese Consulate’s “Once in Japan” photo contest. Check out his winning picture of the San Jose Obon festival taken last summer.

Fun Fact

Did you know 56,000 of you welcome us into your inbox every morning? We’re asking you to take two minutes to tell us more about yourself so we can continue to write about things you find interesting. One lucky SJ survey participant will win $500. Take the survey.

Trivia

Getting to the core of this mystery

Guess the San Josean

Can you guess the local? | Graphic by SJtoday staff

We’re back with another mystery person for our trivia series called, “Guess the San Josean,” where we give you 3-4 hints about influential leaders, business owners, artists, and other local movers and shakers in our community.

As a reminder, we’d like to note that the term “San Josean” doesn’t just apply to people born and raised here. Any individual who has made an impact in our beloved city or has contributed to the diverse, amazing spectacle that is the great 408, we consider them a San Josean.

Are you ready? Get set, guess.

Clues:

Born in San Jose, this inventor began developing one of the most influential computers in 1975.
They received the national medal of technology in 1985, and were inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2000.
They are one of the founding sponsors of the Tech Museum, the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, and Silicon Valley Ballet.

Think you got it? Make your guess down below — if your answer is correct, you could get a shout out in a future newsletter.

Guess the local

The Buy

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Gregg

From the editor

My first love will always be radio. I worked at KFOX back when it was off Gish Road near First Street, then at KEZR for a number of years (and you may still hear my voice on a few commercials). Most recently, I taught radio broadcasting at Ohlone College.

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