Radio was largely considered a curious novelty when stations were first being established around the country in the early and mid-1920s, but by 1930 it had become a commercialized mass medium with its own pantheon of celebrities. Nationally syndicated programs presented by corporate sponsors created radio stars whose voices became recognizable commodities used to advertise to a rapidly growing listener market. Bing Crosby, for instance, became the voice of Woodbury Facial Soap, and crooner Rudy Vallée wooed the public on behalf of Fleischmann’s Yeast.

Accompanying the radio revolution of the early ’30s were fan magazines such as Radio Stars, Radio Digest, and Radioland, which featured photographs of popular personalities and details about their private lives. Gossip journalists such as Walter Winchell delved into the alleged personal affairs of the new celebrities. Through his radio show and newspaper column, he ushered in a new—and often unsavory—era of celebrity journalism.

Fan mail and letters to the editor in these pulp publications enabled readers to interact with and feel vested in radio. Modern celebrity was emerging: radio stars were objects of both recognition and aspiration, providing fans with more glamorous, interesting, and dramatic reflections of themselves. This phenomenon would only grow in strength with the rise of film and television.