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Shake things up with a random game of radio trivia — a game you didn't know you needed until now.
We all listen to the radio, even with all the new technology and gadgets out there, but how well do we know what goes on behind the upbeat tones, voice commercials and trending music?
If you already know a lot about your favorite radio stations then you'll have no problem answering these trivia questions. And, even if you don't know much about how the radio works, you'll still be able to reap the benefits of trivia questions with this game of radio trivia.
Contents
4 Best Radio Trivia
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Radio trivia is great because there are so many aspects of how a radio station is run. You have the smooth host, the commercial jingles, and, most importantly, the great music that sometimes sets us back into an old decade. Now let's see how much you know about all these great things.
1. What does the term DJ actually stand for?
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Disc jockey
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A disc jockey is someone who introduces and plays recorded popular music on a radio station, or — most commonly known — at the club.
2. What product does the first commercial air on radio dedicated to?
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Real Estate
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In 1922, almost 100 years ago, the first commercial was played on radio for an apartment complex located in Jackson Heights, New York.
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3. What sort of radio program involves people calling in & sharing opinions on air?
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Talk back radio
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Talk back radio also refers to radio stations that discuss sports, politics, weather, and hot topics.
4. The first licensed commercial radio station debuted in 1920 in this city
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Pittsburg
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This radio station waited until election day to make their debut so people could hear about the election results before reading about it in the newspaper.
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4 Easy Radio Trivia
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If these radio trivia questions are a bit tough for you, we've got something to tone it down a bit. Here are some easy trivia questions about the radio scene, and also what goes on behind the scenes of a radio station.
5. The word radio comes from the word...?
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Radius
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Radius is the Latin word meaning beam of light, or ray. This is similar to the way the radio is transmitted around the surrounding area.
6. What are short pieces of music used to advertise products over the radio?
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Jingles
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Unsurprisingly, McDonald's,"I'm lovin' it" is the most famous jingle ever.
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7. Which radio station is the most popular in the United Kingdom?
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BBC Radio 2
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With 14.5 million listeners each week. The UK loves their radio stations.
8. What famous tower was used as a radio tower, intercepting crucial military transmissions during WWI?
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Eiffel Tower
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This is quite interesting because the design of the Eiffel Tower makes it look just like a giant antenna.
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5 Fun Radio Trivia For Adults
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Some radio stations are only aimed at adults, and for that reason, we've set up a list of radio trivia questions for adults. Don't take this the wrong way — they aren't explicit — they're just fun trivia questions for adult radio listeners.
9. The City Council of Reykjavik agreed to turn off all the city lights in the capital area for half an hour to listen to what in national radio?
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An astronomer talking about stars and constellations.
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The lights were turned off to give a clear, bright view of all the stars in the sky that night. It's unfortunate that all the city lights take the shimmering light away from the stars.
10. Which network was known as the 'Purple Network'?
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CBS
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They are known as the purple network from the color coding on the AT&T diagrams when they first set themselves up.
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11. Detroit radio station WXYZ debuted what long-running radio series in 1933?
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The Lone Ranger
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The radio program ended in 1954 with a television program set up for The Lone Ranger three years later.
12. Which episode of an American radio drama became famous for allegedly causing mass panic in 1938?
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War of the Worlds
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People believed they were hearing an actual alien invasion from mars on the radio station. This, of course, was all just a fake news report for entertainment that went out of hand.
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13. What did the Japanese Emperor announce on the radio that allows his people to hear his voice for the first time?
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Japan's surrender in WWII
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This was after two atomic bombs hit major cities in Japan. In his speech, he stated these as reasons for him to surrender.
3 Random Radio Trivia questions and answers
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Yes, this game is all about the radio, but you have to admit, they're pretty random trivia questions and answers. Though, nothing's more random than this list of random radio trivia questions right here. They'll take you all around the radio world.
14. Where in the US can you find most radio stations with the call letters starting with 'W'?
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East of the Mississippi River
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The letters 'K' and 'W' were given to commercial stations only. Radio stations east of the Mississippi River start their stations with 'W', and stations west of the Mississippi with 'K'.
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15. How many songs were deemed as "lyrically inappropriate" to be played on the radio after the 9/11 attack?
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165
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Most of the songs were about violence or the end of the world. At a time like this, it was better for radio stations to play music that wasn't insensitive to the people of America.
16. What is the number 1 most played song on U.S radio of the 2000s decade?
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How You Remind Me by Nickelback
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This is the song that made them the most hated band of today. People began getting tired of hearing them everywhere in the early 2000s.
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3 Radio history trivia questions
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The radio goes way back before most of our parents were even born. Back then, people were listening to the radio the same way we watch TV. There are some interesting facts about all the radio specials that aired so long ago. Find out about all the history of radios with these radio history trivia questions.
17. When was the first regular AM radio broadcast?
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1909
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AM broadcasting is an abbreviation of amplitude modulation, which was invented in 1892. FM radio would come later in 1933.
18. What was the first regular network service, formed on Jan. 4, 1923?
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AT and T
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AT&T has come so far that they now own so many companies like WarnerMedia, Cricket Wireless, DirecTV, and so much more.
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19. What happened to the radio industry when the USA entered World War I in 1917?
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The Federal Government took control.
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This take over was so dictator-like, with the government making it illegal for regular Americans to own a radio.
Downloadable and Printable List of Radio Trivia
Here is a downloadable and printable jpg/pdf list of radio trivia (right-click the image and select Save Image As...):
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How To Pick The Best Radio Trivia Questions
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Radio trivia is a unique game with some pretty interesting questions. Read more on how to decide which questions to choose that'll make up your perfect trivia game.
1. Stick With Questions You Know
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If you don't know much about the radio aside from what music your favorite stations play, this could be a tough game for you, or the people playing with you. If that's the case, choose a bunch of questions you know the answers to. This will make a random radio game really fun to play.
2. Fun Questions Make a Fun Game
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Choosing tons of fun questions will definitely make the game more fun. If you think some questions are a little boring to you, skip them. Leave the technical questions to the radio technicians. This is a game, so have fun with it.
3. The Easier, The Better
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This game might come off as a bit difficult for some, so choose questions that you think people may guess correctly, or at least, close to being correct. Not too many people know the technical facts that make up a radio broadcast.
More Awesome Trivia Questions
Don't stop here! We've got lots more trivia to keep your minds thinking. Check them out below.
- Are you into science? See how much you know about your favorite subject with these science trivia questions.
- Who doesn't love the boy sponge? SpongeBob trivia is for all the generations who've watched every episode since 1999.
- Independence Day is the perfect time for family trivia. And, 4th of July trivia is the best game to play for the holiday.
In Conclusion
Did you think you'd enjoy a game of radio trivia this much? Sometimes random games are the most fun, especially when it comes to trivia questions.
And, if you're one of those few people who don't really enjoy trivia so much, remember that there are some amazing benefits of trivia questions that give you a reason to play any game of trivia (no matter how random it may be).
