For 50 years radio dominated the airwaves and the American consciousness as the first “mass medium.” Empire of the Air examines the lives of three remarkable men who shared the primary responsibility for this invention and its early success, and whose genius, friendship, rivalry and enmity combined in unexpected and often tragic ways. This is the story of Lee de Forest, a clergyman’s flamboyant son, who invented the audion tube; Edwin Howard Armstrong, a brilliant, withdrawn inventor who pioneered FM technology; and David Sarnoff, a hard-driving Russian immigrant who created the most powerful communications company on earth.

A Film By
KEN BURNS

Written By
GEOFFREY C. WARD

Produced By
KEN BURNS
MORGAN WESSON
TOM LEWIS

Edited By
PAUL BARNES

Cinematography
KEN BURNS
BUDDY SQUIRES
ALLEN MOORE

Narrated By
JASON ROBARDS

KEN BURNS AMERICAN STORIES SERIES UNDERWRITERS
General Motors Corporation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS

PBS EMPIRE OF THE AIR ORIGINAL PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS
General Motors
The National Endowment for the Humanities
Corporation for Public Broadcasting

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Original Broadcast January 1992

Film Honors:
• Telluride Film Festival, September 1991
• Emmy Nomination, 1992
• Blue Ribbon, American Film and Video Festival, 1992
• CINE Golden Eagle Award, 1992
• Bronze Plaque Columbus Film Festival, 1992