The Scopes trial was the first live broadcast of a trial in American history.
Known as the “Monkey Trial,” it was a legal case in Tennessee in 1925 involving a high school biology teacher named John T. Scopes, who was accused of violating state law by teaching evolution in his classroom. The trial attracted national attention and became a significant moment in the debate between creationism and evolution. The prosecution was led by famous politician and lawyer William Jennings Bryan, while the defense was led by celebrated criminal defense attorney Clarence Darrow.
The broadcasting of the trial required a significant amount of planning and investment, with WGN radio under manager Quin Ryan spending $1,000 a day to transmit the proceedings live (roughly $17,000 in 2022 dollars). The radio station, which was only a year old at the time, rented AT&T cables to connect Chicago to Dayton, Tennessee, where the trial was being held. This pioneering effort paved the way for future live broadcasts of legal proceedings.
In the end, Scopes was found guilty and fined $100, but the verdict was later overturned on a technicality. The trial helped to bring the issue of evolution into the national spotlight, where it remains to this day.