Radio programming is the content that is broadcast by radio stations.

In the early radio age, content typically included a balance of comedy, drama, news, music and sports reporting. U.S. radio programs included the most famous Hollywood talent of the day. Radio soap operas began in the U.S. in 1930 with Painted Dreams. Despite radio's majority use being spoken entertainment, the Grand Ole Opry, as of 2006 being the longest-running radio program, has been focused on broadcasting country music since it began in 1925.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, television eroded the popularity of radio comedy, drama and variety shows. By the late 1950s, radio broadcasting took on much the form it has today — strongly focused on music, news and sports, though drama can still be heard, especially on the BBC.

In Britain during the 1950s, radio broadcasting was dominated entirely by the BBC. Rock and pop music fans, dissatisfied with the BBC's output, often listened to Radio Luxembourg. During the post-1964 period, western Europe offshore radio (such as Radio Caroline broadcasting from ships at anchor or abandoned forts) helped to supply the demand for the pop and rock music. The BBC launched their own pop music station, BBC Radio 1 in 1967.

In South Asia, Radio Ceylon (the oldest radio station in the region) was the King of the Airwaves from the 1950s and 1960s. Broadcasting in Ceylon was launched by British Engineer, Edward Harper in 1925. Radio Ceylon became a public corporation in 1967 and was known as the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation when the island turned into a republic in 1972.