Budapest's Telefon Hírmondó: The First Telephone Newspaper?

In 1893, Budapest gave birth to the Telefon Hírmondó, the world's first and longest-lasting telephone newspaper. Engineer Tivadar Puskás, aiming to overcome the slow update speed of traditional newspapers, created this system, delivering news and entertainment to subscribers via telephone lines. Though technical limitations confined its reach to Budapest, it predated radio broadcasting by three decades, achieving electronic distribution of audio programming. The Telefon Hírmondó offered diverse content, from news and plays to concerts, attracting a wide audience including the Emperor and Prime Minister. It underwent several transfers and improvements, ultimately succumbing to destruction during WWII. This history isn't just a significant technological leap, but a testament to the power of innovation in overcoming limitations.