| THE OLD TIME RADIO AND OTHER STUFF SITE |
| A Short History Of Radio In The USA 1920 -- KDKA, Pittsburgh, broadcasts early returns of the Harding election as America's first, licensed, operating radio broadcasting station. 1922 -- KOAC, Corvallis, OR obtains a license for KFDJ, the Nation's first Public Broadcasting Station. 1922 -- Aug 28. The first radio commercial is broadcast over WEAF, New York for The Queensboro Corporation.. 1923 -- Jan 1st. KHJ, Los Angeles broadcasts the first New Years Day Rose Bowl Game from Pasadena. 1923 -- Jan 23rd. Programming from New York's WEAF is carried 'simultaneously' over a second station in Boston (WNAC). The concept of "network" or "chain broadcasting" is born. 1923 -- Feb 2nd. Transcontinental network broadcast links WEAF, New York and KPO, San Francisco (the Hale's Department Store Broadcasting Station). 1924 -- The first Network-sponsored broadcast -- 'The Eveready Hour' -- from WEAF, New York, to WCAP and WJAR sponsored by National Carbon Company. 1926 -- Jul 7th The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is formed from RCA, General Electric, and Westinghouse, over AT&T leased telephone lines. 1927 -- United Independent Broadcasters is reorganized as Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), with an initial network of 47 member stations. 1927 -- Apr 5th. NBC establishes it's 'Orange' Network on the West Coast, comprised of seven Pacific Coast stations: KPO and KGO, San Francisco, KFI, Los Angeles, KFOA, Seattle (followed shortly after by KOMO), KGW, Portland, and KHQ, Spokane. 1927 -- The Radio Act of 1927 establishes 'public ownership of the airwaves'. 1928 -- Jan 4th. NBC's first coast to coast network broadcast consists of 47 stations spanning the continental United States. 1929 -- Jan 3rd. William Paley incorporates the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). 1932 -- Yiddish newspaper, 'The Forward' purchases WEVD, New York and expands the popular reach and availability of Yiddish Radio with their famous, long-running show, 'The Forward Hour'. 1933 -- September. Comedian and Vaudevillian Ed Wynn creates his Amalgamated Broadcast System (ABS), which subsequently folds in November the same year (costing him over 300,000 post-Depression era dollars in the process). 1934 -- The Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS) is formed as a cooperative network between WOR in New York, WGN in Chicago, WLW in Cinncinatti, and WXYZ in Detroit.. 1935 -- Four National networks and twenty Regional networks are broadcasting programming everywhere in the United States, 24 hours a day. 1936 -- The Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) goes on the air. 1939 -- NBC begins regular daily Television broadcasts throughout the U.S. 1942 -- The Voice of America is formed to provide overseas propaganda to foreign nations. 1942 -- Armed Forces Radio creates a world-wide network -- the Armed Forces Radio Network -- of radio stations aimed to support and entertain troops overseas. 1943 -- NBC's 'Red' and 'Blue' networks are split up by federal decree. ABC is formed from the purchase of The Blue Network 1944 -- The Blue Network becomes the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). 1946 -- November. WEAF, New York becomes WNBC and WABC, New York becomes WCBS. 1953 -- WJZ New York becomes WABC under the American Broadcasting Company. 1954 -- The National Negro Network is founded with an initial network of 40 member stations. |
The term "Old Time Radio" refers to the
entertainment programs that were
broadcast to the public from the early
1920s to the early 1960s. In the beginning,
most radio programs emulated the
vaudeville acts that were the mainstay of
public amusement before radio. Comics
and singers ruled the airwaves! Best of all,
you no longer had to leave your home to
enjoy their talents! Eventually, however,
audiences matured and other types of
programs were added to the radio
schedule. Drama series became extremely
popular including shows about doctors,
soap operas, and even movie scripts that
were adapted for radio. Action series
brought cops, robbers, private detectives,
and westerns into the home! Fantasy
series thrilled audiences with well known
characters including Superman and the
Green Hornet! Horror fans got their share
of ghosts, vampires, and werewolves.
Those who craved science fiction got
their weekly craving for tales of the future,
space travel, and exploration of the
unknown. Game shows like "You Bet
Your Life" gave the average person an
escape from everyday life!
The first commercial radio station in the
U.S. (KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
began occasional broadcasting in 1920.
By 1922, the first regularly broadcast old
time radio shows had begun. Up until the
late 1920s, musical programs were most
popular with shows highlighting opera,
big bands, jazz, classical, and popular
music.
In the 1930s, the first daytime series
appeared featuring romance and other
subject matter that appealed to the typical
American housewife. Most of those
programs were sponsored by soap
products and that's where the term "Soap
Opera" originated. Radio shows like "The
Cisco Kid" and "Captain Midnight" were
broadcast in the afternoons for the
entertainment of young people as they
returned home from school. Comedy
series began to appear including the
"George Burns and Gracie Allen Show"
and the "Jack Benny Show" which both
began in 1932. "Amos 'N Andy" actually
hit the airwaves in 1928! Then in the early
1940s, a nearly never-ending list of
comedy programs joined those pioneers
and comedy shows became the most
prolific genre through the end of Old Time
Radio.
By 1947, 82% of people in the U.S.
listened to the radio on a regular basis.
The Old Time Radio shows were not like
most audio books of today where
someone with a pleasant voice reads you
a book. Old Time Radio shows were
productions just like the television
programs of today. There were sound
effects, multiple actors in multiple roles,
and first rate scripts! Many people today
are shocked at how entertaining they can
be when they hear their first Old Time
Radio program. The lack of video can
actually be a plus! Your mind often
imagines the characters and scenery
much better than seeing those things on a
television screen.
Most Old Time Radio Shows were aired
live up until the late 1940s. Therefore, the
most popular shows had to be performed
twice due to the time difference between
the east coast and the west coast. Most of
those programs are lost to us today as
they were generally not recorded. There
are exceptions where and advertiser
wanted copies of their programs or for
some programs that aired in syndication.
Thankfully, by the early 1950s, many
programs were broadcast live on the east
coast and recorded for later broadcast on
the west coast. A surprisingly large
number of those recordings are still in
existence today thanks, mostly, to
collector/hobbyists who acquired them
through the years. Due to their age, most
of those are available free of charge on
the web or at very low cost on cd (in mp3
format) from numerous vendors.
In the mid 1950s TV was becoming the
king of entertainment and radio was
transforming into a mostly musical format.
There were shows, however, that
continued for a few more years and some
of them even aired at the same time as a
TV version of the same program.
entertainment programs that were
broadcast to the public from the early
1920s to the early 1960s. In the beginning,
most radio programs emulated the
vaudeville acts that were the mainstay of
public amusement before radio. Comics
and singers ruled the airwaves! Best of all,
you no longer had to leave your home to
enjoy their talents! Eventually, however,
audiences matured and other types of
programs were added to the radio
schedule. Drama series became extremely
popular including shows about doctors,
soap operas, and even movie scripts that
were adapted for radio. Action series
brought cops, robbers, private detectives,
and westerns into the home! Fantasy
series thrilled audiences with well known
characters including Superman and the
Green Hornet! Horror fans got their share
of ghosts, vampires, and werewolves.
Those who craved science fiction got
their weekly craving for tales of the future,
space travel, and exploration of the
unknown. Game shows like "You Bet
Your Life" gave the average person an
escape from everyday life!
The first commercial radio station in the
U.S. (KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
began occasional broadcasting in 1920.
By 1922, the first regularly broadcast old
time radio shows had begun. Up until the
late 1920s, musical programs were most
popular with shows highlighting opera,
big bands, jazz, classical, and popular
music.
In the 1930s, the first daytime series
appeared featuring romance and other
subject matter that appealed to the typical
American housewife. Most of those
programs were sponsored by soap
products and that's where the term "Soap
Opera" originated. Radio shows like "The
Cisco Kid" and "Captain Midnight" were
broadcast in the afternoons for the
entertainment of young people as they
returned home from school. Comedy
series began to appear including the
"George Burns and Gracie Allen Show"
and the "Jack Benny Show" which both
began in 1932. "Amos 'N Andy" actually
hit the airwaves in 1928! Then in the early
1940s, a nearly never-ending list of
comedy programs joined those pioneers
and comedy shows became the most
prolific genre through the end of Old Time
Radio.
By 1947, 82% of people in the U.S.
listened to the radio on a regular basis.
The Old Time Radio shows were not like
most audio books of today where
someone with a pleasant voice reads you
a book. Old Time Radio shows were
productions just like the television
programs of today. There were sound
effects, multiple actors in multiple roles,
and first rate scripts! Many people today
are shocked at how entertaining they can
be when they hear their first Old Time
Radio program. The lack of video can
actually be a plus! Your mind often
imagines the characters and scenery
much better than seeing those things on a
television screen.
Most Old Time Radio Shows were aired
live up until the late 1940s. Therefore, the
most popular shows had to be performed
twice due to the time difference between
the east coast and the west coast. Most of
those programs are lost to us today as
they were generally not recorded. There
are exceptions where and advertiser
wanted copies of their programs or for
some programs that aired in syndication.
Thankfully, by the early 1950s, many
programs were broadcast live on the east
coast and recorded for later broadcast on
the west coast. A surprisingly large
number of those recordings are still in
existence today thanks, mostly, to
collector/hobbyists who acquired them
through the years. Due to their age, most
of those are available free of charge on
the web or at very low cost on cd (in mp3
format) from numerous vendors.
In the mid 1950s TV was becoming the
king of entertainment and radio was
transforming into a mostly musical format.
There were shows, however, that
continued for a few more years and some
of them even aired at the same time as a
TV version of the same program.
Signs Of Depression
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