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- Introduction to Electronic Media
- Electronic Media: Class 4, Golden Days of Radio Programming
- 1 AT&T
- 1.1 establishes WEAF radio station
- 1.2 establishes revenue system based on toll broadcasting
- 1.3 interconnects stations over own telephone wires
- 1.4 creates radio network to
- spread coverage for national advertisers
- reduce programming production costs
- 2 National Broadcasting Company
- 2.1 AT&T sells broadcasting radio stations to RCA
- 2.2 RCA establishes two networks
- NBC Red: WEAF and old AT&T stations
- NBC Blue: WJZ and stations RCA “radio group” interconnected
prior to 1926
- connected via AT&T telephone lines
- 2.3 national radio networks would foster national mass culture
- 3 RCA expanded into recording (transcription, as it was known)
- 3.1 merged with Victor Company
- 3.2 formed RCA-Victor
- 3.3 managed talent
- performed on NBC radio stations
- recorded on RCA-Victor
- 4 Columbia Broadcasting System
- 4.1 Arthur Judson, talent agent who could not get his performers
booked on NBC stations
- 4.2 Columbia Phonograph Company, resented dominance of RCA-Victor
- 4.3 Columbia Phonograph Broadcast Company (1927)
- 4.4 Since AT&T would not lease telephone wires
- interconnected stations over Western Union telegraph wires
- 4.5 William Paley took helm in 1928
- 4.6 signed stations unaffiliated
- often second or third most powerful
- 4.7 paid local stations to carry network programs
- 4.8 lured talent to CBS
- 5 NBC and CBS Compared
- 5.1 NBC
- AT&T Telephone Network
- charged affiliate stations for programming
- local stations sold advertising against network programming
- local affiliates could opt-out of airing programming
- 5.2 CBS
- Western Union Telegraph Network
- paid affiliate stations to carry programming
- national advertising packaged with network programming
- local affiliates had to carry network programming
- 6 Golden Age of Radio
- 6.1 features
- not necessarily the best radio programming ever
- dominance of national radio networks
- national culture
- 6.2 Amos and Andy
- originated as a local program in Chicago
- two white performers speaking in minstrel style dialog
- became a television show in the 1950s
- “Amos Reads a Law Book” (1929)
- 6.3 FDR and Radio
- Great Depression
- World War II
- Fireside Chats
- “Bank Holiday of 1933”
- 6.4 Royal Gelatin Hour
- variety program
- Rudy Vallee
- singer and band
- 6.5 Edward R. Murrow
- CBS correspondent during the war
- reports from London
- “London After Dark” (August 1940)
- 6.6 Burns and Allen
- started as a variety show
- became a situation comedy
- “George Goes to College” (1945)