Columns

IT WAS JULY 26th .. when the Abe Burrows Show premiered on CBS radio, as the comedy writer got his own 15 minute program… When UBC radio station CiTR was approved for operation on 650 KHz via AM carrier current, to cover the Point Grey campus only…. When the ABC-TV daytime soap General Hospital taped its 7,000th episode… ..and when legendary radio personality Don Percy (pictured) did his last morning show on Vancouver’s oldies station CISL AM 650, before returning to Winnipeg. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 25th … when the Canadian Marconi Company made the first trans-Atlantic two-way radio broadcast from Signal Hill, Newfoundland, to the S-S “Victoria” 1200 miles away… When 2XAG in Schenectady, NY (later known as WGY) became the first radio station in the U.S. to broadcast with a 50,000-watt transmitter…. When in pre-WWII New York City TV station W2XBS presented television’s first musical comedy. The show was Topsy and Eva …. ..and when NBC-TV’s “Midnight Special” featured songs by Neil Sedaka, Janis Ian, Jessi Colter, and Kraftwerk. Hostess for the week was Helen Reddy (pictured). ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 24th .. when U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (pictured) stopped in the middle of his 4th ‘Fireside Chat’ on national radio and asked for a glass of water, which he then sipped… When the melodramatic serial “Romance of Helen Trent” debuted on US midwest regional radio before becoming a CBS network staple three months later, and running daily for the next 27 years!… When NBC correspondent Edwin Newman became news anchor of the TV network’s ‘Today Show’…. ..and when the independent sales of three BC radio stations.. CJAT Trail. CJAV Port Alberni, and CKAY Duncan .. were approved by the CRTC. ALL the milestones for July 24th INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 23rd … when the Telstar communications satellite made possible the first live TV broadcast from the US to Europe… When Toronto-born rocker Neil Young (pictured), at age 17, held his first recording session in the studios of Winnipeg radio station CKRC… When the FCC approved the AM stereo radio system; KTSA in San Antonio was the first to go stereo… ..and when the three-year old television network FOX-TV topped ABC, NBC and CBS in the ratings for the 1st time, thanks to “America’s Most Wanted.” ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE. Also, on this day in 2011, Amy Whitehouse died.

IT WAS JULY 22nd … when the British sitcom that gave rise to CBS-TV’s ‘All in the Family’, ‘Till Death Us Do Part’ debuted on BBC-TV… When a UK floating pirate radio station, “Swinging Scotland”, shut down for lack of funds… When The Doors were guests on ABC-TV’s American Bandstand, performing “Crystal Ship” and “Light My Fire”… .. and when a license for Kelowna’s second radio station CKIQ-1150 was approved by the CRTC. ALL the milestones for July 22nd INSIDE

Buddy Knox was born in Happy, Texas. He is best remembered for his 1957 hit Party Doll. Natalie Wood drowned under suspicious circumstances Nov. 29 1981 at age 43. In 1960, Roy Orbison’s “Only The Lonely” peaked at #2 on Billboard’s pop singles chart. Tammy Faye Bakker Messner (pictured), who co-founded the PTL Club with her first husband Jim Bakker, died of lung and colon cancer at age 65.

CJNW-730 signed on with modern rock and no DJs after more than a month of silence to replace an aging transmitter and towers. Elvis Presley’s former doctor, Dr. George Nichopoulous lost his medical license for being “too liberal” when prescribing addictive drugs. Veteran Vancouver broadcaster and ad man Fin Anthony died at age 87. James Garner (pictured) of the Rockford Files....

Billy Joel gave his 100th concert at Madison Square Garden. In 1975, CKVU-TV was licensed as Vancouver’s third television station. It signed on 14 months later. Bruce Springsteen joined Joel onstage. Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler were ordered to pay their former chef compensation after losing a sexual discrimination case in the UK

Broadcaster Arthur Gordon “Art” Linkletter was born in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan. Two solo artists debuted their first singles, Rod Stewart with “Maggie Mae,” and Bill Withers‘ “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Both became major hits. Much More Inside...

“Music and the Spoken Word” debuted on KSL Salt Lake City. the UK’s Official Singles Chart, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was declared Britain’s favorite #1 of all-time, after a nationwide poll by ITV. Bob Dylan (pictured) made the only Canadian stop of his 27-city tour with a Toronto concert at the Molson Amphitheatre ... Much More Inside...