Today in Broadcast History

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 “Romance of Helen Trent” debuted on 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.

It’s the date that gave us Marshall McLuhan, Don Knotts (pictured), Robin Williams and country music's Paul Brandt. The CRTC gave approval to the Global TV network, Johnny Cash's “I Walk the Line” started an 8 week reign atop the Country Music chart, Queen played the Montreal Forum, and Entertainment Tonight’s Mary Hart insured her legs for $2 million. Leaving us on July 21st were actors Basil Rathbone and Robert Young, broadcaster Dave Garroway, singer Dorothy Collins, and musician Long John Baldry. Scores more milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 20th … when NBC radio debuted ‘G-Men’ as a Saturday night feature. For most of its 20-year run the title was ‘Gangbusters’… When “The Arthur Murray Party” premiered on ABC TV, featuring the man behind a nationwide chain of dance schools and his wife Kathryn. As it continued its 10-year run on the tube it would move to DuMont, CBS, & NBC… When UBC’s student-operated radio station CiTR-FM broadcast in stereo for the first time…. ..and when Vancouver-born actor James Doohan (pictured), best known for playing Scotty on Star Trek, died at his home in suburban Seattle at age 85. ALL the milestones for July 20th INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 19th .. when Regina’s pioneer radio station CKCK signed on with 2000 watts at 420 metres. .. When the BBC World Service began frequent playing of the first notes of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony as Prime Minister Winston Churchill launched his “V for Victory” campaign… When Our Miss Brooks, starring Eve Arden and Gale Gordon (pictured), began its 9-year run on CBS radio… ..and when Vancouver’s CJNW-730 signed on with modern rock and no DJs, preparatory to introducing its ill-fated MOJO format, talk radio for males, three weeks later. ALL the milestones for July 19th INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 18th …. when Saskatoon got its pioneer radio station as CFQC Saskatoon signed on 400 metres with 200 watts of power…. When CKVU-TV was licensed as Vancouver’s third television station. It signed on 14 months later. Today it is known as City-TV… When CBS radio introduced its experimental Columbia Workshop of the Air,.. ..and when obits included one-half of Canada’s favorite comedy team Johnny Wayne; and veteran NBC & PBS newsman Paul Duke. Details of ALL the July 18th milestones INSIDE.

Broadcast celebrities born July 17th include Canadians Art Linkletter (pictured) and Donald Sutherland, actress/singer Diahann Carroll and Baywatch’s David Hasselhoff. Disneyland opened its doors in California, John Chancellor debuted as host of NBC-TV’s Today Show, Anne Murray scored another #1 hit, and Rod Stewart released his first solo single, “Maggie Mae.” Obits for July 17th include broadcasters Walter Cronkite and Bernard Cowan, jazz greats Billie Holliday and John Coltrane, author Mickey Spillane, and actors Larry Haines and Geraldine Fitzgerald. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 16th … when Diana Ross & the Supremes guest hosted NBC-TV’s Tonight Show, while at the same hour Janis Joplin was the sole guest on ABC-TV’s Dick Cavett Show…. When Los Angeles disc jockey Rick Dees (pictured) debuted his late night TV show “Into The Night with Rick Dees” on ABC-TV… When the Beach Boys appeared on NBC-TV’s Today Show, on the 37th anniversary of their signing by Capitol Records… ..and when the domestic TV diva Martha Stewart was sentenced to 5 months in prison, ALL the milestones for July 16th INSIDE.