Columns

IT WAS AUG. 2nd .. when the TV station now known as KCPQ (FOX 13) in Tacoma-Seattle, began broadcasting as KMO-TV Tacoma… When Canadian-born CBS correspondent Morley Safer (pictured) sent the first TV report from Vietnam indicating the US was losing the war… When CHUM-owned TV stations in Victoria, London, Barrie, Wingham, Windsor and Ottawa became A-Channels… …and when radio station WHTZ-FM, Newark, New Jersey (serving New York City and environs) – signed on as “Z100” with Scott Shannon and the “Morning Zoo”. It went from “worst to first” in just a few months. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 30th … when radio crime drama ‘The Shadow’ began its 24 year run, the first two years on CBS…. When the popular radio soap opera, ‘The Guiding Light’, was seen for the first time on CBS television… When the soap opera “Santa Barbara” debuted on NBC TV; day 1 of an 8 1/2 year run… ..and when NBC’s ‘L.A. Law’ was nominated for 20 Emmy Awards, one shy of the record held by ‘Hill Street Blues.’ ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 29th … when the CBC’s prairie powerhouse CBK-540 signed on with 50,000 watts from Watrous, Saskatchewan, as the only CBC radio outlet between Winnipeg and Vancouver… When decades later Toronto's CBC Radio One service was approved for a move to FM.... When Jack Paar (pictured) began his five-year run as host of NBC-TV’s “Tonight Show”… When Jim Hartz was named to join Barbara Walters as co-host of the Today show on NBC…. …and when millions around the world watched on television as Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were wed in London. ALL the milestones for July 29th INSIDE.

It’s the date of birth of radio announcer Bill Goodwin and TV announcer Art Hannes, producer Dick Ebersol and 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley. Judy Garland recorded her iconic ‘Over the Rainbow,’ Regina got Saskatchewan’s 1st TV station, Toronto’s Crew Cuts had their only #1 song hit, Jerry Lee Lewis made his TV debut, Kathie Lee Gifford (pictured) made her last appearance on TV’s ‘Live with Regis & Kathie Lee’, and Rosemary Clooney had a #1 hit with ‘Come On-a My House.’ Obits include radio announcing heavyweights Truman Bradley and Jackson Beck, actress Eileen Brennan and radio’s first Lone Ranger, George Seaton. Details of these and scores more milestones for July 28th INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 27th .. when Moose Jaw radio station CJRM signed on with 500 watts at 665 KHz. It was later moved to Regina and became CKRM …. When Okanagan Broadcasters Ltd. was incorporated, as Kelowna’s first radio station (CKOV) was moving from experimental to commercial status…. When Steve Allen (pictured) began a local late-night TV talk show in New York City that the following year went national on NBC-TV as ‘The Tonight Show’ …. When a summer replacement series “Dean Martin Presents The Bobby Darin Amusement Company” debuted on NBC-TV… .. and when NBC-TV removed the daily Dinah’s Place from its programming roster. The move brought Dinah Shore’s 23-year association with the Peacock Network to a close. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

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.

Jodi Krangle knows audio. She's a long-time VO talent with a voice as smooth as melted butter, and the host of her own podcast, Audio Branding.

This October will be 10 years of Canadaland. Jesse Brown joins me to talk about his short time in radio working for the CBC, and why he started his podcast.