Columns

It was March 8th when ”Transit Through Fire: An Odyssey of 1942,” the first opera commissioned by the CBC, was aired on radio coast-to-coast. When Vancouver’s CKWX adopted a country music format. When CBS-TV’s General Electric Theatre featured the only joint television appearance by The Marx Brothers in an almost-silent 30-minute episode called “The Incredible Jewel Robbery.” When the UK’s Dave Clark 5 made their first appearance on CBS TV’s “Ed Sullivan Show,” performing “Glad All Over.” And when the last original episode of “The Brady Bunch” was televised on ABC. Details and many more milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was a March 7th when radio station KARI 550 signed on the air from Blaine, Washington with a Christian-spoken word format… ..when the “Beatles” made their broadcasting debut on BBC radio in England. ..when ”Peter Pan”, with Mary Martin and Cyril Richard, was presented as a live TV special on NBC’s Producer’s Showcase. ..when Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin co-hosted the 82nd Academy Awards telecast .. ..and when Vancouver’s CKWX 1130 dropped its adult contemporary music and became a country music station. Specifics, and ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was March 6th when the first US telecast from an airplane was aired from the skies over New York City… when NBC-TV aired the musical special “An Evening With Diana Ross” (pictured) …. when the 100th episode of “The Six Million Dollar Man” aired on ABC-TV… and when Walter Cronkite signed off the CBS Evening News for the final time, to be replaced by Dan Rather. Specifics, and many more March 6th milestones INSIDE.

It was March 3rd when Detroit was first introduced to radio station WWJ. When Elvis Presley made his TV debut on the syndicated ‘Louisiana Hayride’ (pictured). When Vancouver’s CKWX AM 1130 published its last Top 40 Survey, relinquishing the field to CFUN 1410. When Andy Griffith first introduced the character ‘Matlock’ on NBC-TV, and four years later the same network aired the 100th episode of ‘Alf.’ And when ‘Nova’ began its 46 year (so far) run on PBS. Details and many more milestones for March 3rd INSIDE.

Howard Stern (pictured) started broadcasting at WWDC Washington DC, where he developed his ‘shock jock’ format. The Beatles’ next smash hit ‘Let it Be’ was previewed via film on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show. ‘The Barry Manilow Special’ aired on ABC-TV, attracting a viewership of 37 million. The Supreme Court of Canada allowed its proceedings to be televised for the first time; a hearing on taxation. And U2 began a five-night weeklong run on CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman. Details and many more milestones for March 2nd INSIDE.

The radio sitcom based in a bar ‘Duffy’s Tavern’ began its 10-year run. Vancouver saw Canada’s first jazz radio station hit the airwaves in CJAZ FM92.1 CHQB AM 1280 signed on in Powell River BC. Seattle-Tacoma’s channel 11 (then KTNT) began operations as an independent station. The 150th episode of ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ aired on CBS-TV. And The Beatles (on film) made their final appearance on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show. Details and many more milestones for March 1st INSIDE

A former favorite AM signal from Eastern Washington KHQ Spokane began broadcasting at 590 KHz. The first basketball game to be televised was seen on only a handful of New York TV sets almost a decade before the so-called TV era began. Some 125 million people were tuned in for the much anticipated finale of the TV series ‘M*A*S*H’ on CBS. And the iconic ABC radio broadcaster Paul Harvey (pictured) signed off for the final time, dying at age 90. Details and many more milestones for Feb. 28th INSIDE.

The first CNR radio station, CNRO was opened in Ottawa. The CNR network would eventually evolve into the CBC. ‘The Rolling Stones’ rise to fame was underway as they appeared for the 2nd time on the BBC-TV’s ‘Top of the Pops’ (pictured). The Supremes (with Diana Ross) were the mystery guests on CBS-TV’s ‘What’s My Line?’ And ABC aired Part One of their “The Beach Boys: An American Family” TV movie. Details and many more Milestones for Feb 27th INSIDE.

Future TV stars Jackie Gleason, William Frawley and Tony Randall were born on this date. The 100th episode of the original hit TV series ‘Macgyver’ aired on ABC. Drew Lachey was declared winner of ABC’s ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ And the CHUM group announced their intention to acquire Vancouver radio station ‘The Beat.’ Details and many MORE broadcast milestones INSIDE.

The US Federal Radio Commission issued the very first television license to an experimental laboratory in Washington D.C. Still before WWII, in TV’s infancy, the first hockey game was televised in New York City, 12 years ahead of Canada’s first hockey telecast. Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca (pictured) starred in the first ever ‘Your Show of Shows,’ which became a Saturday night sensation for NBC-TV. A Led Zeppelin concert at the Paris Theatre in France was broadcast live on UK television. And Frank Sinatra’s guest appearance as a retired detective gave CBS-TV’s ‘Magnum PI’ its highest rating ever. Details and many more milestones for Feb. 25th INSIDE.