December 11 In Radio History

In 1936...One day after officially abdicating the British throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Warfield Simpson, the former King Edward VIII said in a radio broadcast, "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility, and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do, without the help and support of the woman I love."

In 1944...1944…"The Chesterfield Supper Club," a 15-minute weekday program airing at 7:00 p.m. (ET), debuted on NBC Radio. Initially, Perry Como hosted all the shows. Beginning with the second season, he reduced his schedule to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while Jo Stafford hosted Tuesdays and Thursdays. In 1948, Peggy Lee took over the Thursday broadcast. In 1949, the program began its final two years on radio as a weekly 30-minute show.

In 1964...Soul and gospel singer Sam Cooke was shot to death. He was 33. The manager of a Los Angeles motel claimed she shot Cooke in self-defense after he turned on her when she tried to help a young woman who said Cooke had tried to rape her

In 1985...GE, General Electric, bought RCA Corporation for $6.3 billion. NBC Radio and Television was also included in the purchase.



In 1992...WNEW 1130 AM, New York City ended broadcasting after 58 years.