February 25 In Radio History

In 1928...The Federal Radio Commission granted the first television license in the United States to the Charles Jenkins Laboratories, Washington, DC.




In 1943...Former Beatles member George Harrison was born. He died of cancer on Nov. 29, 2001 at 58.


In 1972...As the debut single by his new band Wings, Paul McCartney released "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" in the UK. Its airplay was restricted since it was banned by the BBC, Radio Luxembourg and the Independent Television Authority, however the record reached #1 on the singles charts in the Republic of Ireland and Spain, and despite the air-play ban still reached #16 in the UK. It peaked at #21 in the U.S.

In 1995... At a private party for 1,200 select guests on the closing night of the Frank Sinatra Desert Classic golf tournament, Frank Sinatra sang in front of a live audience for the last time. His closing song was "The Best is Yet to Come," which are also the words imprinted on his tombstone. He died on May 14, 1998.


In 2004...The Howard Stern Show was removed from 6 Clear Channel radio stations for indecency.

Bert Lee

In 2004...Sportscaster and talk-radio host Bert Lee died in Tuscon, AZ died in 2004.  He was 74.

At the time of his death, he hosted a show on KTKT, Tucson “The Bert Lee Show.”  Lee, who called himself “the old curmudgeon,” started in radio in New York City at WOR when he was 16.

He also worked at WMCA, WHN and WINS.

While living in Tucson,  Lee's show also aired on  KTUC and KNST.   Lee was a faithful 3-pack-a-day Camel smoker.