December 5 Radio History

➦In 1901...Disney empire founder Walt Disney was born on this day in 1901. He died Dec. 15, 1966 at 65.

➦In 1902...Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the first readable wireless radio signals 3,200 km across the Atlantic from his station at Glace Bay, Cape Breton to Poldhu in Cornwall, England.

➦In 1906...radio writer-producer-director William Spier was born in New York City. He is best remembered for his years producing CBS Radio’s top quality Suspense anthology dramas, and The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective.  In 1952 he created TV’s first 90-minute program Omnibus for NBC. He died May 30 1973 at age 66.

➦In 1936...Bing Crosby takes over as host of the Kraft Music Hall radio show on NBC.

Bing Crosby

The Kraft Program debuted June 26, 1933 as a musical-variety program featuring orchestra leader Paul Whiteman and served to supplement print advertising and in-store displays promoting Kraft products. During its first year the show went through a series of name changes, including Kraft Musical Revue, until it finally settled on Kraft Music Hall in 1934. Paul Whiteman remained the host until December 6, 1935. Ford Bond was the announcer.

Bing Crosby was host until May 9, 1946. Other entertainers who appeared regularly during Crosby's tenure included Connie Boswell, Victor Borge, and Mary Martin. A review in Billboard magazine commented, "It is a tribute to Bing Crosby, program's highlight, that the Music Hall seems to survive all talent change -- these changes simply pointing up the fact that the show is completely dependent on Crosby."

For the advertising managers at Kraft, it was imperative that advertising and entertainment be kept separate. For this reason, Kraft insisted that an announcer, not cast members, read its commercials.



➦In 1952..Mutual Radio broadcast “The Green Hornet” for the final time. The show left the air after 15 years on Mutual, NBC and ABC. “The Green Hornet” reappeared in 1966, this time on TV.




➦In 1955...Disc-Jockey Alan Freed's movie "Rock Rock Rock" opened to packed theatres in New York City. Rock, Rock, Rock was black-and-white motion picture featuring performances from a number of early rock 'n' roll stars, such as Chuck Berry, LaVern Baker, Teddy Randazzo, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, and The Teenagers with Frankie Lymon as lead singer.

➦In 1967... Billboard Magazine has rated WMCA 570 AM  the most influential in selling single records in New York. That doesn’t mean everything WMCA picks is going to be a hit, but there’s a good chance that it will get attention.

Ruth Meyer

A typical music meeting is held on Tuesday. Usually on hand - the station’s Program Director - Ruth Meyer, music assistants Joe Bogart and Frank Costa and several WMCA deejays.  WMCA says its policy is to select records that the station believes will become hits or those that are already established hits in other cities. WMCA says “it will not play dirty records.”

From Billboard:  During last week’s music meeting - four new records were voted on. The first was “Silent Night” by Simon and Garfunkel. This is a striking version. The duo’s singing is accompanied by a newscaster’s voice telling of rioting in Cicero (IL), of Richard Speck and the killing of the student nurses, of HUAC activities in Washington and Richard Nixon’s remarks on Vietnam. Four WMCA DJ’s present - said they loved the record. Said Joe O’Brien - “It’ll be the biggest protest song yet.” “Great Record” said Harry Harrison. “I think it’s fantastic” said Dan Daniel and Jack Spector claimed “It’s a seller.” The record was added for holiday play. The second record - “I Can’t Help Myself” by the Troggs was voted down. It was considered sexually suggestive. “Too tough” commented one DJ. The third record (and this one’s very interesting) is called “ Society’s Child ” by teenager Janice Ian. This is a song about an interracial dating. Very different. Research shows the record is a hit in Flint, Mich., Phoenix, Bakersfield and Denver and has been held over in several WMCA meetings. Ruth Meyer asks if there have been any calls? “No, but we’ve been getting a lot of postcards” said someone else. The record was not added to the WMCA playlist and will be held over. (WMCA and most top-40 stations would add the record in Spring of ‘67, after Leonard Bernstein featured Janice and the song on his March TV special.) The fourth record - “Wish You Were Here, Buddy” by Pat Boone - about a Vietnam soldier who voices a little social criticism of longhaired draft card burners back in the states. It is being held over.

➦In 1987...The Hot 100..Former Go-Go Belinda Carlisle reached the pinnacle with her first solo effort "Heaven Is A Place On Earth".  Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes relinquished the top spot with "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life".  George Michael moved to 3 with "Faith", leaping Richard Marx and "Should've Known Better".  The rest of the Top 10:  Whitesnake and their second hit "Is This Love", Debbie Gibson's "Shake Your Love", "We'll Be Together" by Sting, Whitney Houston roared in from 16 to 8 with "So Emotional", R.E.M. entered the list with "The One I Love" and Jody Watley grabbed #10--"Don't You Want Me".

➦In 1987...The album Chart...Dirty Dancing kept on as the #1 album with the previous Bad from Michael Jackson still clinging to #2. Whitesnake was third while Pink Floyd peaked at #4 with A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

The rest of the Top 10:  Tunnel of Love from Bruce Springsteen falling to #5, The Lonesome Jubilee by John Cougar Mellencamp, Hysteria by Def Leppard was just in its infancy at #7, today was the day that Faith by George Michael climbed from 15-8 and first joined the Top 10 in its third week of release, ...Nothing Like the Sun from Sting remained at #9 and Whitney, Whitney Houston's second album, was at #10.

➦In 2002...Roone Arledge, the pioneering TV exec who headed ABC News and ABC Sports, created Wide World of Sports, Monday Night Football, Nightline and 20/20, and was responsible for sports coverage innovations like instant replay and slow motion, died. He was 71.

➦In 2003...Lafollette, Tennessee: DJ Jerry Monday and his wife were found dead in their home. Monday was the morning man on WLAF 1450 AM, a Gospel-formatted Radio station.

➦In 2008...iTunes Music Store reached a new sales plateau of 300 million applications downloaded.



➦In 2011...Monday Night Football Sports commentator/former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith died of a brain hemorrhage at age 72.