Radio History: January 27

➦In 1926...John Logie Baird, a Scottish inventor, gives the first public demonstration of a television system in London, launching a revolution in communication and entertainment.

According to History, Baird’s invention, a pictorial-transmission machine he called a “televisor,” used mechanical rotating disks to scan moving images into electronic impulses. This information was then transmitted by cable to a screen where it showed up as a low-resolution pattern of light and dark. Baird’s first television program showed the heads of two ventriloquist dummies, which he operated in front of the camera apparatus out of view of the audience.

Baird based his television on the work of Paul Nipkow, a German scientist who patented his ideas for a complete television system in 1884. Nipkow likewise used a rotating disk with holes in it to scan images, but he never achieved more than the crudest of shadowy pictures. Various inventors worked to develop this idea, and Baird was the first to achieve easily discernible images. In 1928, Baird made the first overseas broadcast from London to New York over phone lines and in the same year demonstrated the first color television.

➦In 1927...Some 5 months after NBC was formed, United Independent Broadcasters Inc. began a radio network which consisted of 16 US stations east of the Mississippi. Within 20 months it evolved into CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.

William Paley

With the creation of the "United Independent Broadcasters" network in Chicago by New York talent-agent Arthur Judson. The fledgling network soon needed additional investors though, and the Columbia Phonograph Company, manufacturers of Columbia Records, rescued it in April 1927; as a result, the network was renamed "Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System". Columbia Phonographic went on the air on September 18, 1927, with a presentation by the Howard Barlow Orchestra from flagship station WOR in Newark, New Jersey, and fifteen affiliates.

Operational costs were steep, particularly the payments to AT&T for use of its land lines, and by the end of 1927, Columbia Phonograph wanted out.

In early 1928, Judson sold the network to brothers Isaac and Leon Levy, owners of the network's Philadelphia affiliate WCAU, and their partner Jerome Louchenheim. None of the three was interested in assuming day-to-day management of the network, so they installed wealthy 26-year-old William S. Paley, son of a Philadelphia cigar family and in-law of the Levys, as president. With the record company out of the picture, Paley quickly streamlined the corporate name to "Columbia Broadcasting System".

He believed in the power of radio advertising since his family's "La Palina" cigars had doubled their sales after young William convinced his elders to advertise on radio. By September 1928, Paley bought out the Louchenheim share of CBS and became its majority owner with 51% of the business.

➦In 1927...KXO 1230 AM went on the air in El Centro, CA. It is the oldest station in the Imperial Valley and is probably the oldest in any community between San Diego and Phoenix. In the 1930s, it broadcast at 100 watts on 1500 kilocycles. It was owned by E.R. Irey and F.M. Bowles.

After the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA) took effect in 1941, KXO moved to 1490 kHz and was a network affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System and the Don Lee Network, during the "Golden Age of Radio." Over the years, it spent time as an affiliate of ABC and NBC Radio. In the 1950s, KXO moved to its current dial position at AM 1230.

KXO dates back to the early days of broadcasting, when many radio stations were assigned three-letter call signs. In Southern California, the only three-letter stations that remain, apart from KXO, are 640 KFI, 930 KHJ and 1070 KNX in Los Angeles. KGB-FM in San Diego is the FM sister station to the original KGB, now KLSD 1360 AM.

Over the years, KXO has featured several different formats. Currently, the station broadcasts oldies music with a playlist from the 1960s and 1970s, along with some 1980s titles.

➦In 1931...NBC radio introduced listeners to “Clara, Lu ‘n’ Em” on its Blue network (later, ABC radio). The Chicago-based show became the first daytime radio serial the following year when it was moved from its original nighttime slot.

Elvis 1956

➥In 1948...the Wire Recording Corporation of America introduced the magnetic tape recorder, the first audio recording system that didn’t involve acetate disks or wire. The “Wireway” machine, complete with a built-in oscillator, sold for $149.50.

➦In 1956...', Elvis Presley‘s “Heartbreak Hotel” was released on RCA Victor, which had just purchased Presley’s contract from Sun Records for $35,000. The song sold 300,000 copies in its first week and would eventually sell over a million, becoming Elvis’ first Gold record.

➦In 1997...WNYC 820 AM / 93.9 FM taken over by “WNYC Foundation”

➦In 2003...WNEW 102.7 FM dropped talk format in favor of music.

The station taunted for the next couple of months with Contemporary hit radio music, using a limited playlist of approximately 50 songs from artists like Pink, Eminem, Bowling for Soup, and Avril Lavigne, as well as nightly simulcasts of CBS's Late Show with David Letterman.

Sounders during that period teased listeners about how "a new station" would soon be coming to the 102.7 frequency, and it arrived in April, when WNEW became "102.7 Blink" (keeping the WNEW call letters) and adopted an unusual "Entertainment AC" format. The station mixed old and contemporary pop hits with talk shows and entertainment news from sources such as E!; on-air personalities during this period included the morning team of Chris Booker and Lynda Lopez (who were also dating during this time), game show host Todd Newton and afternoons with Tim Virgin and now-MSNBC Anchor Alison Stewart. Other personalities included, Rick Stacy (now with WOCL Orlando), Maze, and reporters Matt Wolfe and Lisa Chase, who provided hourly entertainment updates. The station also used AOL Instant Messenger to take requests, and 24 star Kiefer Sutherland did the station IDs ("It is physically impossible not to Blink", etc.).

However, the station's ratings sank further. The station's pink logo led to the derisive nickname "Barbie Radio", and Booker & Lopez did little more on the air than talk about Jennifer Lopez, Lynda's older sister. After less than six months, the station fired most of the staff and changed its branding to "102.7 Blink FM: Music Women Love" with an (again, unusual) explicit appeal to a female audience. This format also failed to draw audiences. By October, it adopted a more mainstream adult contemporary format and ratings began to go up slightly. That November, the station (like many AC stations) adopted the increasingly popular "all Christmas music, all the time" format, dropping the "Blink" format after less than 11 months for the name "New York's New 102.7 FM".

➦In 2004...The Federal Communications Commission fined Clear Channel Radio (now iHeartMedia) for apparently airing indecent material over several broadcast stations during several days. The Commission proposed the highest fine the law provides resulting in a $27,500 for each of 26 apparent indecency violations for a total of $715,000.

➦In 2013…Philadelphia television pioneer/radio disc jockey/recording artist Sally Starr died at age 90.

Starr was born Alleen Mae Beller in Kansas City, MO, and legally changed her name to Starr in 1941. Her parents, Charles and Bertha Beller, encouraged her to enter the world of show business, for which she exhibited both talent and ambition. At the age of 12 years, she and her sister Mildred, billed as the "Little Missouri Maids," made their debut on a CBS radio program titled "Brush Creek Follies".

Sally Starr

Her broadcast and entertainment career began with creation of the character of a blonde cowgirl who hosted an afternoon children's program for Philadelphia station WFIL-TV (now WPVI) from the 1950s to 1971. Her program was usually known as Popeye Theater or a variation, which presented Popeye cartoons and Three Stooges shorts. She hosted a number of guest visitors including the Three Stooges and Colonel Sanders, plus local legends Dick Clark and Chief Halftown.

She distinguished her character with flashy cowgirl clothing, such as fringes, shiny silver stars, cowgirl hat, and boots. She often dressed in bright red full cowgirl regalia, including gun and holsters. Her opening line was, "Hope you feel as good as you look, 'cause you sure look good to your gal Sal." She closed with "May the Good Lord be blessing you and your family. Bye for now!"

She also hosted a radio show on WVLT 92.1 FM in Vineland, New Jersey until retiring in September 2006.

Mimi Rogers is 68

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Actor James Cromwell (“Murder in the First,” ″Babe”) is 84. 
• Drummer Nick Mason of Pink Floyd is 80. 
• Singer Nedra Talley-Ross of The Ronettes is 78. 
• Dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov is 76. 
• Country singer Cheryl White of The Whites is 69. 
• Guitarist Richard Young of The Kentucky Headhunters is 69. 
• Actor Mimi Rogers is 68. 
• Guitarist Janick Gers of Iron Maiden is 67. 
• Actor Susanna Thompson (“Arrow”) is 66. 
• TV host Keith Olbermann is 65. 
• Keyboardist Gillian Gilbert (New Order) is 63. 
• Singer Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies is 63. 
• Actor Tamlyn Tomita (TV’s “Teen Wolf,” “The Good Doctor”) is 61. 
• Actor Bridget Fonda is 60. 
• Actor Alan Cumming (“Spy Kids”) is 59. 
• Country singer Tracy Lawrence is 56. 
• Singer Mike Patton (Faith No More) is 56. 
• Rapper Tricky is 56. 
• Guitarist Michael Kulas of James is 55. 
• Comedian Patton Oswalt is 55. 
• Actor Josh Randall (“Ed”) is 52. 
• Country singer Kevin Denney is 46. 
• Drummer Andrew Lee of St. Paul and the Broken Bones is 38. 
• Drummer Matt Sanchez of American Authors is 38. 
• Actor-musician Braeden Lemasters of Wallows (TV’s “Men of a Certain Age”) is 28.

✞REMEMBRANCES

• In 2006..Gene McFadden, R&B singer-songwriter and producer (McFadden & Whitehead - "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"), dies of lung cancer at 56
• In 2014..Pete Seeger, Folk singer (The Weavers - "Goodnight Irene") and activist, helped create the modern American folk music movement, dies at 94
• In 2018..Mort Walker, Cartoonist (Beetle Bailey, Hi & Lois), dies at 94
• In 2021..Cloris Leachman, Oscar and Emmy Award-winning actress (The Last Picture Show; The Mary Tyler Moore Show - "Phyllis"), dies at 94
• In 2023..Floyd Sneed, Canadian rock drummer (Three Dog Night - "Joy To The World"; Ohio Players), dies at 80