Category: WWJ

From the MCRFB radio scrapbook: 1945

World’s First Radio Station Celebrates 25th Birthday

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT, August 25 — A quarter century ago, commercial* radio broadcasting began. On August 20, 1920, the “billion year silence of the ether” was broken by WWJ, originally 8MK, The Detroit News radio station.

Many broadcasting “firsts” followed.

WWJ was America’s first commercial radio station to broadcast daily programs. First to broadcast election returns. First to broadcast World Series results. First to broadcast a complete symphony concert. First to organize a broadcasting orchestra.

Throughout 25 years of existence, WWJ has maintained its leadership in public service, entertainment and ethnic responsibility. Recently, it demonstrated its initiative by becoming the first station to ban transcribed announcements and transcribed singing commercials. And immediately after Pearl Harbor it eliminated middle commercials from newscasts.

Looking ahead, WWJ established a Frequency Modulation station — WENA — which has been in constant daily operation since May 9, 1941. Ten months ago an application was filed with the Federal Communications Commission for permission to construct a television station.

The pioneering spirit which actuated the establishment of America’s first commercial broadcasting station lives and thrives at WWJ after 25 years of broadcasting in the “public interest, convenience and necessity.” END.

______________________________________________________

*WWJ acknowledges the pioneering research efforts of such scientists as Dr. Lee de Forest, Dr. Frank Conrad and others operating under experimental and amateur licenses.

WWJ OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE DETROIT NEWS (The Home Newspaper) 950 KILOCYCLES — 5000 WATTS

The GEORGE P. HOLLINGBERY COMPANY, National Representative; NBC BASIC NETWORK

 (Information and news source: Billboard; August 25, 1945).

From the MCRFB old radio scrapbook:

Scripps Dynasty Feature of WWJ Party Broadcast

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT, August 25 — Highlights of the WWJ silver anniversary show Monday (August 20) was probably the public realization for the first time that radio has come of age sufficiently to establish a real continuity of tradition. This was embodied in the variable dynasty of the Scripps family association with the station.

 

Two generations were present, William E. Scripps, president of the Detroit News, and his grandson, William J. Scripps, who was general manager of WWJ until entering the armed forces. Interest actually dated back still another generation to the late James E. Scripps,  father of William E. Scripps, and founder of The News, who, together with his son, provided the funds to establish an experimental wireless station here in 1902.

Thomas E. Clark, pioneer wireless inventor, who built an developed this station, resulting in the establishment of WWJ in 1920, was especially honored at the party at the Book-Cadillac Hotel which followed. Clark’s showbiz experience takes the pioneer history of radio still further back to the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1898, when he was in charge of the General Electric  exhibit. Clark there was intrigued by the operation of Nikota Tesla in early wireless, and returned to GE headquarters to begin his own experiments.

Entertainment program at the party following the broadcast included a 35-minute sketch roasting every well-known station character, with Joe Gentile of CKLW in the lead role. Event was attended by station staff, press and radio figures of the town, and their guests, crowding the grand ballroom of the hotel. END.

(Information and news source: Billboard; September 1, 1945).

from the MCRFB radio news scrapbook:

WWJ Pitches For Teenagers In New Airing

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — November 3, 1945. WWJ, encouraged by its recent move towards producing shows especially for the teen-age crowd, is embarking on an all-out effort to catch it’s listeners young. Back of the move, which which has obvious public service value in the attention given to the forgotten youngsters, is the sound commercial realization given of two factors:

1. Tastes of the youngster give direction to family buying habits and family listening habits as well.

2. Youngsters are going to be the adult audiences who will be vitally needed to build up Hooper ratings for the individual radio station within a very few years., and paying attention to their special wants now should pay off in establishing listening habits then.

Two more teenage shows have been added by WWJ to three programs set up to answer high school complaints that “radio has nothing especially for us.”

New programs are in a more serious vein than the original three fast-moving shows. One is an hour’s broadcast of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts, Saturday at 10 a.m., with a brief, informative commentary on the musical selections by Karl Krueger, director of the orchestra, or by Valter Poole, assistant conductor.

Another program is Musical Youth, Thursdays, at 1:15 p.m., put on in cooperation with the Detroit Public Schools. This is beamed to school rooms at WWJ audience alike each week, featuring different high school orchestras, bands, choruses or other outstanding musical groups of proved excellence. Concept behind this series is to acquaint Detroit with the type and quality of musical education offered in the schools, stressing a maximum of music with a minimum of continuity. END.

 

(Information and news source: Billboard; November 10, 1945).

 

 

From the MCRFB radio news scrapbook:

WWJ vs KDKA: Who Was First? It All Depends

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — November 5, 1945. That old feud between KDKA, Pittsburgh, and WWJ, Detroit, concerning which one was the first on the air, flared up anew two weeks ago when KDKA , commemorating the radio twenty-fifth anniversary, decided to buy a page ad in the Pittsburgh Press, a Scripps-Howard paper. At that time The Press told the station that there were no space available.

Week later, WWJ, which is owned by Scripps-Howard interests, decided that it would take an ad dealing with its claim to being the nation’s oldest station. WWJ bought space in whole Scripps chain. Among the papers that carried it was The Pittsburgh Press. END.

 

Addendum: Today we are debuting a new flashback feature on MCRFB — Way-Back Detroit Radio Pages — on what had been said, what had been printed about Detroit radio during the ’40s and early-’50s. These articles are historic at best, it reflects in how radio was simply the best means of communicating and entertaining Detroiters at a time when radio reigned supreme during those golden years of early-radio broadcasting. More to come!

 

(Information and news source: Billboard; November 10, 1945).