THE NBC RADIO NETWORK: MONITOR on WWJ RADIO 950, MARCH 28, 1965

Audio digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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Monitor was an American weekend radio program broadcast live and nationwide on the NBC Radio Network from June 12, 1955, until January 26, 1975. It began originally on Saturday morning at 8am and continued through the weekend until 12 midnight on Sunday. After the first few months, the full weekend broadcast was shortened when the midnight-to-dawn hours were dropped since few NBC stations carried it.

The program offered a magazine-of-the-air mix of news, sports, comedy, variety, music, celebrity interviews and other short segments (along with records, usually of popular middle-of-the-road songs, especially in its later years). Its length and eclectic format were radical departures from the traditional radio programming structure of 30 and 60 minute programs and represented an ambitious attempt to respond to the rise of television as America’s major home-entertainment medium.

The show was the brainchild of Sylvester (Pat) Weaver, whose career bridged classic radio and television’s infancy and who sought to keep radio alive in a television age. Believing that broadcasting could and should educate as well as entertain, Weaver fashioned a series to do both with some of the best-remembered and best-regarded names in broadcasting, entertainment, journalism, and literature taking part. Monitor and the Sunday-afternoon TV documentary series Wide Wide World were Weaver’s last two major contributions to NBC, as he left the network within a year of Monitor’s premiere.

When Monitor began on June 12, 1955, at 4pm, the first hour of the program was simulcast on NBC-TV. That initial June 12 broadcast lasted eight hours, from 4pm through 12 midnight. Following the Monitor beacon, Morgan Beatty was the first voice ever heard on Monitor. After an introduction by Pat Weaver, news headlines by Dave Garroway and a routine by Bob and Ray, Garroway cued Monitor’s opening music remote: live jazz by Howard Rumsey and the Lighthouse All-Stars at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California. It was the first of many jazz remotes in the weeks to come.

On the following Saturday, June 18, Monitor began broadcasting 40 consecutive hours each weekend, from 8am on Saturday to midnight on Sunday. Monitor aired from a mammoth NBC studio called Radio Central, created especially for the program, on the fifth floor of the RCA Building in midtown Manhattan (the same space which is now home to MSNBC). NBC unveiled Radio Central to the national television audience during a segment in the October 16, 1955 premiere of Wide Wide World, including a Monitor interview with Alfred Hitchcock (seen through glass in an adjacent studio and minus audio) and a Monitor newscast (with audio). Built at a cost of $150,000 the glass-enclosed studios of Radio Central were described by Pat Weaver as “a listening post of the world.”

Monitor Beacon

The enduring audio signature of the show was the “Monitor Beacon” — a mix of audio-manipulated telephone tones and the sound of an oscillator emitting the Morse code signal for the letter “M”, for “Monitor”. It was described by one source as “a tape loop made from a sequence of 1950s AT&T telephone line switching tones generated by analog oscillators”.

The Beacon introduced the show and was used in transitions, for example, to station breaks, accompanied by the tag line: “You’re on the Monitor beacon.”

The innovative approach of Monitor made it a profitable success for NBC Radio over many years, helping to sustain the network in an era when network radio was collapsing. Its strong start and high popularity led the show to air on Friday nights from 8pm to 10pm in 1957, followed by an expansion to weeknights in 1959, all in addition to its 32 weekend hours (reduced from 40 in late 1955).

By 1961, the weeknight Monitor was gone and the weekend schedule cut in half – from 32 to 16 hours each weekend. This was not quite as drastic a cut as it seems, as some programming that had been counted as part of Monitor’s 32 hours—such as Sunday morning religious broadcasts and the radio version of Meet the Press—continued to air on NBC outside of the Monitor schedule. This was further shortened in 1974 to only 12 live weekend hours (plus nine repeated hours).

Radio stations, especially in large markets, had increasingly adopted personality-driven formats featuring local disc jockeys and sought to establish a clear-cut musical or talk identity for themselves. Because of this, Monitor’s “something-for-everyone” programming often did not fit in with schedules and viewpoints of stations, and fewer affiliates carried the program in major markets. Due to this, many of the show’s sponsors also pulled away, requiring a shortening of the schedule to keep costs low.

About 125 stations still carried the program on its last day, with few in major markets. After 20 years of broadcasting, Monitor signed off after airing it’s last program on January 26, 1976. Source: Monitor (Radio Program) Wikipedia

Monitor March 28, 1965

Addendum

On Sunday, March 28, 1965, the presented NBC Monitor program aired on WWJ 950 (Detroit) at the top of the 5:00 p.m. hour, according to the Detroit Free Press radio guides, as dated, and published that year [Detroit Free Press Newspaper Archive, copyright 2024].

In this Monitor segment, the guest speaker was 1964 Nobel Prize winner and ’60s civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The program panelists and the voices you will hear are those of James K. Kilpatrick (The Richmond News Leader), Tom Wicker (The New York Times) John Chancellor (NBC News), and Lawrence J. Spivak (Producer; Meet the Press). Program was moderated by Ned Brooks.

The panelists queried Dr. King for answers and his views of the civil rights movement under his leadership.

Dr. King provided direct responses to inquiries and remarks, alongside those of other panelists. The discussion encompassed topics such as racial segregation in Southern states, the Supreme Court’s stance on racial justice and injustices, the administration of Governor George Wallace in Alabama, the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, and the tragic death of Viola Liuzzo in Alabama (originally from Detroit; for further details, refer to the newspaper insert).

Also addressed were Dr. King’s consistent appeals for “moral” and “non-violent” demonstrations, the organization of additional Southern economic boycotts, and the movement’s future prospects, with a focus on contemporary topical debates at the time.

Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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This recording was made possible, and is the property (and courtesy) of the Past Daily website, from the incredible collection of it’s owner, Gordon Skene.

This featured audio recording, in its presented form, was at one time freely available and downloadable (as all their recordings were) from the Past Daily site, early on. This author obtained dozens of Past Daily historic recordings when they were available, many years ago. Motor City Radio Flashbacks has, and to his credit, featured several of Gordon Skene’s period recordings, such as we have presented here today, in the past. Founded in 2012, Past Daily still thrives on the internet today.

For support, and more on Past Daily, please click on the link in our menu column at the left of our site’s home page. Or, you may go, HERE.

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WWII RADIO: D-DAY! EUROPEAN ALLIED INVASION ON

CBS RADIO * Tuesday, June 6, 1944 * COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM

D-DAY! INVASION AT NORMANDY

— June 6, 1944 —

Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied France (and later Europe) from Nazi control, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.

Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings. The weather on D-Day was far from ideal and the operation had to be delayed 24 hours; a further postponement would have meant a delay of at least two weeks as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days each month were deemed suitable. Adolf Hitler placed German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in command of German forces and of developing fortifications along the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion.

The amphibious landings were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault—the landing of 24,000 US, British, and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight. Allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France at 06:30. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Strong winds blew the landing craft east of their intended positions, particularly at Utah and Omaha. The men landed under heavy fire from gun emplacements overlooking the beaches, and the shore was mined and covered with obstacles such as wooden stakes, metal tripods, and barbed wire, making the work of the beach-clearing teams difficult and dangerous. Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs. At Gold, Juno, and Sword, several fortified towns were cleared in house-to-house fighting, and two major gun emplacements at Gold were disabled, using specialized tanks.

The Allies failed to achieve any of their goals on the first day. Carentan, St. Lô, and Bayeux remained in German hands, and Caen, a major objective, was not captured until 21 July. Only two of the beaches (Juno and Gold) were linked on the first day, and all five beachheads were not connected until 12 June; however, the operation gained a foothold which the Allies gradually expanded over the coming months. German casualties on D-Day have been estimated at 4,000 to 9,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.

The Allies planned to launch the invasion on 1 May 1944. The initial draft of the plan was accepted at the Quebec Conference in August 1943. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed commander of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). General Bernard Montgomery was named as commander of the 21st Army Group, which comprised all land forces involved in the invasion. On 31 December 1943 Eisenhower and Montgomery first saw the plan, which proposed amphibious landings by three divisions with two more divisions in support. The two generals immediately insisted that the scale of the initial invasion be expanded to five divisions, with airborne descents by three additional divisions, to allow operations on a wider front and to speed the capture of Cherbourg. The need to acquire or produce extra landing craft for the expanded operation meant that the invasion had to be delayed to June. Eventually, thirty-nine Allied divisions would be committed to the Battle of Normandy: twenty-two US, twelve British, three Canadian, one Polish, and one French, totalling over a million troops all under overall British command.

The Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history, with nearly 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on D-Day, with 875,000 men disembarking by the end of June. Allied casualties on the first day were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. The Germans lost 1,000 men. The Allied invasion plans had called for the capture of Carentan, St. Lô, Caen, and Bayeux on the first day, with all the beaches (other than Utah) linked with a front line 10 to 16 kilometres (6 to 10 mi) from the beaches; none of these objectives were achieved. The five beachheads were not connected until 12 June, by which time the Allies held a front around 97 kilometres (60 mi) long and 24 kilometres (15 mi) deep. Caen, a major objective, was still in German hands at the end of D-Day and would not be completely captured until 21 July. The Germans had ordered French civilians other than those deemed essential to the war effort to leave potential combat zones in Normandy. Civilian casualties on D-Day and D+1 are estimated at 3,000 people.

Source: see ‘D-Day’ (above article edited; condensed); Wikipedia

WARTIME! JUNE 6, 1944

ABOUT THESE CBS and NBC RADIO BROADCASTS

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In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, the CBS and NBC radio networks in New York took control of the news on their respective affiliated stations nationwide — special bulletins and all-day broadcasting of the reported allied invasion off the northern coast of France.

In 1944 the CBS Detroit affiliate was WWJ. The NBC Detroit (Blue Network) affiliate was WXYZ.

These historic CBS (WWJ 950) and NBC (WXYZ 1270) broadcasts was heard in wartime Detroit on the radio — this day — 75 years ago.

Today, Motor City Radio Flashbacks highlights the first three hours (of 24 straight hours) of the D-Day radio broadcasts as was reported on CBS and NBC radio, Tuesday, June 6, 1944.

**Detroit Free Press** Wednesday, June 7, 1944

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NBC RADIO * Tuesday, June 6, 1944 * NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY

**D-DAY!** The landing at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France **June 6, 1944**

THE GAMES RESUMES 10/09/18: THE ’68 WORLD SERIES!

**Detroit Free Press** *Wednesday, October 9, 1968*

THE ’68 WORLD SERIES CONTINUES TOMORROW

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The ’68 World Series games heads back to St. Louis!

NBC Sports Radio covers Game 6 of the 1968 World Series — resuming October 9 on Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

Motor City Radio Flashbacks will feature the ’68 World Series’ finally Game 7 on October 10, when the series reverted back to Busch Stadium for the final two games, 10/1968.

The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

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50th! Reliving the 1968 World Series — as it happened — on Motor City Radio Flashbacks

THE GAMES RESUMES 10/05/18: THE ’68 WORLD SERIES!

**Detroit Free Press** *Saturday, October 5, 1968*

THE ’68 WORLD SERIES CONTINUES TOMORROW

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When the ’68 World Series games came home to Detroit!

NBC Sports Radio covers Game 3 of the 1968 World Series — resuming October 5 on Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

Motor City Radio Flashbacks will feature the ’68 World Series’ Game 4 on October 6 and Game 5 on October 7, when the games shifted back to Detroit for a three-game home stand, October 1968.

The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.

Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB home page.

On your mobile device? Tap on image. Open to second window. “Stretch” across the featured article to magnify largest print view.

50th! Reliving the 1968 World Series — as it happened — on Motor City Radio Flashbacks

07/27/67: LYNDON JOHNSON ADDRESSES THE NATION

PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON * NBC RADIO NETWORK (WWJ) * JULY 27, 1967

THE PRESIDENT’S REMARKS on CIVIL DISORDERS

Thursday, July 27, 1967

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At 10:30 p.m., on the night of July 27, 1967, President Johnson addressed the nation on all major television and radio networks on civil disorders.

In his speech, Johnson announced he appointed a special presidential advisory commission (Thursday), to seek causes and cures for the country’s racial divide — moving forward — in light of recent civil disturbances, riots having taken place in Newark, Detroit, and in cities elsewhere around the country.

Also in his remarks, the President designated, Sunday, July 30, as a ‘National Day of Prayer.’ Johnson urged, “citizens in every town and city in the land to go to their churches — to pray for order and reconciliation among men.”

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Commentary by NBC News’ Richard Volariani, Washington. The President’s remarks was broadcast live on NBC radio affiliate WWJ 950 in Detroit.

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Audio source from the Gordon Skene Collection.

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For more historic audio references like the audio above, visit Gordon Skene’s fabulous website at http://pastdaily.com/ You can also find the Past Daily link in our blogroll on Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

NBC NEWS. ON THIS DAY. 50 YEARS AGO