Today in Broadcast History

IT WAS JUNE 17th ..when NBC’s WNBT-TV, channel 4 in New York City, was granted the first construction permit to operate a commercial TV station in the United States… When ‘Suspense,’ radio’s outstanding theatre of thrills, began its 20-year run on CBS… When Seattle’s KOL-FM 94.1 switched from automated background music to “Progressive Rock”… When Vancouver’s CKWX (now News1130) moved to new studios at 2440 Ash Street… ..and when “The Discovery Channel” first appeared on U.S. cable systems. First program was “Iceberg Alley.” ALL the milestones for June 17th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 16th .. when the first network TV news aired in the US on Dumont’s “News from Washington”… When the great Dave Garroway was fired as host of NBC-TV's 'Today Show'.... When the sitcom ‘My Little Margie’ debuted on CBS-TV… When the Vancouver-filmed TV series 'The Dead Zone" debuted on the USA cable channel ... When “The Dean Martin Summer Show” featuring the comedy team of Rowan & Martin, debuted on NBC-TV… ..and when the CRTC authorized the XM & Sirius satellite subscription-based radio/music services for Canadian consumers. ALL the milestones for the date

IT WAS JUNE 15th .. when the first-ever radio broadcast of live music took place from Chelmsford, England, featuring Australian soprano Dame Nellie Melba… When the rural TV comedy/musical show “Hee Haw” with Roy Clark, Buck Owens & Canadian Don Harron, premiered on CBS… When Rev. David Mainse broadcast the first “100 Huntley Street” program out of its studios at the said address in downtown Toronto… ..and when 83-year-old Bob Barker’s final appearance as emcee of CBS TV’s”The Price Is Right” aired. He had hosted the game show for 35 years! ALL the milestones for June 15th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 14th … when a U.S. President was heard on the radio for the first time. President Warren G. Harding dedicated the Francis Scott Key Memorial and was heard on Baltimore’s WEAR … When “The Happy Gang” troupe of musicians, led by Bert Pearl, made their first broadcast on station CRCT, the C-B-C flagship station in Toronto. It became a NATIONAL listening habit 4 months later… When after 12 years Harold Peary played the role of 'The Great Gildersleeve' on NBC radio for the last time … When Toronto's CHUM Radio published its final hit music chart ... ..and when NBC-TV’s action-adventure series “A Team,” aired for the last time. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 10th … when Ed Sullivan’s 19th Anniversary Show on CBS-TV featured Spanky & Our Gang with their big hit, “Sunday Will Never Be the Same”…. When Gary Lewis and the Playboys (pictured) performed their biggest hit “This Diamond Ring” on NBC-TV’s “Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.” When the TV horror anthology series “Tales From The Crypt” aired the first of its 93 episodes on US cable channel HBO… ..and when the quirky TV serial drama “Twin Peaks” (the original series) aired for the final time on ABC. ALL the milestones for June 10th INSIDE.

In 1915, one of the most influential guitarists in pop music history, Les Paul was born. In 1958, “The Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley topped the singles charts and stayed there for 6 weeks. Chilliwack’s CHWK AM1270 received approval to flip to FM.. in 2017, Glen Campbell‘s (pictured) 64th and final album “Adios” was released.  He would be dead two months later.

IT WAS JUNE 8th .. in the earliest experimental days of television when WGY-TV in Schenectady, NY revamped its regular program schedule. While continuing to broadcast three days a week, there were only two times each day that viewers could watch TV: 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. and 11:30 to Midnight… It was a different June 8th …..when ‘Lassie’ debuted on ABC radio. It was a 15-minute show about an extraordinary collie… When the future ‘Mr. Television’ Milton Berle made his debut as host of NBC-TV’s ‘Texaco Star Theatre’…. When Saskatoon radio listeners were first treated to programming from CKOM … ..and when the show that introduced us to John Travolta, “Welcome Back, Kotter” aired its final episode on ABC TV. ALL the milestones for June 8th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 7th … when NBC radio presented The Lux Radio Theatre for the final time. For almost all of its 21 years it had brightened the CBS Radio schedule … When children’s puppet show stars Kukla, Fran Allison and Ollie (at right), along with the Boston Pops Orchestra, were stars of the first network TV broadcast shown in “compatible color”… When the “Johnny Cash Show” debuted as a summer series on ABC-TV … ..and when bandleader Ricky Minor jumped from FOX-TV to NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” replacing Kevin Eubanks. ALL the milestones for June 7th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 6th … in fact D-Day on the beaches of Normandy 76 years ago today, when 44-year-old Toronto Star reporter Gordon Sinclair (pictured) began a daily series of popular broadcasts on CFRB Radio, that continued until his death… When CBC TV aired the first program in the long-running news-panel show “Front Page Challenge.” It continued for 38 years… When after 23 years The Ed Sullivan Show left CBS-TV. Gladys Knight & The Pips and singer Jerry Vale appeared on the final show… ..and when CHUM 1050 Toronto, the station with North America’s longest-running hit record chart, abandoned its Top-40 format for a mixture of soft rock and oldies. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 4th …. when NBC-TV’s “The Monkees” won an Emmy award for outstanding comedy series. When ABC-TV’s “Bobby Sherman TV Special” aired, featuring guest performers The 5th Dimension… When the final episode of “The Waltons” aired on CBS TV, though six TV movies followed over the next 15 years … When the CBC’s prairie radio powerhouse CBK AM 540 lost its transmission tower in a severe windstorm … .. and when the final episode of the sitcom “Married With Children” aired on FOX. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.