Today in Broadcast History

This was the date that Canadian content music quotas first came into effect for AM radio stations. Victoria’s second radio station CKDA started broadcasting, some 27 years after the first station debuted. Lee Majors’ starring vehicle, ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’ premiered on ABC-TV. And prolific producer Norman Lear scored yet another sitcom spinoff as ‘The Jeffersons’ (as pictured) debuted on CBS-TV. ALL the milestones for Jan. 18th INSIDE.

A full page newspaper ad heralded C-FUN AM1410’s move to 1900 West 4th Avenue. Robert Blake starred as ‘Baretta’ debuted on ABC-TV. The journalistic series ‘Frontline’ made its first appearance on PBS. And after 29 years on the air, Phil Donahue (pictured) announced that his syndicated talk show would end at the end of the season. ALL the milestones for Jan. 17th INSIDE.

The pioneering sci-fi series ‘The Outer Limits’ aired for the final time on ABC-TV. CBS-TV’s Ed Sulllivan Show featured songs by Mike Douglas and The Lettermen, with comedy by impressionist Frank Gorshin, and Vancouver’s Mimi Hines teamed with husband Phil Ford. Five years after he retired polls declared CBS anchorman emeritus Walter Cronkite to STILL be the ‘most trusted man in America.’ And America’s 6th network UPN (Universal-Paramount Network) began telecasting. ALL the milestones for Jan. 16th INSIDE.

CKNW moved its studios from downtown New Westminster to a former Safeway location at 815 McBride Boulevard. Saskatchewan-born Art Linkletter (pictured) introduced his longrunning (22 years) daytime hit ‘House Party’ on CBS radio. Ed Sullivan insisted that the Rolling Stones change the lyrics of their hit ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’ or they’d be banned from his CBS-TV Sunday night showcase. And Gene Shalit started his 37-year career as movie critic on NBC-TV’s ‘Today Show.’ ALL the milestones for Jan. 15th INSIDE.

63 years ago today, NBC-TV aired the premiere ediition of the longrunning ‘Today Show,’ hosted by the legendary Dave Garroway (pictured). ‘The Bionic Woman’ starring Lindsay Wagner debuted on ABC-TV, while ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ started its run on CBS. David Letterman announced his pending departure from NBC, and then 7 years later to the date underwent emergency open heart surgery. ALL the milestones for Jan. 14th INSIDE.

After more than 13 years on ABC-TV’s daytime schedule ‘Ryan’s Hope’ aired its final episode. The ‘made-in Canada’ action series ‘La Femme Nikita’ debuted on the USA cable channel. And we lost two luminaries of early CBC television as comedian Frank Shuster and news anchor Earl Cameron died. ALL the milestones for Jan. 13th INSIDE.

‘Sam ‘n’ Henry,’ the local Chicago series that set the pattern for the legendary national radio hit, ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy’ debuted on WGN. Another Chicago origination, the hit children’s puppet show ‘Kukla Fran & Ollie’ had its premiere on NBC-TV. The live-action (Pow! Zonk!) ‘Batman’ series debuted on ABC-TV. And ‘All in the Family’ episode 1 was seen on CBS, featuring TV’s first toilet flush. ALL the milestones for Jan. 12th INSIDE!

Lloyd Bridges starred for the first time in his syndicated TV action hit “Sea Hunt.” 16 years later on this date, ‘Love American Style’ aired for the final time on ABC-TV. And 8 years later, CBC Television moved the National News up an hour to 10 pm, followed by ‘The Journal’ hosted by the incredible Barbara Frum. ALL the milestones for Jan. 11th INSIDE.

NBC-TV aired the pilot for a US version of a hit BBC satirical news show, ‘That Was the Week that Was,’ with David Frost hosting as he had in the UK. It quickly became a weekly series. 56 years ago Canada’s comedy team Wayne & Schuster guest-hosted on CBS-TV’s ‘Ed Sullivan Show’ and performed a Professor Von Gartner skit. And 45 years ago today the first-ever episode of ‘Masterpiece Theatre’ aired on PBS, with Alistair Cooke (pictured) as on-screen host. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Eleven months before the sneak attack on Pearl Harbour, CBS demonstrated small screen color television. Clint Eastwood (pictured) began his ascent of the star ladder as the western series ‘Rawhide’ had its premiere on CBS-TV. And the ethnic sitcom ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’ debuted on CBC-TV. ALL the milestones for Jan. 9th INSIDE.