Columns

Baseball’s Jackie Robinson (pictured) signed a contract with NBC’s New York radio & TV stations as Director of Community Activities, thus becoming the first black broadcast executive. Elvis Presley made his second appearance on CBS-TV’s ‘Dorsey Brothers Stage Show.’ ABC-TV aired a 25th anniversary salute to Dick Clark’s ‘American Bandstand.’ And Katie Couric’s “All Access Grammy Special” aired on CBS-TV, featuring interviews with Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Lil Wayne and Taylor Swift. ALL the milestones for Feb. 4th INSIDE.

The third of WXYZ Detroit’s kids radio adventure shows ‘Challenge of the Yukon’ debuted… for a Michigan audience only. The comedy team of Abbott and Costello (pictured) joined the cast of CBS radio’s ‘Kate Smith Hour.’ The mischievous chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs became a regular on NBC-TV’s ‘Today Show.’ And Vancouver radio station C-ISL got the okay to move down the AM dial from 940 to 650 KHz and increase power to 10,000 watts. ALL the milestones for Feb. 3rd INSIDE.

This was the date 67 years ago when both ‘Private Secretary’ (with Ann Sothern) and ‘General Electric Theatre’ (hosted by Ronald Reagan) debuted on CBS-TV. The date when 26-year-old Toronto-born Peter Jennings (pictured) became anchorman at ABC News for the first time. The TV mini-series that introduced Nick Nolte, ‘Rich Man Poor Man’ began on ABC. And 38 years ago today NBC-TV’s ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ debuted in the hour following Johnny Carson. ALL the milestones for Feb. 1st INSIDE.

This was the date ‘The Lone Ranger’ aired for the first time, from Detroit’s WXYZ radio. Vancouver got its second TV station (first privately-owned) in CHAN, now known as Global TV. NBC-TV introduced the anthology series ‘Robert Montgomery Presents’; the hour-long show would continue for 8 years. Kevin Eubanks took over the band on Jay Leno’s ‘Tonight Show,’ while Kevin Newman left ABC News for Vancouver and the ‘Global National’ anchor slot. And Mutual radio began airing ‘The Larry King Show’ from midnight to 5:30 am Eastern. ALL the milestones for Jan. 30th INSIDE.

Victoria’s former CJVI (AM900) changed from playing Top 40 music to the ‘Jack FM’ format, ‘playing what we want’ on 103.1 MHz. .On this day in 1999, veteran CKNW beat reporter George Garrett retired after 43 years in radio. A very sad departure for investigation journalism. Like our friend Harvey Oberfeld he is retired. These two are the investigative journalists we desperately need today.

Garry Moore (pictured) was the MC as ‘Beat the Band’ debuted on NBC Radio. The very first Emmy Awards were handed out in Los Angeles. The zany ‘Goon Show’ ended its 9-year run on BBC Radio. ‘Barnaby Jones’ starring Buddy Ebsen began its 8 season run on CBS-TV. Correspondent/anchor Roger Mudd left NBC News after seven stormy years. And ‘Fantasy Island’ began its 6-year-long Saturday night run on ABC-TV. All the milestones for Jan. 28th INSIDE.

The highbrow drama series ‘CBS Radio Workshop’ debuted on the radio network. Much lower on the intellectual scale was the debut of the ABC-TV sitcom ‘Davis Rules’ featuring Jonathan Winters. Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Senor Wences headlined CBS-TV’s “Ed Sullivan Show.’ The hour-long ‘Singalong with Mitch’ began its 3-year run on NBC-TV. And two decades later the sitcom ‘Laverne & Shirley’ (pictured) debuted on ABC-TV. ALL the milestones for Jan. 27th INSIDE.

Abe Vigoda, whose leathery, sad-eyed face joined the cast of Barney Miller. In 2013 Adam Levine of Maroon 5 made his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live. Voice actor Len Carlson died after a heart attack at age 68 Len was the voice of Kraft. In 2004, Mel Cooper sold his Victoria radio stations, CFAX and Virgin to CHUM .

America’s first transcontinental telephone service. with Alexander Graham Bell took place. Elvis Presley‘s “Jailhouse Rock” became the first song to debut on the U.K. pop chart at Number One. Apple Studios in London The Beatles recorded “Let It Be,” CHUM announced it was buying CHQM AM and FM from Jack Stark, subject to CRTC approval. in 1995, CNN viewers saw the defense’s opening statement at the murder trial of O.J.Simpson (Pictured).

longtime Chicago baseball announcer Jack Brickhouse was born in Peoria Illinois. Benny Goodman and his Orchestra recorded one of the all-time big band greats, “Stompin’ at the Savoy”, CKWX AM 980 radio opened its new 5,000 watt transmitter on Lulu Island, Canadian broadcaster and author Peter Gzowski (Pictured)died on this day in 2002. Country singer Lynn Anderson was arrested for shoplifting. Birthday Milestone and Much More Inside