Columns

IT WAS JULY 25th … when the Canadian Marconi Company made the first trans-Atlantic two-way radio broadcast from Signal Hill, Newfoundland, to the S-S “Victoria” 1200 miles away… When 2XAG in Schenectady, NY (later known as WGY) became the first radio station in the U.S. to broadcast with a 50,000-watt transmitter…. When in pre-WWII New York City TV station W2XBS presented television’s first musical comedy. The show was Topsy and Eva …. ..and when NBC-TV’s “Midnight Special” featured songs by Neil Sedaka, Janis Ian, Jessi Colter, and Kraftwerk. Hostess for the week was Helen Reddy (pictured). ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 24th .. when U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (pictured) stopped in the middle of his 4th ‘Fireside Chat’ on national radio and asked for a glass of water, which he then sipped… When the melodramatic serial “Romance of Helen Trent” debuted on US midwest regional radio before becoming a CBS network staple three months later, and running daily for the next 27 years!… When NBC correspondent Edwin Newman became news anchor of the TV network’s ‘Today Show’…. ..and when the independent sales of three BC radio stations.. CJAT Trail. CJAV Port Alberni, and CKAY Duncan .. were approved by the CRTC. ALL the milestones for July 24th INSIDE.

Jodi Krangle knows audio. She's a long-time VO talent with a voice as smooth as melted butter, and the host of her own podcast, Audio Branding.

This October will be 10 years of Canadaland. Jesse Brown joins me to talk about his short time in radio working for the CBC, and why he started his podcast.

IT WAS JULY 8th … when Storer Broadcasting Company purchased WINS radio in New York City for $10 million, the highest price paid for a radio station to that time… When “The Everly Brothers Show” was launched on ABC-TV as a summer series, replacing Johnny Cash… When the final episode of “Mr. Belvedere” aired on ABC TV… …and when the televised Iran-Contra hearings made Lt. Col. Oliver North (pictured) a daytime TV star, outrating the serials and the game shows. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 7th .. when ‘Flashgun Casey’ debuted on CBS radio. It evolved into ‘Casey, Crime Photographer’ and ran for 12 years!.. When ‘Escape’ (pictured) was heard for the first time on CBS. The critically-acclaimed anthology series continued on an erratic and largely sponsorless schedule (18 different time slots!) through 1954… When Jack Webb’s ‘Dragnet’ was first heard on NBC radio. The program was the first to dramatize cases from actual police files… ..and when a live summer replacement for Dinah Shore, “The Eddy Arnold Show” debuted on NBC-TV. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE

IT WAS JULY 6th … when Canadian soprano Sarah Fischer sang 30 minutes of excerpts from Carmen in the first opera telecast by the BBC… When following on years in supporting radio roles with Rudy Vallee, Paul Whiteman and Edgar Bergen, Judy Canova (pictured) began her own weekly comedy-and-music show on CBS… When a hidden microphone eavesdropped on unsuspecting people for the first time, as Candid Microphone hit the ABC radio airwaves. Allen Funt was the host… When Garrison Keeler's 'A Prairie Home Companion' had its premiere on National Public Radio .... ..and when Karen & Richard Carpenter hosted the debut of their summer series, 'Make Your Own Kind of Music', on NBC-TV. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 5th … when Ann Southern starred on CBS Radio as “Maisie” for the first time, beginning a six-year run …. When “My Favorite Husband”, starring Lucille Ball (pictured), debuted on CBS Radio, laying the groundwork for the redhead’s later superstardom on TV… When Fred Davis, the longtime host of CBC-TV's ‘Front Page Challenge’ passed away at age 74 … When Anne Murray hosted “The Midnight Special” on NBC-TV, singing five songs including “You Won’t See Me,” “Robbie’s Song For Jesus” and “He Thinks I Still Care”…. ..and when the pilot episode of the landmark TV comedy”Seinfeld” aired on NBC. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was the date the 1st million-dollar prizefight (Jack Dempsey vs. Georges Carpentier) aired on US radio. “The Aldrich Family,” “The Adventures of the Thin Man” and the satire of “Bob and Ray” had their premieres on NBC radio. Morning radio star Arthur Godfrey (pictured) signed to host a weekly prime time CBS show. Lawrence Welk debuted his new dance show on ABC-TV. Elvis recorded “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel,” Dean Martin recorded “Houston,” and Andy Williams recorded “Canadian Sunset.” Obits on July 2nd include James Stewart, Betty Grable, Lee Remick, Fred Gwynne and Jan Murray. Details of all the anniversaries for this date INSIDE

IT WAS JUNE 30th … when CBS-TV debuted “The Guiding Light,” a daytime serial that had been on radio already for 15 years. Over the next 57 years it would become TV’s alltime longest running drama … When CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show featured The Everly Brothers singing their debut hit “Bye Bye Love”… When “The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour,” starring Jack Burns & Avery Schreiber debuted as a 10-week summer replacement series on ABC TV… ..and when Richmond (BC)’s CISL moved up the dial from 940 to 650 KHz. It is now branded Sportsnet 650. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE