1934 in radio
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The year 1934 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.
Events
- 1 January â In New Zealand, station 3YL Christchurch is opened.[1]
- 14 January â The Lucerne Frequency Plan, reallocating long and short wave frequencies in Europe, comes into force.
- February â The government of France suppresses radio reporting of the Stavisky Riots.[2]
- 26 March â In New Zealand, station 4YO Dunedin is opened.[1]
- 1 April â NIROM (Nederlandsch-Indische Radio-omroepmaatschappij), the Dutch East Indies Radio Broadcasting Corporation, begins broadcasting from studios in Batavia and Surabaya.[3]
- 6 May â "Day of the Saar": all Germany's radio stations broadcast propaganda material aiming to influence the result of the 1935 Saar status referendum.[4]
- 28 June â Fireside chat: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt broadcasts a Review of the Achievements of the Seventy-third Congress.
- 1 July â The Federal Communications Commission is created, replacing the Federal Radio Commission in the United States.
- August â At the first congress of the Union of Soviet Writers, several of the union's most prominent figures, such as Alexander Serafimovich and Marietta Shaginyan, comment on the merits of radio as a medium for writers.[5]
- 30 September â Fireside chat: On Moving Forward to Greater Freedom and Greater Security.
- 7 October â In the United Kingdom, the new high-power longwave transmitter at Droitwich takes over from Daventry 5XX as the main station radiating the BBC National Programme.
- 10 December â WJBO is relocated from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and relaunched as WJBO 1150AM.
- EKCO introduces its distinctive round bakelite radio cabinets in the United Kingdom.
- date unknown â Radio Misr is launched in Egypt, the first radio station in the Arabic-speaking world.[6]
Debuts
- 7 January â Herbert W. Armstrong's Radio Church of God The World Tomorrow broadcast (title adopted later) debuts on KORE in Eugene, Oregon (1934â1994).
- 13 January â Al Pearce and His Gang debuts on NBC Blue.[7]
- 10 March â Beatrice Fairfax debuts on NBC.[8]
- 17 March â The Growth of a Poet (about John Masefield) is broadcast by the BBC in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[9]
- 26 March â The Adventures of Frank Merriwell debuts on NBC.[8]
- 16 April â Babe Ruth debuts on the Blue Network.[8]
- April â Major Bowes Amateur Hour debuts on the New York City station WHN.
- 15 September â The Gibson Family debuts on NBC.[8]
- 29 September â The Quality Network cooperative is reorganized and renamed the Mutual Broadcasting System. The stations participating in the co-op, all serving as part-owners, include WOR-New York (Bamberger Broadcasting Service/Macy's), WGN-Chicago (Chicago Tribune), WLW-Cincinnati (Crosley Broadcasting Corporation) and WXYZ-Detroit (Kunsky-Trendle Broadcasting).
- 5 October â Hollywood Hotel debuts on CBS.[8]
- 14 October â Lux Radio Theater debuts on NBC Blue for its first year, before moving to CBS for the remainder of its run.
- December â The first episode of Ovaltiney's Concert Party is broadcast, with Harry Hemsley and Gladys Young as presenters.[10]
Endings
- 2 January â Blackstone Plantation ends its run on network radio (NBC).[8]
- 25 February â The American Revue ends its run on network radio (CBS).[8]
- 3 March â Tarzan of the Apes ends its run on WOR.[11]
- 16 November â Bring 'Em Back Alive ends its run on network radio (Blue Network).[8]
- 17 December â The Atwater Kent Hour ends its run on network radio (CBS).[8]
Births
- 1 January â Alan Berg (died 1984), Denver-based liberal radio talk show host, previously an attorney.
- 30 January â Tammy Grimes (died 2016), American actress and singer, host of the final season of CBS Radio Mystery Theater.[7]
- 4 March â John Dunn (died 2004), British radio presenter.
- 25 April â George Bogle, minister and religious broadcaster in Detroit, Michigan.
- 10 May â Gary Owens (died 2015), American radio host and voice actor.
- 5 June â Bryon Butler (died 2001), British radio football correspondent.
- 5 August â Gay Byrne (died 2019), Irish broadcaster.
- 18 December â Michael Freedland (died 2018), British journalist, biographer and broadcaster in London (You Don't Have To Be Jewish).
Deaths
- 8 June â Dorothy Dell, 19, US actress[12]
- 28 July â Marie Dressler, 65, Canadian-born actress,[13] whose 1933 birthday party, hosted by MGM, was broadcast live
- 30 August â Don Lee, 54, pioneer California broadcasting mogul.
- 10 September â George Henschel, 84, singer and pianist (a few months after his first radio performance as a singer)[14]