1952 in radio
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The year 1952 saw a number of significant happenings in
radio broadcasting Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...
history. __TOC__


Events

*17 February – An abridged version of
Samuel Beckett Samuel Barclay Beckett (; 13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, dramatist, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. His literary and theatrical work features bleak, impersonal and Tragicomedy, tr ...
's play '' Waiting for Godot'' is performed in the studio of the Club d'Essai de la Radio and broadcast on French radio, a year prior to its theatrical premiere. *4 March – The Courier, the first seagoing radio station, is dedicated by United States president
Harry Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...
. *21 March – The
Moondog Coronation Ball The Moondog Coronation Ball was a concert held at the Cleveland Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 21, 1952. It is generally accepted as the first major rock and roll concert. Background Alan Freed "had joined WJW Radioin 1951 as the host o ...
is hosted by star deejay
Alan Freed Albert James "Alan" Freed (December 15, 1921 – January 20, 1965) was an American disc jockey. He also produced and promoted large traveling concerts with various acts, helping to spread the importance of rock and roll music throughout Nor ...
and WJW (AM) in
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S ...
(modern-day
WKNR WKNR (850 AM) – branded as ''850 ESPN Cleveland'' – is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland. Owned by Good Karma Brands, WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio and the AM flags ...
) at the Cleveland Arena. Among those scheduled to perform at the event were Paul Williams and the Hucklebuckers, The Dominoes, Varetta Dillard and
Tiny Grimes Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes (July 7, 1916 – March 4, 1989) was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He was a member of the Art Tatum Trio from 1943 to 1944, was a backing musician on recording sessions, and later led his own bands, including a rec ...
, but only the Hucklebuckers are able to perform before the concert is shut down by officials. So many tickets were counterfeited that the 12,500 seat Arena now had ''25,000'' people in attendance, alarming Cleveland Police Capt. William Zimmerman, who stopped the show. A near riot ensues when close to 7,000 additional fans, unable to buy tickets, rush the gates and storm into the arena. Freed and WJW gain national attention and prestige, and the event is now universally recognized as the first
rock 'n roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
concert. *28 August – DXCC in
Cagayan de Oro Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
, Philippines officially signs on the air, and becomes the first radio station of what becomes known as
Radio Mindanao Network Radio Mindanao Network, Inc. (RMN), d.b.a. RMN Networks or RMN Network, is a Filipino media company based in Makati, Philippines. It is primarily involved is one of the largest radio networks. Its corporate office is located at the 4th Flo ...
.


Debuts

* 6 January – ''
Cafe Istanbul ''Cafe Istanbul'' is an old-time radio foreign intrigue and adventure program in the United States. It was broadcast on ABC January 6, 1952 - December 28, 1952. Format ''Mademoiselle Madou'' was the singer in Cafe Istanbul, a cabaret located som ...
'' debuts on ABC.Dunning, John. (1998). ''On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio''. Oxford University Press. . * 17 January – '' Bright Star'' (1951–3) debuts on MBS and
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
in syndication by the
Ziv Company Frederic W. Ziv Company (also given as Frederick W. Ziv Company) produced syndicated radio and television programs in the United States. Horace Newcomb's ''Encyclopedia of Television'' described the company as "by 1948 ... the largest packager and ...
. * 3 March – ''Whispering Streets'' (1952–1960) debuts on ABC. * 27 April – ''The Chase'' debuts on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
. * 8 June – ''Best Plays'' debuts on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
. * 8 June – '' December Bride'' debuts on CBS. * September –
KFMA KFMA (102.1 FM) is commercial radio station located in Tucson, Arizona, broadcasting to the Tucson, Arizona area. KFMA airs an active rock music format. It runs the week day jumpstart with Riley week mornings. KFMA has an ERP of 100,000 watts. ...
(1580 AM) of
Davenport, Iowa Davenport is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Iowa, United States. Located along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state, it is the largest of the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population of 384,324 and ...
signs on the air, with a power of 250 watts. It is the first station in the Quad-Cities market to broadcast
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
on a regular basis. * 29 October – ''Jason and the Golden Fleece'' debuts on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
.


Closings

*1 January – ''
The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. L ...
'' ends its run on network radio ( Mutual). *19 January – ''Chance of a Lifetime'' ends its run on network radio ( ABC). *1 February – '' Winner Take All'' ends its run on network radio ( CBS).Cox, Jim (2008). ''This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . *20 April – '' The Big Show'' ends its run on network radio (
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
). *13 June – ''
Mr. District Attorney ''Mr. District Attorney'' is a radio crime drama produced by Samuel Bischoff that aired on NBC and ABC from April 3, 1939 to June 13, 1952 (and in transcribed syndication through 1953). The series focused on a crusading district attorney initi ...
'' ends its run on ABC. *25 June – ''
Big Town ''Big Town'' is a popular long-running radio drama featuring a corruption-fighting newspaper editor initially played from 1937 to 1942 by Edward G. Robinson in his first radio role, with echoes of the conscience-stricken tabloid editor he had ...
'' ends its run on network radio ( CBS). *27 June – '' Against the Storm'' ends its run on network radio ( ABC). *27 June – ''
The Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...
'' ends its run on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
. It continues on CBS television until 2009. *27 June – ''
Mark Trail ''Mark Trail'' is a newspaper comic strip created by the American cartoonist Ed Dodd. Introduced April 15, 1946, the strip centers on environmental and ecological themes. As of 2020, King Features syndicated the strip to "nearly 150 newspap ...
'' ends its run on network radio ( ABC). *16 September – ''
The Mysterious Traveler ''The Mysterious Traveler'' was an anthology radio series, a magazine, and a comic book. All three featured stories which ran the gamut from fantasy and science fiction to straight crime dramas of mystery and suspense. Radio Written and direct ...
'' ends its run on network radio ( Mutual. *5 December – ''
The Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of med ...
'' ends its run on ABC. *26 December – '' Big Sister'' ends its run on network radio ( CBS). *26 December – ''
The Jack Smith Show ''The Jack Smith Show'' was a radio program of popular music in the United States. It was broadcast on CBS Aug. 21, 1945-Dec. 26, 1952. It first originated from New York, but production was moved to Hollywood in 1948 to allow more opportunities fo ...
'' ends its run on network radio ( CBS). *27 December – ''
Hopalong Cassidy Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of short stories and novels based on the character. Mulford portrayed the character as rude, dangerous, and rough-talking. He wa ...
'' ends its run on network radio (CBS Mountain States regional network). *28 December – ''Café Istanbul'' ends its run on network radio ( ABC). *30 December – ''
Defense Attorney A criminal defense lawyer is a lawyer (mostly barristers) specializing in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal activity. Some criminal defense lawyers are privately retained, while others are employed by the various ju ...
'' ends its run on network radio ( ABC).


Births

*5 February – Mark Fuhrman,
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
police detective, author and radio host *11 March **
Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series), BBC radio comedy, ''The H ...
,
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
writer (''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a 1978 radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, it ...
'') (died
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
)) ** James Fleet, English actor *12 March –
Chris Needs Christopher Needs, MBE (12 March 1954"Chris Needs" ''BBC Radio Wales'' May 2007 Needs said the song " Here in My Heart" by Al Martino was from the year he was born. – 26 July 2020) was a Welsh radio broadcaster, best known as a regular eve ...
, Welsh radio host (died
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
) *18 March –
Will Durst Will Durst (born on March 18, 1952) is an American political satirist. He has been called a modern mix of Mort Sahl and Will Rogers. Early life Durst was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He went to 14 different schools before graduating from ...
, American political satirist and comedian, radio host *22 March –
Bob Costas Robert Quinlan Costas (born March 22, 1952) is an American sportscaster who is known for his long tenure with NBC Sports, from 1980 through 2019. He has received 28 Emmy awards for his work and was the prime-time host of 12 Olympic Games from 19 ...
, American radio and television sportscaster *6 May – Fred Newman, American touring public radio sound effects man for ''
A Prairie Home Companion ''A Prairie Home Companion'' is a weekly radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor that aired live from 1974 to 2016. In 2016, musician Chris Thile took over as host, and the successor show was eventually renamed '' Live from ...
'', author of '' MouthSounds'' and actor *13 June –
Tony Bruno Anthony Joseph Bruno (born June 13, 1952) is an American sports talk radio host. He has worked for national American sports broadcasters including ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, Premiere, and Sporting News Radio. Early life His father served in ...
, American nationally syndicated sports radio
talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Sh ...
host, veteran of WIP and KNBR; presided over the launch of both
ESPN Radio ESPN Radio, which is alternately platform-agnostically branded as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN ...
and
Fox Sports Radio Fox Sports Radio is an American sports radio network. Based in Los Angeles, California, the network is operated and managed by Premiere Networks in a content partnership with Fox Corporation's Fox Sports division and iHeartMedia, parent compan ...
*5 July –
Hillbilly Jim James Morris (born July 5, 1952) is an American retired professional wrestler and current radio host, better known by his ring name, Hillbilly Jim. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1984 to 1991, ...
, American professional wrestler and radio host *13 July – Ricardo Boechat, Argentine-Brazilian journalist, anchor and radio announcer (died
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
) *8 August –
Robin Quivers Robin Ophelia Quivers (born August 8, 1952) is an American radio personality, author, and actress, best known for being the long-running co-host of ''The Howard Stern Show''. Early life Quivers was born on August 8, 1952, in Baltimore, Maryla ...
, African American radio personality (''
The Howard Stern Show ''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The show has aired on Howard 100 a ...
'') *10 December –
Clive Anderson Clive Stuart Anderson (born 10 December 1952) is an English television and radio presenter, comedy writer, and former barrister. Winner of a British Comedy Award in 1991, Anderson began experimenting with comedy and writing comedic scripts durin ...
, English broadcast presenter, comedy writer and barrister


Deaths

* 19 April – Steve Conway, British singer (b. 1920)


References

{{reflist Radio by year