1934 in radio explained

The year 1934 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.__TOC__

Events

• 1 January – In New Zealand, station 3YL Christchurch is opened.^[1]
• 14 January – The Lucerne Frequency Plan, reallocating long and short wave frequencies in Europe, comes into force.
• February – The government of France suppresses radio reporting of the Stavisky Riots.^[2]
• 26 March – In New Zealand, station 4YO Dunedin is opened.^[1]
• 1 April – NIROM (Nederlandsch-Indische Radio-omroepmaatschappij), the Dutch East Indies Radio Broadcasting Corporation, begins broadcasting from studios in Batavia and Surabaya.^[3]
• 6 May – "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 – Fireside chat: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt broadcasts a Review of the Achievements of the Seventy-third Congress.
• 1 July – The Federal Communications Commission is created, replacing the Federal Radio Commission in the United States.
• August – 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 – Fireside chat: On Moving Forward to Greater Freedom and Greater Security.
• 7 October – 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 – 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 – Radio Misr is launched in Egypt, the first radio station in the Arabic-speaking world.^[6]

Debuts

• 13 January – Al Pearce and His Gang debuts on NBC Blue.^[7]
• 10 March – Beatrice Fairfax debuts on NBC.^[8]
• 17 March – The Growth of a Poet (about John Masefield) is broadcast by the BBC in Belfast, Northern Ireland.^[9]
• 26 March – The Adventures of Frank Merriwell debuts on NBC.^[8]
• 16 April – Babe Ruth debuts on the Blue Network.^[8]
• April – Major Bowes Amateur Hour debuts on the New York City station WHN.
• 15 September – The Gibson Family debuts on NBC.^[8]
• 29 September – 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 – Hollywood Hotel debuts on CBS.^[8]
• 14 October – Lux Radio Theater debuts on NBC Blue for its first year, before moving to CBS for the remainder of its run.
• December – The first episode of Ovaltiney's Concert Party is broadcast, with Harry Hemsley and Gladys Young as presenters.^[10]

Endings

• 2 January – Blackstone Plantation ends its run on network radio (NBC).^[8]
• 25 February – The American Revue ends its run on network radio (CBS).^[8]
• 3 March – Tarzan of the Apes ends its run on WOR.^[11]
• 16 November – Bring 'Em Back Alive ends its run on network radio (Blue Network).^[8]
• 17 December – The Atwater Kent Hour ends its run on network radio (CBS).^[8]

Births

• 1 January – Alan Berg (died 1984), Denver-based liberal radio talk show host, previously an attorney.
• 30 January – Tammy Grimes (died 2016), American actress and singer, host of the final season of CBS Radio Mystery Theater.^[7]
• 4 March – John Dunn (died 2004), British radio presenter.
• 25 April – George Bogle, minister and religious broadcaster in Detroit, Michigan.
• 10 May – Gary Owens (died 2015), American radio host and voice actor.
• 5 June – Bryon Butler (died 2001), British radio football correspondent.
• 5 August – Gay Byrne (died 2019), Irish broadcaster.
• 18 December – Michael Freedland (died 2018), British journalist, biographer and broadcaster in London (You Don't Have To Be Jewish).

Deaths

• 8 June – Dorothy Dell, 19, US actress^[12]
• 28 July – Marie Dressler, 65, Canadian-born actress,^[13] whose 1933 birthday party, hosted by MGM, was broadcast live
• 30 August – Don Lee, 54, pioneer California broadcasting mogul.
• 10 September – George Henschel, 84, singer and pianist (a few months after his first radio performance as a singer)^[14]

Notes and References

1. Web site: An Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 1966. 7 September 2010. 12 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110612100847/http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/broadcasting-and-television/4. live.
2. Book: Anthony Adamthwaite. Grandeur And Misery: France's Bid for Power in Europe, 1914-1940. 4 March 2014. A&C Black. 978-1-4725-7802-0. 179. 22 December 2021. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222093724/https://books.google.com/books?id=lPPCAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT179. live.
3. Book: Sonic Modernities in the Malay World: A History of Popular Music, Social Distinction and Novel Lifestyles (1930s – 2000s). 9 January 2014. BRILL. 978-90-04-26177-8. 57. 22 December 2021. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222093724/https://books.google.com/books?id=0wUSBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA57. live.
4. Book: K. Somerville. Radio Propaganda and the Broadcasting of Hatred: Historical Development and Definitions. 31 August 2012. Springer. 978-1-137-28415-0. 170. 22 December 2021. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222093742/https://books.google.com/books?id=MkLPwvWmS_QC&pg=PT170. live.
5. Book: Stephen Lovell. Russia in the Microphone Age: A History of Soviet Radio, 1919-1970. 2015. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-872526-8. 93. 22 December 2021. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222093725/https://books.google.com/books?id=5NqmCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA93. live.
6. Book: Jeffreys, Andrew. The Report: Egypt 2013. 13 November 2013. Oxford Business Group. 978-1-907065-91-0. 268. 22 December 2021. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222093744/https://books.google.com/books?id=-dcVBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA268. live.
7. Cox, Jim (2008). This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History. McFarland & Company, Inc. .
8. Dunning, John. (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. .
9. Book: Matthew Feldman. Henry Mead. Erik Tonning. Broadcasting in the Modernist Era. 22 May 2014. A&C Black. 978-1-4725-1359-5. 24. 22 December 2021. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222093725/https://books.google.com/books?id=djJjAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA24. live.
10. Web site: Harry Hemsley. lambiek.net. 22 December 2021. 21 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190421215624/https://www.lambiek.net/artists/h/hemsley_harry.htm. live.
11. Book: Cox. Jim. Radio Crime Fighters: More Than 300 Programs from the Golden Age. 2002. McFarland. 9781476612270. 248–250. en. 22 December 2021. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222093725/https://books.google.com/books?id=gLzwCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA249. live.
12. "What Never Was Told About the Tragic Crash of Lovely Dorothy Dell", The Salt Lake Tribune, 12 August 1934, p. 7
13. News: Marie Dressler Loses Long Battle For Life. 29 July 1934. The Portsmouth Times. 1. 22 December 2021. 9 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609110851/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NoleAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qUsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4682,1570000&dq=marie+dressler+cancer&hl=en. live.
14. Book: George S. Bozarth. Johannes Brahms. Johannes Brahms and George Henschel. 2008. Harmonie Park Press. 978-0-89990-140-4. 22 December 2021. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222093727/https://books.google.com/books?id=MsEHAQAAMAAJ. live.