1944 in radio

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2007)

The year 1944 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.

Events

• 11 January: Fireside chat: State of the Union Message to Congress.
• 28 March: New York City radio station WQXR (now WQEW) bans singing commercials from being broadcast on its station.
• 30 April: (Six days before D-Day) The American Broadcasting Station in Europe (ABSIE) is established, transmitting from the United Kingdom in English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, and Norwegian to resistance movements in mainland Europe.
• 5 June: Fireside chat: On the Fall of Rome.
• 12 June: Fireside chat: Opening Fifth War Loan Drive (last fireside chat).
• 25 July: The New York Times acquires the Interstate Broadcasting Company, parent of WQXR (now WQEW) and WQXQ-FM (later WQXR; frequency is now home to WXNY) from John V. L. Hogan for $1 million American dollars. The Times would program the AM station until December 1998, and own the FM station until October 2009.

Debuts

• 25 January: The black maid character Beulah, played by Marlin Hurt, debuts on Fibber McGee and Molly. In 1945, Beulah received her own spin-off show.
• 7 March: Columbia Presents Corwin, hosted by Norman Corwin, debuts on CBS.
• 8 October: The radio show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet debuts.

Closings

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Births

• 7 January: Jim Bohannon, television and radio personality and nationally syndicated talk show host
• 28 March: Rick Barry, former NBA player and broadcaster
• 24 August: Mike Barnicle, long-time newspaper writer and radio personality based in Boston
• 24 October: Dr. Joy Browne, radio psychologist syndicated by the WOR Radio Network.
• Christine Craft, radio talk show host and former television anchorperson.

Deaths

• 16 November: Boake Carter, 45, American news commentator in the 1930s and early 1940s.

This article related to radio is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e