1934.E2.80.931935: The launch of Mutual Mutual Broadcasting System

lum , abner, latter of whom seen in advertisement reaching can of horlick s. malted milk maker sponsored show during entire run on mutual. left mutual nbc blue after august 1935.

the 3 national radio networks in operation—the columbia broadcasting system , national broadcasting company s nbc red , nbc blue—were corporate controlled: programming produced network (or advertising agencies of program sponsors purchased airtime on network) , distributed affiliates, of independently owned. in contrast, mutual broadcasting system run true cooperative venture, programming produced , shared between group s members. majority of programming, wor , wgn, consisted of musical features , inexpensive dramatic serials. wor had witch s tale, horror anthology series hunner-an -thirteen-year-old narrator invited listeners douse [the] lights. draw fire gaze embers ...gaaaaze em deep!... ye ll across seas, in th jungle land of africa ... hear chantin , them savage drums? wgn contributed popular comedy series lum , abner. detroit s wxyz provided lone ranger, had debuted in 1933 , in demand. claimed mutual launched vehicle western serial, lum , abner no less popular @ time. wlw brought sheer power; billing nation s station, in may 1934 had begun night broadcasting @ massive 500,000 watts, ten times clear-channel standard.

on may 24, 1935, network aired inaugural live event—the first-ever night baseball game, between cincinnati reds , philadelphia phillies. in september, wxyz dropped out join nbc blue, though contractual obligations kept lone ranger on mutual, airing 3 times week, through spring 1942. hole in detroit market filled cklw in windsor, ontario, across river. in october, network began decades-long run broadcaster of baseball s world series, airtime responsibilities shared between wgn s bob elson , quin ryan , wlw s red barber (nbc , cbs carried series year; fall classic air on 3 networks through 1938). mutual broadcast first notre dame football game autumn well, beginning relationship last decades. income-generating business, mutual network modest endeavor @ start: in first eleven months of 1935, cooperative garnered $1.1 million in advertising, compared nbc s $28.3 million , cbs s $15.8 million.