1960s.E2.80.931970s: Narrowed focus Mutual Broadcasting System

advertisement mutual black network, featuring dr. martin luther king jr. , poet nikki giovanni

in spring of 1960, 3m company stepped in, purchasing mutual , restoring much-needed stability operation. despite recent scandal, mutual still had 443 affiliates, of network. time, historian jim cox describes, both mutual , abc had largely wiped slates clean of of network programming—save news , sporting events , few long-running features . characterize mutual s essential approach next 3 , half decades, through further series of ownership changes.

in july 1966, 3m sold network privately held company, mutual industries, inc., headed john p. fraim. upon mutual industries s acquisition of mutual, renamed mutual broadcasting corporation . following month, after death of mutual stalwart fulton lewis jr., son fulton lewis iii took on monday-to-friday, 7 p.m. slot. when abc radio split 4 demographically targeted networks on january 1, 1968, mutual unsuccessfully sued block move. meanwhile, network undergoing management instability, frequent changes @ top: example, matthew j. culligan mutual s president october 1966 june 1968. replaced robert r. pauley, came on american broadcasting company s radio division, had served president 7 years. pauley lasted year, , resigned after clashes board on need cost-cutting, , other decisions disagreed. replacement victor c. diehm, owner of several mutual-affiliated radio stations , active on mutual affiliates advisory council. diehm did not remain in position of mutual s president long. 4 years later, replaced new president, former miami radio executive named c. edward little. under little, mutual began own niche programming services, taking advantage, abc, of prevailing fcc requirement radio stations, of whatever primary format, regularly air news , public affairs (a responsibility eliminated in 1980s).

in 1967, ohio businessman daniel h. overmeyer looked start own tv network, , sought merger mutual; offer rebuffed, 3 mutual stockholders joined eleven other investors buy overmyer s hookup , rename united network. net (and offering, las vegas show ) folded after month on air. on may 1, 1972, network launched mutual black network (mbn) , mutual cadena hispánica (aka mutual spanish network); each provided 100 five-minute-long news , sports capsules week, along other programming. while spanish-language service last 6 months, 1974 mbn had 98 affiliates. spun off , acquired sheridan broadcasting corporation, leading creation of american urban radio networks. additional targeted services, such mutual southwest network , mutual lifestyle radio, followed mutual.

in 1970s, mutual began using distinctive mutualert network cue tones, or bee-doops called. these tones retained westwood 1 several years after mutual s demise in 1999. on september 30, 1977, amway bought network. after purchase, mutual began developing become first nationwide commercial broadcast satellite network, leading end of decades of reliance on telephone lines broadcast industry s transmission capacity. in 1979, amway purchased wcfl chicago federation of labor. first time, network had been founded radio stations directly controlled station of own, , in 1 of country s largest markets. mutual reached greatest number of affiliates year—950. fewer abc, multipronged approach had proven successful, far in front of nbc , cbs. appeared amway ready pose major challenge industry leaders.

programming: rise of call-in talk show

one of few primary network programs outside of news , sports mutual initiated during era became 1 of successful in history: first nationwide, all-night call-in radio program, launched on november 3, 1975, herb jepko host. jepko, had run telephone talk show out of ksl in salt lake city years, determinedly avoided controversy callers talked weather lived. jepko briefly succeeded long john nebel, before mutual tapped local talk show host @ wiod in miami. larry king made national debut on mutual on january 30, 1978; 1980, show being carried around 200 stations , credited attracting many new affiliates network. king continued mutual call-in show until 1994, after began appearing on cnn television in 1985. 1970 through 1977, mutual national radio broadcaster monday night football.