by Delmer Padgett

Created on: May 10, 2010   Last Updated: May 12, 2010

In radio's early years local stations began broadcasting independently and produced all of their own programming. The oldest station is often credited too be KCBS of San Francisco which began a regular broadcast schedule in 1909. After a time stations started sharing programming with each other and this led too the formation of networks of stations.

The grandfather of all networks had its beginnings in 1919 when one of the General Electric Companies subsidarys, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) bought out the Marconi Wireless Telegraph company of America which at that time was the only business that handled transatlantic broadcasts. RCA picked David Sarnoff to head its new venture and he would lead it successfully for over fifty years. In the mid-twenties RCA created a separate division for its radio network and called it the National Broadcasting Company, (NBC). By the late 1930s NBC had grown to an enormous size and operated two separate networks of stations, the NBC Red and Blue networks.

Also in the mid 1920s businessman William S. Paley bought up several local radio stations, at first with the aim of advertising the family Tobacco companies products. In a short time the new radio network grew to overshadow this business and the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) was born. Paley attracted great amounts of advertising revenue by giving wider exposure to products over the entire network of stations, instead of local products on local stations as was NBC's practice. CBS also began the innovation of providing free programming too its affiliates in exchange for a guarantee of a certain portion of their schedule. CBS soon became NBC's chief competition and the latter started to follow both of these proven practices.

In 1934 another network was created when four privately owned major market stations decided to band together and form the Mutual Broadcasting System, these stations were; WLW-Cincinnati, WOR-New York City, WGN-Chicago and WXYZ-Detroit. Unlike the other major networks Mutual never had central ownership of its stations. Each of the four major stations led by WXYZ produced their own programs and shared with the rest of the network. With hits like; "The Shadow", "The Lone Ranger" and "The Green Hornet" Mutual was a huge success and at one time was the largest of the big four radio networks.

In 1943, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) fearing monopolies, forced NBC to sell off one of its networks. It sold NBC Blue to Life Savers Candy Company owner Edward J. Noble and the following year he formed the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). ABC would reside in the ratings cellar during the rest of radios golden age, a spot it wouldn't climb out of till the the late 1970's when it finally became the number one rated television network.

Network radios popularity began to wane in the 1950s with the advent of television. The golden age of radio ended in September 1962 when CBS pulled the plug on its last two dramatic shows; "Suspense" and "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar". The Mutual network simply dissolved itself in the early 1960s and its stations became independents once again. NBC, CBS and ABC sold off most of their stations and concentrated on television. The age of the great radio networks was at an end. 

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