WJZ: New York’s First Station
The WJZ Radio
Project honors pioneer radio station
WJZ, whose call letters were used on radio from 1921 to 1953. Here is a
timeline of important events during the long history of the
1921—WJZ first licensed at unspecified frequency.
30, 1921—Westinghouse joins “Radio Trust” of patents held by
Electric, RCA and AT&T.
- July 2,
1921—RCA launches WJY as a one-day temporary station for a broadcast of
the Jack Dempsey/George Carpentier fight.
1921—Westinghouse constructs shack atop of its Newark, N.J.
manufacturing plant for WJZ. The 500-watt transmitter was a duplicate
of KDKA’s unit.
30, 1921—WJZ, Bound Brook, N.J., receives 360 meter license (License
#230, 833 kHz and later 660 kHz); anouncer Thomas H. Cowan borrows
phonograph from inventor Thomas A. Edison a day in advance of WJZ’s
- Oct. 1,
1921—Vincent Lopez’ band begins live WJZ
1921—WJZ opens New York City studios at the Waldorf-Astoria. Audio was
sent to Newark transmitter via Western Union telegrah lines because of
an internal battle with AT&T.
19, 1922—The first stage show for broadcast, “The Perfect Fool,” airs
on WJZ with Ed Wynn.
1922—Bertha Brainard, who became known as the “First Lady of Radio,”
begins WJZ series, “Broadcasting
Broadway,” offering reviews and
1922—Milton J. Cross hired as singer and anouncer at WJZ. His would
become a familiar radio voice.
Whiteman, “The King of Jazz,” begins broadcasts from
- May 15,
1923—Westinghouse turns WJZ over to RCA, to be operated jointly with a
new WJY in mid-New York from Aeolian Hall. The two stations would be
promoted as “Broadcast Central.”
part of one of the first network style links, linking to WRC.
1924—Federal Trade Commission cites as illegal the GE, Westinghouse,
RCA and AT&T pact.
1924—Dramatic shows, produced
by the WGY (Schenectady, N.Y.) Players,
aired over WJZ via Western Union lines. (WGY originated radio drama two
authorized to begin broadcasting 50,000 watts.
- July 7,
1926—GE, Westinghouse, RCA and AT&T resolve differences, leading to
the creation of the National Broadcasting Co. (NBC) NBC would be owned
by all except AT&T. AT&T would sell its New York station, WEAF,
to NBC for $1 million and retire from broadcasting.
15, 1926—NBC programs reach the air through a network of radio stations
coast-to-coast. Bertha Brainard (above)
of WJZ becomes program manager, while
WEAF salesman George McClelland becomes general manager.
- Jan. 1,
1927—NBC organized into two networks—Red and Blue—with WJZ feeding
the Blue Network of 5 stations and WEAF feeding the Red Network
22, 1927—Power increases to 45 kW.
- June 1,
1927—Power decreases to 30 kW.
11, 1928—Moves to 760 kHz at 25 kW + 5 kW experimental.
24, 1930—Licensee name changes to NBC.
- Nov. 3,
1932—Power increases to 50 kW.
21, 1932—Consent decree with Justice Department issued, leaving RCA and
NBC independent of GE and Westinghouse.
11, 1936—Application for 500 kW operation. Dismissed June 16, 1942.
29, 1941—Moves to 770 kHz.
10, 1944—NBC, after earlier being ordered to divest itself of one of
its networks, WJZ and the Blue Network were sold to Edward J. Noble.
Noble later buys the name American Broadcasting Co. (ABC) from smaller
- Feb. 9,
1953—American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres Inc. acquires WJZ.
1, 1953—call letters become WABC.
- Aug. 5,
1957—In rare instance of reverting back to an earlier three-letter
call, Westinghouse obtains permission to name Baltimore television
- May 10,
1982—Format changes to Talk Radio.
1986—Merged into CapCities/ABC.
owned by Disney.
courtesy of Barry Mishkind—Thanks!