Chain broadcasting

Original broadcasting chains in the United States

Chain Broadcasting is the act of connecting two or more radio stations of a broadcast network to broadcast the same program at the same time.[1]

AT&T starts chain broadcasting

AT&T or American Telephone and Telegraph started the first radio network with the ability to link radio stations through telephone lines. To begin with, AT&T owned the network WEAF in New York City. AT&T started the network in 1921 due to its interest in testing the development of radio technology. The station had a variety of regularly scheduled programs which included sponsorships (not called advertising at the time). Due to the great success of WEAF, many other stations across the US longed to "chain" the programming. Thus, AT&T began sharing programs across stations.[2]

The Radio Corporation of America or RCA, in an effort to compete, started modeling AT&T’s network idea, but this proved difficult because RCA had to lease the phone lines from AT&T ultimately creating a conflict of interest. The Federal Trade Commission intervened and charged AT&T with anti-trust violations. AT&T recanted the idea.

AT&T decided to promote its most profitable business, telephones, and in 1926, AT&T sold their broadcasting interests to RCA. At the time, RCA was the only real competition. RCA purchased the network with the agreement to lease AT&T’s phone lines. Only one other competitor, Western Union telegraph company, used the network scheme with a downgraded quality.[3]

NBC Red and NBC Blue

After acquiring WEAF in 1926, RCA created the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and operated the two networks side by side. However, a year after, RCA split the two and created NBC Red, with WEAF as the originating station (plus WGR, WTIC, WTAG, WEEI, WJAR, WZAN, WFI-WLIT, WCAE, WRC, WTAM, WSAI, WWJ, WGN, WOC, KSD, WDAF, WCCO), and NBC Blue with WJZ as its originating station (plus WBZ, WBZA, KYW, KDKA). It has been said that the color designations came from red and blue push pins used on a map that AT&T’s people originally used to separate AT&T’s stations and RCA’s stations.[4] On 23 December 1928, the first permanent transcontinental network was instituted by NBC. As of September 1938, when there were 154 NBC outlets, 23 composed the basic Red network and 24 composed the basic Blue network; supplementing these basic networks were 107 stations, of which one was available only to the basic Red network, six were available only to the basic Blue network, and the remainder available to either.

In 1941, the FCC issued a ‘’Report on Chain Broadcasting’’,[5] desiring to investigate the monopolistic practices of the radio networks. The FCC was concerned NBC Red and NBC Blue were anti-competitive. Since the FCC does not have the power to regulate the networks, they decided aim the regulations to the stations. In 1943, the Supreme Court upheld the FCC’s power to enforce chain broadcasting regulations.[6][7]

CBS

In 1927, United Independent Broadcasters, Inc., supported by the Columbia Phonograph Record Company, started a new network of 16 stations named the Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System (WOR New York, WFBL Syracuse, WMAK Buffalo-Lockport, WNAC Boston, WEAN Providence, WCAU Philadelphia, WJAS Pittsburgh, WCAO Baltimore, WADC Akron, WAIU Columbus, WKRC Cincinnati, WGHP Detroit, WOWO Fort Wayne, WMAQ Chicago, KMOX St. Louis, KOIL Council Bluffs). William S. Paley bought United year later and used it to promote entertainment and news programming. He quickly turned the failing company around, which was named Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. (CBS) in 1929. By the end of 1938 there were 113 CBS outlets.

WGN

In 1934 the Mutual Network emerged with WGN in Chicago as its flagship station. It began with only a few stations (WOR Newark, WLW Cincinnati, WXYZ Detroit) and grew quickly; by January 1939 there were 107 MBS outlets.[8]

NBC Blue becomes ABC

However, the competition with NBC and CBS was too strained. The FCC recognized the monopoly NBC had on network broadcasting and in 1941 ordered them to divest one of the networks. It was evident that NBC controlled the majority of the audiences as well as its affiliates and advertising dollars. NBC fought the order but ultimately lost and sold one of its networks in 1945. NBC Blue was sold to Edward John Noble, who later renamed it American Broadcasting Company (ABC).[9] NBC Red was renamed NBC Radio Network after NBC Blue divested.[10]

Canada

The first network in Canada was CNR Radio starting in 1923. The first regularly scheduled coast-to-coast network program produced by CN Radio was broadcast on 27 December 1928. By 1930, the network consisted of 27 stations.


  1. ↑ White, Thomas H. "Early Radio History".
  2. ↑ Snyder, James. "National Broadcasting Company".
  3. ↑ Perry, Stephen D. (2004). A Consolidated History of Media (4th edition). Bloomington, IL: Epistelogic
  4. ↑ Snyder, James. "National Broadcasting Company".
  5. ↑ Federal Communications Commission: Report on Chain Broadcasting (May 1941).
  6. ↑ Rivera-Sanchez, M. (1998). Report on Chain Broadcasting. History of the Mass Media in the United States, An Encyclopedia, pg 590–591.
  7. ↑ National Broadcasting Co. v. U.S., 310 U.S. 190 (1943).
  8. ↑ Perry, Stephen D. (2004). A Consolidated History of Media (4th edition). Bloomington, IL: Epistelogic
  9. ↑ Rivera-Sanchez, M. (1998). Report on Chain Broadcasting. History of the Mass Media in the United States, An Encyclopedia, pg 590–591.
  10. ↑ Snyder, James. "National Broadcasting Company".
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