Radio and Television
In 1946 radio was still in its Golden Age of radio. It was the New Media of the 1920s, was in nearly very household by the Thirties and in the Forties for most New Yorkers it was a primary source of entertainment and information. Millions tuned into Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Walter Winchell and Red Skelton every week. Most of the popular programs and biggest stars had been around since before the war. Some performers were returning to broadcasting after stints in the service.
The major networks had their headquarters in New York where the advertising agencies were and Chicago still played a big role but during the Thirties production had shifted steadily to Los Angeles where Hollywood stars could guest on variety and dramatic anthology shows and radio stars could pursue movie careers. Broadcasting from the West Coast also simplified logistics. Almost all primetime shows were broadcast live twice, once for the East Coast and Central states then again for the West. This practice favored Los Angeles. But plenty of shows still originated from New York or Chicago, particularly news, public affairs, quiz and daytime programming. The Mutual Network was less averse to transcribed programming so some of its drama series were recorded at the studios of the New York flagship station, WOR.
NBC, represented in New York by WEAF, dominated primetime programming most nights. The playing field was more even in daytime with the CBS soaps having a slight edge. WOR also performed well in the city in the daylight hours.
The call letters of the New York stations did not yet match the abbreviations of their corporate parents. WEAF was the NBC station. More confusingly, at least to us today, WABC was the CBS affiliate. because this was the CBS station's call letters before NBC's second-string Blue Network became the American Broadcasting Company. WJZ was the ABC affiliate. The Blue Network had in effect been the NBC farm team where new shows were tried out, fading shows were retired, perhaps for retooling, and niche programming was aired. In 1946 it was looking to build its strength as a true competitor. It would steal Bing Crosby from NBC in May.
Television was emerging from its wartime hiatus in 1946 after a tentative start before the war. NBC and the Dumont Network were both betting that the public was ready now for the medium and were broadcasting a rudimentary schedule of low-budget shows to the few sets then in operation. Dumont, one of the pioneers, opened a new facility with three studios inside Wanamaker's department store this week. CBS, on the other hand, believed that consumers would hold off buying sets until color television was available.