Cumulus Media Networks
- For the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's radio stations, see ABC Local Radio and Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Radio.
ABC Radio is a division of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) focused on AM radio and FM radio broadcasting. Twenty-two of ABC Radio's top stations, as well as ABC's talk and music networks, are to be acquired by Forstmann Little & Company's Citadel Broadcasting unit.[1] The deal does not include Radio Disney or ESPN Radio, or the five ESPN Radio stations owned by Disney. Disney's ABC News unit will also still produce ABC News Radio programming for distribution by Citadel.[2]
History
ABC began as the NBC Blue network in 1927. The NBC Blue and NBC Red networks were both owned by the Radio Corporation of America, but were forced to separate when the Federal Communications Commission declared them a monopoly in 1940. NBC Blue was then renamed to the 'American Broadcasting Company' in 1945.
ABC Radio aired the first broadcast report of the assassination of president John F. Kennedy. Don Gardiner anchored the initial bulletin at 1:36:50pm ET on 11/22/1963, minutes before any other radio or television network.
ABC News Radio fed hourly newscasts to affiliates at :55 past the hour until January 1, 1968, when the singular ABC radio network "split" into four separate and distinct programming services. The "American Contemporary Network," on major-market music stations like WABC New York, aired news at :55. "American Information Network" news ran at the top of the hour. ABC's "FM" network carried news geared toward younger listeners at :15 past, while the "American Entertainment Network" had news at the bottom of the hour.
Before the "split," ABC obtained a waiver of the FCC's "Chain Broadcasting" rule, which forced the sale of NBC's Blue network and enabled ABC's creation in 1943. Though each of the four new "networks" were carried on the same 5kHz telco line, the move allowed ABC to have as many as four affiliates in one city -- a major competitive advantage and a dramatic turning point in the history of network radio. Two additional news networks, Rock and Direction, were added later.
Today, only Information and Entertainment remain as separate newscast services, with their programming delivered via satellite. The "Information" network newscasts clear on major-market stations like WABC New York, KABC Los Angeles, WLS Chicago, KGO San Francisco, WMAL Washington, and WBAP Ft. Worth/Dallas (all of which are owned by ABC). "Entertainment" network news airs mainly on small and medium-market stations. These ABC News Radio newscasts originate from the news division's bureaus in New York, Washington and Los Angeles and air exactly at the top of the hour. They are no longer identified on air by their brand name.
ABC Radio Networks also distributes Paul Harvey News and Comment, which originates from Chicago.
References
- ^ "Citadel to Buy Most of Disney Radio Assets," The Wall Street Journal, February 6, 2006.
- ^ "ABC Radio to Merge with Citadel Broadcasting." Official press release. February 6, 2006.
