1950 in radio

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The year 1950 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.

Events

15 March – The Copenhagen Frequency Plan is implemented by broadcasters throughout Europe.
1 May – Springbok Radio, South Africa's first commercial radio station, takes to the airwaves. It will broadcast for 35 years, until 31 December 1985.
5 June – In the Federal Republic of Germany, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Hessischer Rundfunk, Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk, Radio Bremen, Süddeutscher Rundfunk, and Südwestfunk jointly establish the ARD consortium of public broadcasting authorities.

1 January – Hopalong Cassidy debuts on Mutual.^[1]
6 January – The Halls of Ivy debuts on NBC.^[1]
9 January – Hannibal Cobb debuts on ABC.^[2]
16 January – Listen with Mother debuts on the BBC Light Programme.^[3]
22 January – The Adventures of Christopher London debuts on NBC.^[2]
30 January – Mark Trail debuts on Mutual.^[1]
1 February – Big Jon and Sparkie debuts on ABC.^[1]
6 February – Dangerous Assignment debuts on NBC.
7 May
- The Big Guy debuts on NBC.^[2]
- Cloak and Dagger debuts on NBC.^[2]
6 June – Educating Archie debuts on the BBC Light Programme.^[3]
7 June – The Archers pilot episodes debut on BBC radio;^[4] it will still be running 65 years later.
2 July – Hashknife Hartley debuts on Mutual.^[2]
3 July – Granby's Green Acres debuts on CBS.^[2]
24 September – Charlie Wild, Private Detective debuts on NBC.^[2]
29 October – Meet Frank Sinatra debuts on CBS.^[5]
5 November
- The Big Show introduced by Tallulah Bankhead debuts on NBC.^[2]
- Life with the Lyons starring Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels debuts on the BBC Light Programme.
29 November – I Fly Anything debuts on ABC.^[2]
6 December – American Agent debuts on ABC.^[2]

12 February – WPAW Pawtucket, Rhode Island signs on for the first time.
1 March –WBUR-FM on the air with studios and a 400 watt transmitter located at 84 Exeter Street in Boston.
1 March – DZBB, a radio station owned by Republic Broadcasting Systems (later GMA Network) in the Philippines begins broadcasting from its first studios in Calvo Bldg, Bindondo, Manila.
19 April – WTSA Brattleboro, Vermont signs on for the first time.
8 October – WARA Attleboro, Massachusetts signs on for the first time.

6 January – Lora Lawson ends its run on network radio (NBC).^[1]
19 January – The Better Half ends its run on network radio (Mutual).^[2]
26 February - Family Hour of Stars ends its run on network radio (CBS).^[2]
29 March – Curtain Time ends its run on network radio (NBC).^[2]
30 April – The Adventures of Christopher London ends its run on network radio (NBC).^[2]
13 May - Young Love ends its run on network radio (CBS).^[2]
1 June – The Chesterfield Supper Club ends its run on network radio (NBC).^[2]
6 July – Blondie ends its run on network radio (ABC).^[2]
21 July – Ladies Be Seated ends its run on network radio (ABC).^[2]
15 August – Destination Freedom – episodes written by Richard Durham ended – episodes under the same series name continued in 1950
21 August – Granby's Green Acres ends its run on network radio (CBS).^[2]
29 August – The Candid Microphone ends its run on network radio (CBS).^[2]
1 September – The Adventures of the Thin Man ends its run on network radio (ABC).^[2]
6 September – Chandu the Magician ends its run on network radio (ABC).^[6]
15 September – Bride and Groom (radio program) ends its run on network radio (ABC).^[2]
22 October – Cloak and Dagger ends its run on network radio (NBC).^[2]
29 October – The Big Guy ends its run on network radio (NBC).^[2]

2 February – Libby Purves, English radio presenter.
14 March – Rick Dees, American radio and television personality.
12 May – Jenni Murray, English journalist, presenter of Woman's Hour.
21 May – Marian Finucane, Irish radio presenter (died 2020).
24 September – Alan Colmes, American radio and television talk show host (died 2017).

13 January – Thomas S. "Tommy" Lee, son of pioneering broadcaster Don Lee, of a suicide. His death triggers the sale of the Don Lee Network (a station group including KFRC AM/FM in San Francisco and KHJ AM/FM in Los Angeles) to General Tire, forerunner of RKO General.
26 July – Austin E. Lathrop, owner of Midnight Sun Broadcasting (KFAR, KENI), rail car collision.
2 September – Frank Graham, American announcer for many programs and the star (following Jack Webb) of Jeff Regan, Investigator.^[7]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Cox, Jim (2008). This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0786438488. p. 6.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x Dunning, John. (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195076783.
^ ^a ^b Kynaston, David (2007). Austerity Britain 1945–1951. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-0747579854.
^ Penguin Pocket On This Day. Penguin Reference Library. 2006. ISBN 0141027150.
^ "Meet Frank Sinatra". OTRRpedia. Old Time Radio Researchers Group. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
^ Cox, Jim (2008). This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Deaths, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0786438488.
^ "Frank Graham" (PDF). Broadcasting. 11 September 1950. Retrieved 24 August 2014.^{[dead link]}