America's history through the lens of 20th century broadcast media
Copyright 2018 Greenstone Media Consulting, LLC
ABC Radio Network schedule, 1929
Script cover, ABC program The Great American Appleburys", 1929
Title and first page of script, The Great American Appleburys, ABC Network 1929
In the latter 1920s, when radio was new and the hottest thing around, it seemed likely that the nation was ready for a fourth network to compete with NBC-Red, NBC-Blue and CBS and a number of parties moved toward establishing one. Howvever, Seattle's Adolph Linden actually did. A banker with some radio interests, the establishing principle for Linden's new network was both the opportunity which seemed present for another network and the idea that a new network should be based in western America (since the existing networks were all based along the eastern seabord). The American Broadcasting Company incorporated in 1928 and linked a number of stations in the Pacific Northwest including some that Linden owned or controlled. In 1929, the ABC rapidly expanded and placed AT&T line orders to connect stations both in California as it simultaneously began moving east. At its height, ABC's connections went as far east as Chicago and the network was announcing new affiliation agreements with stations all the way to the Atlantic seaboard.
The degree to which the October, 1929 stock market crash contributed to the ABC's implosion is open to debate although the ABC clearly faced serious financial problems as early as August, 1929. It turned out that Linden had largely been improperly financing the ABC's expansion with funds taken from a Seattle bank he controlled. The ABC crashed in Fall, 1929. Linden went to prison for embezzlement (although on his release years later he founded one of Seattle's premiere recording studios).
VERY little remains of the ABC's brief life and few recall the network's existence. It is obvious that, while in operation, ABC was a classy affair with a large staff and business being conducted on a grand scale. The script pictured is held in a custom-covered, gold-embossed folio and is a surviving remnant of the multiple dramatic series which ABC offered (it also offered music and other entertainment much in the style of the other three networks).
Ultimately, there was indeed a niche for a fourth network established on somewhat different principles and the existing three networks which led to the formation of the Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS) in 1934.
The degree to which the October, 1929 stock market crash contributed to the ABC's implosion is open to debate although the ABC clearly faced serious financial problems as early as August, 1929. It turned out that Linden had largely been improperly financing the ABC's expansion with funds taken from a Seattle bank he controlled. The ABC crashed in Fall, 1929. Linden went to prison for embezzlement (although on his release years later he founded one of Seattle's premiere recording studios).
VERY little remains of the ABC's brief life and few recall the network's existence. It is obvious that, while in operation, ABC was a classy affair with a large staff and business being conducted on a grand scale. The script pictured is held in a custom-covered, gold-embossed folio and is a surviving remnant of the multiple dramatic series which ABC offered (it also offered music and other entertainment much in the style of the other three networks).
Ultimately, there was indeed a niche for a fourth network established on somewhat different principles and the existing three networks which led to the formation of the Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS) in 1934.