News and Commentary Radio Broadcasts from This Week in History: 1930s to 1970s

Below are news, interview, commentary, and event broadcasts from the week of June 4 to June 10

Dates change at midnight Eastern Time.

Broadcasts From Today's Date:
June 4

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Meet The Press

Broadcast Date:   June 4, 1961
Speaker(s):   The guest is Edward R. Murrow

At this time, Edward R. Murrow was director if the United States Information Agency (USIA).
Length:   26:02
Program Producer:   NBC

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The Thirteenth Key

Broadcast Date:   June 4, 1947
Series:   The Big Story
Speaker(s):   Bob Sloane (host), Jim Fusco (reporter)

The Big Story is the dramatized account of how a newspaper reporter solved a crime, exposed a corrupt political administration, smashed a racket, or performed some other notable public service. This episode highlights the true story of a 1929 murder with reporter James Fusco.
Length:   24:42
Program Producer:   NBC

Broadcasts From
June 5 to June 10

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The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy

Broadcast Date:   June 5, 1968
Speaker(s):   Andrew West (reporter) and others

This begins with the KFWB broadcast of the RFK assassination, with reporter Andrew West at his side. It continues with network coverage later that day.
Length:   1:14:17
Program Producer:   KFWB Radio, Los Angeles

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D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy is Underway

Broadcast Date:   June 6, 1944
Series:   H. V. Kaltenborn Edits the News
Speaker(s):   H. V. Kaltenborn

Special coverage of the D-Day Invasion with H. V. Kaltenborn. He attempts to bring in a general live from London, but that fails. He continues to cover the information available. This broadcast was recorded from WEAF, New York.
Length:   14:22
Program Producer:   NBC

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H. V. Kaltenborn Edits the News

Broadcast Date:   June 6,1944
Speaker(s):   H. V. Kaltenborn

Length:   14:46
Program Producer:   NBC

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World News Roundup

Broadcast Date:   June 6, 1970
Speaker(s):   Steve Kasin, Newscaster

Length:   7:37
Program Producer:   CBS News

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Mideast War, Watergate News

Broadcast Date:   June 7, 1973
Series:   CBS News
Speaker(s):   Christopher Glen (anchor)

Includes Mideast War news (Syria, Egypt, Israel) and Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox risks his job seeking to release parts of the Watergate tapes.
Length:   4:47
Program Producer:   CBS Radio News

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That Was the Year - 1910

Broadcast Date:   June 7, 1937
Speaker(s):   Host: Gerald Mohr, Announcer: Lindsey MacHarrie

"That Was the Year" is a fascinating radio show that dramatizes the major historical events between the years 1896 and 1934. The show was produced from the viewpoint of the show's creators in 1937, adding unique interest to modern listeners. Every episode ends with a performance of a popular song from that year. Just over 1-minute of choral music at the beginning has been removed. It was there for stations to add local commercials.
Length:   13:26
Program Producer:   Transcription Company of America, recorded at KHJ in LA

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War News, with a First-Person Account of the Battle of Midway

Broadcast Date:   June 7, 1942

Length:   20:04
Program Producer:   Mutual Broadcasting System

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James Earl Ray Arrested in London

Broadcast Date:   June 8, 1968

This news bulletin, from the Justice Department, reports the arrest of James Earl Ray, the murderer of Martin Luther King. Ray was arrested, just over a month after the assassination, in London.
Length:   1:14
Program Producer:   CBS

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The Bitterist Man on Earth

Broadcast Date:   June 8, 1949
Series:   The Big Story
Speaker(s):   Bob Sloane (host)

The Big Story is the dramatized account of how a newspaper reporter solved a crime, exposed a corrupt political administration, smashed a racket, or performed some other notable public service. The reporter today is Julian C. Houseman of Virginia.
Length:   29:48
Program Producer:   NBC

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The Death of Serge Kousevitsky

Broadcast Date:   June 8, 1951
Series:   Hear It Now
Speaker(s):   Edward R. Murrow (anchor)

Length:   59:49
Program Producer:   CBS

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The Route to the Burial of Robert F. Kennedy

Broadcast Date:   June 8, 1968
Speaker(s):   Bruce Morton

Length:   1:51
Program Producer:   CBS Radio Network

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This Little Baby Went to Market (Adoption)

Broadcast Date:   June 9, 1946
Series:   The National Hour
Speaker(s):   Robert St. John (host)

NBC ran "The National Hour" on Sunday afternoons at 4pm from November 1945 to September 1946. Each program dealt with a different subject or issue facing America as the nation moved forward after the end of World War II.
Length:   30:00
Program Producer:   NBC Radio Network

Bonus Vintage Radio

Commercial:
WildRoot Cream Oil

Public Service Announcement:
Guard American Freedom

Radio Station or Commercial Jingle:
Standard Motors

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Broadcast With No Exact Broadcast Date:

Feature on Coffee Addiction

Broadcast Date:   1986

Speaker(s):   Mike Hickcox and Various

An amusing analysis of coffee drinking. This is a radio feature - the UPI Radio winner for New England in 1986. The announcer is the manager of this website. The feature was produced at WHEB in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Music is from Tom Bergeron, later host of Hollywood Squares, America's Funniest Home Videos, and Dancing with the Stars. He was a DJ at WHEB in the 1980s.

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Want to Send Us a Note?

The broadcasts on this website have been pulled from a number of sources. They are here for your education and entertainment.

I was prompted to create this website when my son-in-law, David Riggle, tried to find a site like this on the internet, hoping to find radio news from this week in history. What a great idea! Then my son, Jim Hickcox, suggested this site would be good for research, so I added the search function (button above) for those who want to find a broadcast related to a person or event.

Copyright Notice: All recordings on this site are believed to be in the public domain. The Library of Congress states that radio programs prior to January 1, 1978 were not qualified for copyright protection when presented, nor was any attempt to place them under such copyright protection made when the window of opportunity for such existed in 1978-1979 when the copyright law regarding such recordings changed.

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