Hitching Your Antenna to the Stars Chapter 1: “Radio & the Saliency of a Broadcast Star System” Susan Murray

Creation of Network Radio 1920s, radio becomes centralized, regulated, & and a national industry 1927: NBC two networks (Red & Blue) & CBS Govt. decides that it will be an industry funded by commercial advertising States that programming must be “in the public interest” but never defines what that is

Why Start with Radio? Patterns identical to those of TV Funding Stars Networks Genres Advertising Federal regulation

Genres Radio’s Golden Age (1934-41) Most popular formats anthology dramas & variety shows Revolving casts in dramas produced few stars Variety show hosts become stars, usually with a sidekick Character driven shows most popular

Advertising & Radio Ad agencies crucial to radio Not only in funding but in also in programming; stars work for them & networks Ad agencies already know the power of celebrity endorsement Embedded commercials in programming common High cost of talent becomes an issue

Radio & Hollywood Complicated from the beginning Radio and movies are competitors However, many opportunities for cross-promotion for both industries 1930s, entertainment industries lay patterns that become long term Some studios (RKO & MGM) even sponsor their own shows

Stars Stars’ presence or image seen as a limited commodity that’s spent by its usage Industry deploys its stars based upon this Fan magazines exempt from this idea Producers use stars to differentiate products Distributors use stars to set prices Exhibitors use stars for their drawing power

Radio Star System Developed by advertising agencies Different from movie star system Much more decentralized Ad agencies needed to create continuity in stars’ images and products’ brand Had major impact on the way TV stars were conceived hired and marketed

Effects of Aural Medium Sound the only medium of communication in radio As in film, some vaudeville acts didn’t transfer Stars’ visual images a secondary avenue of marketing, i.e. print media ads Sound & image continuity across varied mediums is important Ease of recognition & sales, the end goal

Network Wars Networks established artist bureaus in the 1930s After 1941 government rulings, bureaus abolished due to conflict of interest Radio stars’ salaries rise in the 1940s Networks poach each others’ stars Squabbles over recording & capital gains for stars result in big star loss for NBC