Amalgamated Broadcasting System

The Amalgamated Broadcasting System was a radio network established on September 25, 1933, with the assistance of entertainer Ed Wynn, the popular "Fire Chief" of the Texaco Star Theater program on NBC and CBS. Wynn had been concerned with the power the already-established networks had over the programming policies of their local affiliate stations, and hoped Amalgamated would serve as an alternative. A 100-station network was envisioned, with New York station WBNX as its flagship, and WOL Washington, WPEN Philadelphia, WHDH Boston and WCFL Chicago among its planned key affiliates. However, the company was badly organised, and Amalgamated went out of business on October 28, 1933, only five weeks after its first broadcast. A much more successful network, the Mutual Broadcasting System, was established on September 15, 1934; Mutual was inspired in large part from the ideas behind Amalgamated, and in fact had one of Amalgamated's planned key affiliates, WXYZ Detroit, as one of its charter stations.

Related Topics:
September 25 - 1933 - Ed Wynn - Texaco - NBC - CBS - New York - WBNX - WOL - Washington - WPEN - Philadelphia - WHDH - Boston - WCFL - Chicago - Mutual Broadcasting System - September 15 - 1934 - WXYZ

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