BW - EP155—013: New York And The 1944 Radio World—Taking A Break From The Treadmill

Breaking Walls: The Podcast on the History of American Network Radio Broadcasting

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers Well, we’re back where we started, but we’re not the same. I mentioned at the beginning of this episode that when you run on the treadmill to oblivion, you don’t always go where you want, but you get in shape doing it. When I began Breaking Walls ten years ago I envisioned it as a sit-down interview show. Over time it slowly morphed into on the scene reporting, and eventually a history of U.S. Network Radio Broadcasting. When I made this programming switch permanent in February of 2018 I didn’t know how long I’d be able to keep it up. In many ways these documentaries have been a means of teaching myself the business of broadcasting in order to use the past to inform the present. They’ve also been about teaching myself how to be a good writer, sound designer, and narrator. My life has undergone many changes in the past six and a half years. I now have paid work in the world of audio thanks to Breaking Walls. This paid work is encroaching upon my time and honestly, it’s paid. It needs to be a priority. This is a long-winded way of saying that I need to take a break from the treadmill. So, for the next three months Breaking Walls is undergoing a change. Don’t worry! I’m still going to put out new content. You’ll still see an episode 156 of Breaking Walls, which, incidentally, will feature shows from Halloween 1944. Rather than contain my narration and sound design as one giant documentary, they’ll be standalone radio shows with the usual information written into the description of each track. I’m also going to continue to post the Breaking Walls archives to Youtube, and post additional content on Patreon.com/TheWallBreakers. On Patreon the next episode will drop early as one giant playlist of shows. I’ve been on the fence about how and when to pause. Eighty months is a long time to run on any treadmill without a break. Given that this was the tenth anniversary of the launch of Breaking Walls, I feel like it’s a good time to give myself that break. You never know, when you close one door — even temporarily like this is — what good things can come in through a window or a side. My plan is to come back to documentary-style episodes of Breaking Walls on January 1st, 2025. (Half Pause) The reading material used in today’s episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • Gleason's Second Honeymoon — By Pete Hammil • The Great One: The Life and Legend of Jackie Gleason — By William A. Henry • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles and features from • Broadcasting Magazine • Ephemeral New York • The Library of Congress • Naval History and Heritage Command • The New York Times • The Sydney Morning Herald (Half Pause) On the interview front: • Don Ameche spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear this full chat at Speakingofradio.com. • Mel Allen and Edgar Bergen spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Norman Corwin spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver. • Bob Hope spoke with Dick Cavett • Gene Tierney spoke with Mike Douglas • Fred Allen spoke with Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg (Half Pause) I’d like to thank Chuck Schaden, the late Dick Bertel, the late John Dunning, and SPERDVAC. Without these people and their tremendous work I’d never have been able to do a single episode of Breaking Walls. I’d also like to thank Dr. Joseph Webb for opening the door for me into this world.