RKO Radio Network

Satellite distribution allowed high-fidelity (15 kHz) stereo programming to its affiliates. The newscasts, aimed at a young adult audience, had a conversational, high-energy style developed by co-founders Vice President and News Director Dave Cooke, and Vice President of Programming Jo Interrante. RKO was popular from the start, signing up hundreds of affiliates coast to coast. NightTime America with Bob Dearborn was the first live, daily, satellite-delivered music show in radio history.

It was the first national talk show delivered by satellite. America · Jones · Liberty Broadcasting System · Michigan Radio Network · Mutual Broadcasting System · NBC Red · NBC Blue · NBG · NBN · Nova M · Pulse 87 · Progressive Broadcasting System · RKO · Satellite Music Network · Sports Fan · Transtar · UPI · Washington News Desk .

Dick Bartley created, produced and hosted the first live national oldies radio show, Solid Gold Saturday Night. The RKO Radio Networks were headquartered at 1440 Broadway in New York City, also the home of co-owned WOR-AM. Dearborn produced and hosted the five-hour adult contemporary show from January 9, 1981 until 1984.

When it began operations on October 1, 1979, it was the first new full-service American radio network in 40 years. The RKO Radio Network, a subsidiary of RKO General, was the first commercial radio network to distribute its programming entirely by satellite.

The offices were the former headquarters of the Mutual Broadcasting System when RKO General owned Mutual. It also marked the first time a network offered simultaneous overnight programs.

January 9, 1981 was also the premier of America Overnight, a six-hour interview and call-in show hosted by Eric Tracey in Los Angeles and Ed Busch from Dallas. RKO also staffed news bureaus in Washington, DC and London. The network aired the last interview with Beatle John Lennon, recorded at the Dakota just hours before his death on December 8, 1980, by Dave Sholin, a San Francisco DJ and radio producer who put together music specials for RKO. After advertising billing scandals involving RKO s television stations amd later the radio networks came to light, the RKO Radio Networks were sold in 1985 to the United Stations Radio Networks.

Unistar was absorbed by Westwood One in 1994 and its affiliates were switched to the Mutual Broadcasting System. Cooke and Interrante had exceptional ears for air talent and assembled a cadre of young broadcasters from stations across the country to staff the fledging operation. Its base was the RKO General-owned radio stations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other large markets.

RKO purchased downlink satellite dishes for its affiliates, creating the nation s first satellite-delivered commercial radio network. The original network, which fed newscasts at :50 and :00, became known as RKO 1 when RKO 2 debuted on September 1, 1981. RKO 2 fed newscasts at :20 and :30 and was aimed at an older audience.

Among RKO Radio Network alumni are: CBS · Citadel · ESPN · Fox News · Fox Sports · NPR · Premiere · Radio Disney · TRN · Triton (Dial Global · Waitt) · Wall Street Journal Radio · Westwood One ESPN Deportes · Univision ARN · Biz Radio · CC Syndication · The Game · Iowa Public Radio · Jefferson Public Radio · Maine PBN · Michigan Radio · Michigan Talk · North Carolina News · Northeast Public Radio · Ohio News · Que Pasa · Sound of Life · Texas State · Tribune · Vermont Public Radio American Blues · American Urban · CRN Digital · Highway advisory radio · IMS Radio Network · Motor Racing · Music of Your Life · NHL · NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards · Performance Racing · Pacifica · Radio America · Radio One · Sporting News · Sports Byline USA · United Stations · USA · WestStar · WOR Radio Network 3ABN · Accent · AFR · BBN · CSN International · EMF (Air 1 · God s Country Radio Network · K-LOVE) · Family Life Network · Family Radio · Moody Radio · Radio Nueva Vida · Rejoice! Musical Soul Food · Relevant Radio · Salem · Sounds Of the Spirit · WAY-FM · Word FM · VCY ABC · Radio AAHS · Air America · Enterprise · I.E. Both networks offered sportscasts, music, public affairs programming and closed-circuit affiliate feeds of news and sports reports and actualities. The networks were home to three groundbreaking long-form programs.

United Stations was merged with Transtar Radio Networks to form Unistar Radio Networks in 1987.