In 1973, conventional industry wisdom was that a country music station could not be sucessful in the New York market. WHN ignored that wisdom and announced that it was switching from a middle-of-the-road format to country, billing itself as "Easy Lovin' Country." The actual changeover took place at 5:45 am on February 26th when Jack Spector, calling himself "The Kosher Cowboy From Coney Island," introduced the George Jones classic "The Race Is On." And the rest is history.

Presented in a single volume, this engaging review reflects on the scholarship and the historical development of American broadcasting A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting comprehensively evaluates the vibrant history of American radio and television and reveals broadcasting’s influence on American history in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. With contributions from leading scholars on the topic, this wide-ranging anthology explores the impact of broadcasting on American culture, politics, and society from an historical perspective as well as the effect on our economic and social structures. The text’s original and accessibly-written essays offer explorations on a wealth of topics including the production of broadcast media, the evolution of various television and radio genres, the development of the broadcast ratings system, the rise of Spanish language broadcasting in the United States, broadcast activism, African Americans and broadcasting, 1950’s television, and much more. This essential resource: Presents a scholarly overview of the history of radio and television broadcasting and its influence on contemporary American history Contains original essays from leading academics in the field Examines the role of radio in the television era Discusses the evolution of regulations in radio and television Offers insight into the cultural influence of radio and television Analyzes canonical texts that helped shape the field Written for students and scholars of media studies and twentieth-century history, A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting is an essential and field-defining guide to the history and historiography of American broadcasting and its many cultural, societal, and political impacts.

From its inception in New York City, radio dramatically changed the city. The five boroughs became, in some ways, more united through the medium, as common concerns were aired and given wider attention. But as radio focused more on entertainment, the city lost the last of its small town origins, as people left the front stoop for the living room. This heavily illustrated history traces the development and influence of AM radio in the New York metropolitan area, as well as providing technical data and program schedules of the stations.

New York City's extraordinary radio history, much like the story of the city itself, is a tale of strivers, dreamers, and ingenious risk takers. New York City Radio presents an unprecedented visual history featuring many of these timeless characters, including radio inventors Lee De Forest and Maj. Edwin Armstrong; entrepreneurs and trailblazers David Sarnoff, William Paley, Bernice Judis, and Hal Jackson; beloved heroes Dan Ingram, Frankie Crocker, and Alison Steele; controversial antiheroes Don Imus, Bob Grant, and Howard Stern; and many others. New York City Radio tells the story of the invention and perfection of the art of big-time, big-city radio broadcasting and the life and times of the most competitive, important, and exciting radio market in the country.

This series of biographical profiles shines a spotlight on that special place "Where the West meets the Guitar." From Gene Autry and Roy Rogers to contemporary artists like Michael Murphy, Red Steagall, Don Edwards and Riders in the Sky, many entertainers have performed music of the West, a genre separate from mainstream country music and yet an important part of the country music heritage. Once called "Country and Western," it is now described as "Country or Western." Though much has been written about "Country," very little has been written about "Western"--until now. Featured are a number of photos of the top stars in Western music, past and present. Also included is an extensive bibliography of works related to the Western music field.

In Turn it Up!: American Radio Tales, 1946-1996, Bob Shannon ushers the reader behind the scenes of the lives of special radio people, most of whom are considered legends in an industry which has changed so dramatically in the past decade it's possible we will never see the likes of such individuals again in radio.

In its 114th year, Billboard remains the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events, brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends.