KCBS First

[radiolives]

On the CBS Radio website it says that KCBS was the World's first radio station. I thought that was KDKA over in Pittsburgh was the first. Here is what is said over on the CBS Radio website.
"KCBS can trace its lineage as far back as 1909 and has been credited as the World’s first radio station. The station first began programming All News forty years ago and its news reporting is unparalleled for integrity and recognition."

 

[BossRadioDJ]

Westinghouse's KDKA can claim to be the first station to be licensed for broadcasting, in 1920.

Doc Herrold's station, which started in 1909 in San Jose, was broadcasting voice and music on a semi-regular schedule in the early 1910s.

Many stations claim to be first, but KCBS -- with lineage traced back to Herrold's station, which became KQW in 1920 -- was on the air many years before Frank Conrad and KDKA.

An interesting recording from 1945 celebrates Herrold and KQW. It features Ken Ackerman (later a host of "Music Till Dawn" and a newsman at KCBS) and a young man named Jack Webb (before he ran off to Hollywood and "Dragnet"):

http://www.sfradiocity.com/audio/kqw/kqw_30th-anniv_nov-10-1945.shtml

I had lunch with Ken Ackerman on Wednesday; he's prepared a lot of material from his personal archives that will be included, hopefully, in KCBS' centennial celebration this coming April.

 

[DavidKaye]

"KCBS can trace its lineage as far back as 1909 and has been credited as the World’s first radio station. The station first began programming All News forty years ago and its news reporting is unparalleled for integrity and recognition."

Actually, Doc Herrold always said, "the world's first broadcasting station," in order to distinguish it from narrowcasting. He said that ship/shore stations were narrowcasters whose transmissions were intended for a specific audience. Broadcasting, on the other hand was intended for reception by the general public. His broadcasting antennas were constructed quite differently from the narrowcast antennas in that the radiators were horizontal wires emanating in all directions from a center feed point (intended to be non-directional). Narrowcast antennas were usually horizontal monopoles and dipoles (directional, and thus intended to reach a certain receiver).

But, yes, "San Jose Calling", later known as KQW and now KCBS was the first, founded in April 1909.

Sybil True, Charles Herrold's wife, was also the first DJ. Her show was called "The Little Ham Show" and she apparently had lots of following, playing requests listeners sent in.

 

[djj]

On a similar note to KDKA's claim, KWG Stockton (1230 KC) was the
first commercially-licensed broadcast station West of the Mississippi,
in 1921 (supposedly signed on as "QSA", according to a June 21, 1982
format transition from Country to Oldies)...
--jay

 

[jprg]

Doc Herrold was a genious. I have a DVD which was produced by Mike Adams at San Jose State on the Doc Harrold's bio. I am not sure if there are any more copies of the DVD left but you might want to contact Mike Adams of the Radio, Television and Theater Dept at SJSU. If not I can make copies of it for anyone interested. It's a killer documentary.

 

[Johnnyrockin]

KCBS used to have a State of California historical marker in their lobby at their old Embarcadero #1 studios, citing their 1909 origins in San Jose. Does anyone know if it's at the new facility on Battery Street?

 

[jprg]

I do know there is a plaque in San Jose at the former Charles Herrold College of Engineering and Wireless which is cool

 

[Madmansam]

I do know there is a plaque in San Jose at the former Charles Herrold College of Engineering and Wireless which is cool

What is located at the former CHARLES HERROLD COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND WIRELESS today?

 

[skyrocker]

Doc Herrold was a genius...I have a DVD ...I can make copies of it for anyone interested...jprg

Totally interested, dude. Send mt copy c/o
Ballantine Jones
24 Blackstone dr.,
San Rafael, C 94903
And thanks for the generous offer, jprg

 

[DavidEduardo]

Westinghouse's KDKA can claim to be the first station to be licensed for broadcasting, in 1920.

Doc Herrold's station, which started in 1909 in San Jose, was broadcasting voice and music on a semi-regular schedule in the early 1910s.

It's always interesting that, like the "World Series" which isn't a world championship, but a domestic one that barely includes Caanada, so many "world firsts" are claimed without regard for the rest of the world.

The first licensed station in the world was in Argentina (a few months prior to KDKA), and the station dates back to late 1909 and, unlike a few US stations, did not cease regular transmission during WW I. Around the turn of the century, Argentina had one of the wolds highest standards of living and there was much early interest in radio due to the distance of the nation from Europe, particularly Germany and Italy, where most Argentines had family.

 

[Ultimajock]

Westinghouse's KDKA can claim to be the first station to be licensed for broadcasting, in 1920.

...more accurately, KDKA was the first American radio station licensed for commercial broadcasting. The American radio station that has broadcast continuously for the longest time is WHA/970 Madison, a non-commercial Wisconsin Public Radio/NPR/PRI affiliate licensed to the University of Wisconsin; it, as 9XM, was allowed by the U.S. Federal Government to broadcast throughout the U.S. involvement in World War One, while all other stations (including the Herrold operation/KQW/KCBS) were forced to cease operations during the war...

 

[DavidKaye]

The first licensed station in the world was in Argentina (a few months prior to KDKA), and the station dates back to late 1909 and, unlike a few US stations, did not cease regular transmission during WW I. Around the turn of the century,

This is true. "San Jose Calling" shut down during WWI, and when it returned to the air a few years later, radio technology had changed so much as to make Herrold's equipment obsolete. He switched to a more standard design. So, while there is a lineage of KCBS back to 1909, there was a gap.

 

[sloux]

I do know there is a plaque in San Jose at the former Charles Herrold College of Engineering and Wireless which is cool

What is located at the former CHARLES HERROLD COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND WIRELESS today?

I was on business there several years ago when the SJ Redevelopment Agency was housed there. It is an office building.