Given that today, the "big three" broadcast TV networks (ABC-TV, CBS-TV, and NBC-TV), not to mention PBS and the cable news channels go all-out on Presidential election nights, pre-empting programs for wall-to-wall coverage from 7 P.M. EST until conclusion (usually to at least 2 A.M. EST, sometimes later), some people assume that this was done by the major radio networks (CBS, Mutual, NBC Red/NBC, NBC Blue/Blue/ABC) during the "Golden Age Of Radio".
Until 1944, the answer was............Wrong!
After reading various radio listings from the Boston Globe, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Washington Post over the decades, the major radio networks didn't go with wall-to-wall coverage all evening long.
Instead, there were brief reports through the evening, some 15-minute specials, and some cases of extended, but not all-evening-long broadcasts.
In 1932, CBS broadcast several 15-minute updates through the evening; in 1936, the network broadcast continuous coverage from 10:30 P.M. EST to conclusion, and in 1940, CBS went wall-to-wall from 9 P.M. EST to conclusion (although the November 5, 1940 Times stated that the CBS program would also include "music", presumably when returns were slow in coming-in. Having never heard an aircheck of that broadcast, I don't know how much music there was. I would think it was very sporadic since by 1940, CBS was already gaining quite a reputation in news).
Also on November 5, 1940, Mutual appears to have gone wall-to-wall from 9 P.M. onward, although the Times also listed "music" as part of the broadcast. Again, I don't know how much music was heard.
On Election Night 1940, NBC Blue seems to have had nonstop coverage from, 9:35 P.M. to 12 Midnight EST.
Finally, on Election Night 1944, all four networks began broadcasting the kind of all-evening=long wall-to-wall coverage that today's TV viewers are used to.
Until 1944, the answer was............Wrong!
After reading various radio listings from the Boston Globe, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Washington Post over the decades, the major radio networks didn't go with wall-to-wall coverage all evening long.
Instead, there were brief reports through the evening, some 15-minute specials, and some cases of extended, but not all-evening-long broadcasts.
In 1932, CBS broadcast several 15-minute updates through the evening; in 1936, the network broadcast continuous coverage from 10:30 P.M. EST to conclusion, and in 1940, CBS went wall-to-wall from 9 P.M. EST to conclusion (although the November 5, 1940 Times stated that the CBS program would also include "music", presumably when returns were slow in coming-in. Having never heard an aircheck of that broadcast, I don't know how much music there was. I would think it was very sporadic since by 1940, CBS was already gaining quite a reputation in news).
Also on November 5, 1940, Mutual appears to have gone wall-to-wall from 9 P.M. onward, although the Times also listed "music" as part of the broadcast. Again, I don't know how much music was heard.
On Election Night 1940, NBC Blue seems to have had nonstop coverage from, 9:35 P.M. to 12 Midnight EST.
Finally, on Election Night 1944, all four networks began broadcasting the kind of all-evening=long wall-to-wall coverage that today's TV viewers are used to.
