Beech Tree News Network

Founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America(RCA), NBC is the oldest major broadcasting network in the United States.  At that time, the parent company of RCA was General Electric(GE).  Fun fact: my late grandmother worked at GE.  Now, back to the story.  In 1932, GE was forced to sell RCA and NBC as a result of antitrust charges.  Since 2004, NBC has been the television component of NBC Universal, which is owned by the Comcast Corporation. But when exactly did NBC come into being?

The National Broadcasting Company came into being on November 26, 1926, with a gala 4-hour radio program originating from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.  NBC was the joint effort of three pioneers in mass communications: Radio Corporation of America(RCA; now RCA Corporation), American Telephone & Telegraph(AT&T Corporation) and Westinghouse Electric Corporation.  Two early radio stations in Newark, New Jersey and New York City-WJZ, founded by Westinghouse in 1921, and WEAF, founded by AT&T in 1923- had earlier been acquired by RCA and, after NBC was created, became the centers of NBC’s two semi-independent networks, The Blue Network, based on WJZ, and the Red Network, based on WEAF, each with its respective links to stations in other cities.

The formation of NBC was orchestrated by David Sarnoff, GM of RCA, who became the networks sole owner in 1930.  The network gained a stronghold in the radio industry with shows like Amos ‘n Andy and The Jack Benny Program.  In 1943, under pressure from the FCC, NBC sold the less lucrative Blue Network to Edward J. Noble, who eventually changed its name to the American Broadcasting Company, Inc (ABC).  In 1938, NBC suffered severely when it lost several of its elite performers-including Jack Benny, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll(Amos & Andy), Edger Bergen and Red Skelton-to CBS in a talent raid-thereby losing an edge in the television age.

NBC began television service with the 1939 airing of the opening ceremonies of the Worlds Fair.  By 1951, it had established a coast-to-coast television network.  Under the guidance of Sylvester L(Pat) Weaver, NBC launched the Today Show(1952), The Tonight Show(1954), Wisdom(’57-’65)-which featured interviews with guests from arts, science and politics, and irregularly scheduled network “spectaculars(the ’55 musical Peter Pan, for example).  Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-in(’68-’73), and Saturday Night Live(’75- ).  Westwood One bought their radio operation in 1987-it ceased operations in 1999.  Cheers, Cosby, Seinfeld, Friends, Law & Order, ER and West Wing took NBC back to the top of the ratings.

Other notable dates: 1985: RCA purchased by GE: 1990’s saw the beginnings of MSNBC and CNBC,  2004-NBC verged with Vivendi to form NBC Universal, with GE as majority owner.  2009: Comcast bought 51% of NBC Universal from GE; deal completed in 2011.  Two years later, Comcast purchased GE’s remaining shares.