BW - EP123—006: January 1954—Smog! (And Other Current Events)

Breaking Walls: The Podcast on the History of American Network Radio Broadcasting

By the mid 1950s, smog was becoming a serious problem in American cities, especially Los Angeles. On January 15th, 1954 KNX broadcast a special called “The Troubled Air.” ___________ Residents of Los Angeles suffered from burning eyes, runny noses, persistent cough and shortness of breath. It came from pollutants caused by automobiles, factories, and garbage incinerators. This documentary aired in an effort to drive awareness, and speed-up City Hall’s solution to the problem. ___________ Five days later, The National Negro Network was formed by Chicago ad executive W. Leonard Evans. Evans was the first African-American radio network owner in the country. ___________ Other partners were Ms. Reggie Schuebel, VP and Treasurer, and John M. Wyatt, Executive VP. The duo owned a New York-based radio and TV consulting company. Among those on the board was Cab Calloway. The network launched with forty-six affiliates. Broadcasting Magazine reported that twelve to fifteen million African-Americans were expected to be reached. ___________ In other news, on January 21st, The first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, was launched. Four days later The Berlin Conference launched with ministers from The U.S., U.K., France, and The Soviet Union. Its purpose was to discuss a settlement to the recent Korean War and the ongoing First Indochina War. ___________ The conference would last until February 18th.