"WWJ Firsts" Timeline
August 20, 1920 - First Broadcast
The Detroit News started the station with the call sign 8MK (later changing to WBL, and finally to WWJ). The first broadcast, August 20, 1920, went on the air at 8:15 p.m. in a makeshift "radio phone room" on the second floor of the Detroit News building. Using a borrowed phonograph from the Edison Shop, Howard Trumbo placed a record on the turntable. He'd chosen two records for the occasion: "Roses of Picardy," and "Annie Laurie." Frank Edwards, one of WWJ's first operators called into the night air "This is 8MK calling," to the delight if listeners on homemade receivers, in perhaps 30 Detroit homes.
August 21, 1920 - Newscast
The first radio newscast: local, state and congressional election returns, plus general news bulletins. The News annouinced in the front page headlines: "The News Radiophone To Give Vote Results. Amateurs Over Michigan Are Invited To Give Wireless Parties And Hear 'Voices In The Night."
September 1, 1920 - Sportscast
First radio sportscast.
September 4, 1920 - Dance Party
First dance party with music by radio. Mrs. Charles F. Hammond, 280 Parker Place, Detroit, entertained guests who danced to a program of dance music on WWJ.
September 22, 1920 - Vocal Concert
First "vocal concert" broadcast by WWJ. Miss Mabel Norton Ayers sang several solos, also several duets with the phonograph.
October 5, 1920 - World Series Scores
Scores of World Series games in Brooklyn (Brooklyn vs. Cleveland) broadcast on this and succeeding dates of the series. First complete symphony orchestra concert is broadcast on radio. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ossip Gabrilowitsch, began a series of concerts on WWJ. The broadcast also marked the first commercially sponsored programs, as sponsored by the Detroit Bank.
November 2, 1920 - Election Returns
National election returns (Harding-Cox) broadcast over a period of four hours.
December 31, 1920 - New Years
Louis Colombo, Detroit attorney and baritone, sang "a New Years' melody of cheer" over WWJ at midnight.
December 15, 1921 - Comedy
Comedian-monologist Frank Tinny made his radio debut on WWJ.
February 10, 1922 - Symphony Orchestra ConcertFirst complete symphony orchestra concert is broadcast on radio. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ossip Gabrilowitsch, began a series of concerts on WWJ. The broadcast also marked the first commercially sponsored programs, as sponsored by the Detroit Bank.
March 15, 1922 - Missing Person
First "missing person" broadcast: WWJ broadcast an appeal to find a boy, William Dora, missing from home for ten days. As a result of the broadcast, the boy was promptly found in Ohio. WWJ immediately offered its facilities for further use in finding missing persons. Detroit's mayor and police commissioner gladly accepted. Later, sets were installed in police headquarters in other cities within range of WWJ. This early use of radio in police work led to the establish of the first police radio station, WCOP.
March 15, 1922 - Will Rogers
Humorist and actor Will Rogers makes his radio debut over WWJ.
March 31, 1922 - University Extension Courses
First university extension courses by radio. University of Michigan broadcast lectures on WWJ in subjects including Public Health, Education, Chemistry and Astronomy.
April 16, 1922 - Religious Broadcasts
First regularly scheduled religious broadcasts were inaugurated by WWJ with Easter Sunday services from St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Detroit.
May 28, 1922 - Broadcast Orchestra
First orchestra organizes expressly for broadcast: The Detroit News Orchestra,
conducted by Otto E. Krueger.
October 25, 1924 - UM Football
First University of Michigan football broadcast from Ferry Field in Ann Arbor.
February 8, 1925 - National Programming
WWJ joins eleven other radio stations to present a series of national programs.
November 15, 1926 - Network Formed
WWJ becomes an original affiliate of National Broadcasting Company as the first radio network is formed.
April 19, 1927 - Tigers Broadcast
First Detroit Tigers baseball broadcast from Navin Field in Detroit.
April 14, 1928 - Aerial Broadcast
First broadcast relayed from an airplane.
September 1, 1936 - Studio Building
Five-story radio studio building erected; radio transmission facilities installed on 8 Mile Road in Oak Park.
May 1, 1941 - FM In Michigan
First FM station in Michigan inaugurates service (Station WENA, later changed to WWJ-FM).
March 4, 1947 - TV In Michigan
First television station in Michigan inaugurates service (Station WWDT, changed to WWJ-TV May 15, 1947).
