1958 in radio

The year 1958 saw a number of significant events inradio broadcastinghistory.

List of years in radio (table)
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In television 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 In music 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 In film 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961
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Events

• 24 February – InCuba,Radio Rebelde,the radio station ofFidel Castro's rebels, begins broadcasting fromSierra Maestra.
• 1 April – TheBBC Radiophonic Workshopis established.
• 15 April – In New York City,Les Keiter,sports director ofWINS (AM),begins coverage ofSan Francisco Giantsgames, justmonths after the team has moved outof New York City to the West Coast. His "live-action" commentaries are so vivid that many listeners never realize that Les is merely staging a re-creation of the games fromWestern Uniontelegraphreports received in WINS' New York studios (a throwback to 1930s radio coverage of baseball games) and never sets foot inSeals Stadium.WINS will carry Giants games in the same manner next year.
• 2 July – The firstradio ballad,The Ballad of John Axon,is broadcast on theBBC Home Service.
• 8 July – Gordon McLendon of Dallas buys WGRC Louisville, converts it to Top 40 legend WAKY.
• 14 July – John F. Box Jr., president of the Balaban group, buysKGKOand changes the station's call letters to KBOX, adopting aTop 40format to compete withGordon McLendon's top-rated1190KLIF.

Debuts

• January – Pete Myers, with his frenetic, rapid-fire "Mad Daddy" persona, delivered entirely in rhyme, debuts on WJW (AM) in Cleveland (todayWKNR). His evening show has a brief run (he leaves WJW in May). After a 90-day non-compete clause is enforced, Myers joins cross-townWHK,coining phrases that are still uttered to this day, such as "wavy gravy" and "mellow jello".
• 4 March –WDCR/1340-Hanover, New Hampshire (Dartmouth College Radio) begins broadcasting at 21:00 Eastern Standard Time.
• 26 August –KMAQofMaquoketa, Iowasigns on the air at 1320 AM, with Dennis Voy as one of the main personalities. The station operates as a strictly sunrise to sunset operation at a power of 500 watts.
• 23 November – "Have Gun, Will Travel",one of the last radio dramas featuring continuing characters, debuts on theCBS Radio Network.

Closings

• 3 January –Wendy Warren and the Newsends its run on network radio (CBS).
• 9 January –X Minus Oneends its run on network radio (NBC).
• 25 January –The National Farm and Home Hourends its run on network radio (NBC).

Births

• 29 January –Linda Smith,English comedian (died2006)
• 3 May –Sandi Toksvig,Danish-born British comic performer
• 14 May –Jan Ravens,English actress and impressionist
• 23 May –Mitch Albom,American author and radio personality
• 29 June –Jeff Coopwood,American actor, broadcaster and singer
• 27 July –Vincenzo Nicoli,English actor
• 27 August –Normand Brathwaite,Québécois television and radio presenter
• 29 August –Michael Jackson,American singer and songwriter
• 6 September –Jeff Foxworthy,American comedian, actor, author, and radio and television personality
• 21 September –Simon Mayo,British radio presenter
• 26 September –Dan Foster,American radio personality (died 2020)
• 23 October –Michael Dyson,African American writer, professor and radio talk show host

• 11 December –Pete Mitchell,English radio presenter (died2020)

Deaths

• 18 May –Elmer Davis,68, American news reporter, author, and a Peabody Award recipient