When did you start watching TV and Stop listening

Starter of this subject: J.Cooper
Last post in this subject: 10/6/2000
Messages in this subject: 6

J.Cooper 10/6/2000
6 replies
FACT OR FALLACY Board. It is great!...When was the last time YOU visited? And---When did you start watching Tv and stop listening regularly to Radio..in the late 195O's..196O's...? Take a look at a couple comments there.....
Charles Sexton 10/6/2000
5 replies
That one's easy for me because our family didn't get a TV until 1954, so I had no choice. By then most of the radio shows I listened to in the late '40s were gone or shadows of themselves. I also remember we got the TV just in time to witness the mighty men of Milan mutilate the magnificent Muncie Maulers before a madly milling mob. You have to be a Hoosier to understand that statement, but the game was the first thing I remember watching on TV.
Jim Stokes 10/8/2000
4 replies
I was an avid radio fan. So much so, that when I listen to WHEN RADIO WAS, I recall hearing many of the shows! And radio shows weren't all activily listened to, as the stereotyped notion who have people believe who didn't live through that golden age of radio. There was dial-switching and passive listening, while people went on with their daily work. One of the exceptions was the AMOS & ANDY SHOW. That was one of the few "must hear" shows.

My folks did't buy a TV set until I was away at college in 1956. And I did very little TV-viewing until my third year in college, in 1959. But I recall hearing SUSPESE in 1961 or 62 when I was in the army, stationed in New York City. Before that, I listened to YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR, ESCAPE, and THE LONE RANGER up until about 1954 or 1955. Then I became a devoted fan of shortwave radio DXing and low power AM broadcasting back in South Dakota.

So, like J Cooper, my turning point was also around 1954. However, instead of watching TV, I tuned in foreign countries on my shortwave radio. Radio has been a big part of my life. I made a living as a radio engineer/announcer/salesman/program director for many years! Last station I worked for full time was in 1977. :)

Jim Stokes

Ted Davenport 10/9/2000
0 replies
Well, for me it was when did I stop watching and start listening! I was born in 1952 so I grew up with television. I became interested in OTR during a high school speech class when I had to do a project in radio drama. I was hooked when I heard my first show and haven't stopped since. Ted
Jeannie 10/15/2000
2 replies
TV came into our house only when my mother was bugged by Dad after seeing a "western theatre" program on Buffalo's Ch.2 WBEN. (Since switched to ch.4) That was about 1953. I was still listening to radio at that time. The only problem was, as the shows were disappearing on radio, so was the listings in the paper. It used to be a whole page of radio frequencies and call letters. That was a bummer. I guess that was reality setting in and the days of radio were fast fading. "Gunsmoke" (Wm. Conrad) was still there. "Yours truly, Johnny Dollar" hung around. Hmm, any others I cant bring my mind around to recall. Sad. Oh, well. The other day, my nephew was listening to an "Escape" program and he was actually mesmerized by it. See, there's still hope for our young.
Jim Stokes 10/16/2000
1 replies
*SIGH* Like Gary Cooper said when he recalled the movies he made about settling the west, "Wouldn't it be great to do it all over again!"

Jim Stokes :)

Scott T 10/24/2000
0 replies
Since I was born in 1965. I miss the first go around of OTR. Ever since I first heard Gunsmoke about 10 years ago. I have been listening to the old radio show and not watching TV. Only TV I watch is Football games and old western shows.