Author Archives: Bob Stepno

About Bob Stepno

mild-mannered reporter who found computers & the Web in grad school in the 1980s (Wesleyan) and '90s (UNC); taught journalism, media studies, Web production; retired to write, make music, photograph sunsets & walks in the woods.

Flood waters tempt newsman to murder

Posted on March 23, 2019 by Bob Stepno

https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Whistler_Singles/Whistler_48-09-29_ep329_Conspiracy.mp3 The Whistler episode Conspiracy. from Sept. 29, 1948, opens with a reporter reading a newspaper murder story in a diner, and speculating about the motivation of killers. Then he gets a call from his editor, sending him out into … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, crime, Drama, reporters, reporting, suspense, The Whistler, villains | Leave a comment

A final page, but no news

Posted on March 13, 2019 by Bob Stepno

https://archive.org/download/OTRR_New_Adventures_of_Nero_Wolfe_Singles/nanw_51-03-23_ep22_The_Final_Page.mp3 In my search for radio portrayals of journalists, “The Final Page” was the most promising title in a collection of New Adventures of Nero Wolfe episodes. Unfortunately, the page mentioned in the title is from a novel, not a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, detectives, Drama, propaganda, public relations, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lois knows… until she talks to her editor

Posted on February 17, 2019 by Bob Stepno

https://archive.org/download/Superman_page13/471024_1601_The_Ruler_Of_Darkness_Pt_01.mp3 For today, a very short blog post with a link to some newsroom banter between Lois, Clark and editor Perry White when Lois has a brainstorm about — silly idea — Kent being Superman’s secret identity. “Oh stop this … Continue reading →

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Associated Press on the air

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Bob Stepno

“Behind the Mic,” a radio series whose message was to demystify the medium itself, devoted its June 29, 1941, episode to the Associated Press, the newspaper co-op that had gradually come around to the idea of radio news. https://archive.org/download/Behind_The_Mike/Behind_The_Mike_41-06-29_ep41_The_Associated_Press.mp3 The … Continue reading →

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College trustee steamed over student press

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Bob Stepno

The witty — if a bit prone to puns and quotations — college president on “Halls of Ivy” had more than one anxious moment over campus news media, but supported the freedom of the press in good spirits, which must … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, columnists, comics, Drama, newspapers, reporters | Leave a comment

Flying reporter & a woman in charge

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Bob Stepno

“What a story! Boy this is great!” — reporter Jimmy Gifford Here’s a mystery from 1932, the days when radio drama was relatively new, when flying the air mail was still an adventure, and so was newspaper reporting. The broadcast … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, adventure, crime, Police, reporters, romance | Leave a comment

A bit critical

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Bob Stepno

“I can save time if I write my review on the way to the theater.” –Mortimer Brewster http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/B%20Series/Best%20Plays/Best%20Plays%2052-07-06%20(05)%20Arsenic%20and%20Old%20Lace.mp3 Arsenic and Old Lace (IMDB), a hit play and Capra film, was done by several radio anthology series. Here it is by … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, adaptations, Capra, critics, movies | Leave a comment

Not a Christmas Musical — Media Madness

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Bob Stepno

https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Lux_Radio_Theater_Singles/Lux_Radio_Theatre_45-01-29_468_Lady_in_the_Dark.mp3 “America’s most modern fashion magazine,” complete with background clicking typewriters, is the scene of the story “Lady in the Dark.” (I stumbled on it earlier this week while researching the much different drama “Lady in the Lake.”) Long before … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, adaptations, magazines, marriages, women | Leave a comment

Pre-Christmas Noir

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Bob Stepno

https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Lux_Radio_Theater_Singles/Lux_Radio_Theatre_48-02-09_602_Lady_in_the_Lake.mp3 I was so happy when I hit the point in Lux Radio Theatre’s February 1948 production of “The Lady in the Lake” when detective Philip Marlowe needs some information, picks up the phone, calls a friend at the newspaper, … Continue reading →

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Detective as fact-checker versus libel case

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Bob Stepno

Detective Philip Marlowe meets a whole Hollywood trade paper crew in “The Green Flame” from March 1949 … https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Philip_Marlowe_Singles/Philip_Marlowe_49-03-26_ep026_The_Green_Flame.mp3 It’s a colorful tale. We get matches that burn with a green flame, a note in blue wax pencil, and various … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, columnists, detectives, editors, newspapers, publishers | Leave a comment