Category Archives: j-heroes

Newsies in the Dusty Attic

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Bob Stepno

During the past month, “The Dusty Attic,” a classic-radio program of the Radio Talking Books Service offered a series of four hour-long programs on the same theme as “Newspaper Heroes on the Air,” exploring the role of newspapers in society … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Town, Casey, Chicago, Drama, j-heroes, media history | Tagged | Leave a comment

Belated anniversary and welcome to visitors

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Bob Stepno

Greetings to members of the Metropolitan Washington Old-Time Radio Club, whose Mark Anderson put a nice mention of this site in the group’s Feb. 3 email newsletter. (Scroll down for a half-dozen episodes of the “Europe Confidential” series he mentioned.) … Continue reading →

Posted in j-heroes, Old Time Radio Groups | Leave a comment

Women’s History: Sarah Josepha Hale on the Radio

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Bob Stepno

Editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book Dupont Cavalcade of America featured historical and biographical programs, many of famous and less well-known reporters, writers and editors of the past, including Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879), author, magazine editor and advocate of education for … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, historical figures, j-heroes, magazines, women | Leave a comment

Rescuing the Tabloid Competition in Big Town

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Bob Stepno

Not only were newspaper reporters and editors cast as heroic characters in old-time radio dramas, they sometimes made heroic attempts to help the competition, no matter how bitter the rivalry. Perhaps that’s because they recognized newspaper journalism as a higher … Continue reading →

Posted in competition, crime, ethics, j-heroes, movies, newspapers, reporters, sensationalism | 1 Comment

‘Hildy Johnson used to be a man’ – Cecil B. DeMille

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Bob Stepno

After their success as Hollywood movies, both “His Girl Friday” and the hit Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur play that inspired it, “The Front Page,” were adapted for radio — and more than once. A few of the productions are … Continue reading →

Posted in Hildy Johnson, j-heroes, movies, newspapers, reporters, women | Leave a comment

Publisher dares to report

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Bob Stepno

http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/G%20Series/Green%20Hornet,%20The/Green%20Hornet%2040-06-05%20(0448)%20Murder%20Seeks%20Its%20Victim%20(aka-Crandall%20And%20The%20Murder%20Ring).mp3 Britt Reid didn’t follow a traditional publisher’s job description, and I’m not just talking about his moonlighting as a masked crime fighter for more than 1,000 radio episodes in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, each one with a newsboy … Continue reading →

Posted in competition, ethics, GreenHornet, j-heroes, newspapers, publishers, radio, sensationalism, women | Leave a comment

Superhero ethics versus reporter ethics

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Bob Stepno

Landing that first journalism job can be a challenge. It’s certainly true today, but the 1940s were no picnic either. So, when a young man identifying himself as Clark Kent appeared at The Daily Planet, “a greenhorn” as the editor … Continue reading →

Posted in Clark Kent, j-heroes, journalism, Lois Lane, movies, newspapers, podcast, reporters, Superman | 2 Comments

Getting off the ground at The Daily Planet

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Bob Stepno

This is the first in what I hope will be a once or twice a week podcast of oldtime radio programs featuring fictional (or dramatized) newspaper reporters and editors. As a logical place to start, I’m sure the first fictional … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, j-heroes, newspapers, radio, Superman | Leave a comment

The Hornet’s nest was a newspaper

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Bob Stepno

Britt Reid, daring young publisher… Long before Seth Rogen put on a green mask for his 2011 film, “The Green Hornet” was one of the 1930s-1950s radio series that inspired me to start paying attention to how newspaper reporters and … Continue reading →

Posted in GreenHornet, j-heroes, journalism, movies, newspapers, podcast, radio, women | Leave a comment

Stay tuned!

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Bob Stepno

Journalism today needs heroes. For inspiration — or at least food for thought about what might make a journalist “a hero” — this site explores radio’s portrayals of “ladies and gentlemen of the press” starting back in the 1930s, when … Continue reading →

Posted in j-heroes, journalism, movies, newspapers, podcast, radio, teaching | Leave a comment