Category Archives: newspapers

Detective as fact-checker versus libel case

Posted on December 12, 2018 by

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

No paper dolls on radio, just a pioneer newswoman role model

Posted on April 26, 2018 by

Sept. 26, 1938?? Sept. 27, 1938?? http://www.VintageRadioPrograms.com/Jane_Arden_380927_Ep002_Police_Question_Cab_Driver.mp3 Announcer’s introduction: The Adventures of Jane Arden, a thrilling drama of a fearless girl reporter, the most beautiful woman in the newspaper world. Jane Arden, star reporter for The Bulletin, important newspaper of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, adventure, comics, journalism, newspapers, reporters, women | Leave a comment

Ghostwriting for equal rights

Posted on March 19, 2018 by

https://archive.org/download/DestinationFreedom/DF_49-06-19_ep050-Ghost_Editor.mp3 “Ghost Editor” is a well-dramatized biography of Roscoe Dunjee, who founded the Black Dispatch, the first African American newspaper in 1915 Oklahoma City. Actor Fred Pinkard narrates the series as Dunjee in this episode of the “Destination Freedom” African … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s, 1940s, 1950s, civil rights, editors, historical figures, newspaper crusades, newspapers, racial justice, reporting, undercover | Leave a comment

Two-fisted editor KO’s reform school scandal

Posted on September 2, 2015 by

News about a real-life judge sentenced to jail for taking kickbacks from a for-profit jail reminded me of this Big Town episode, with its crusading newspaper editor sending a 17-year-old copyboy undercover to expose a corrupt and barbaric reformatory. “A … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, Drama, newspaper crusades, newspapers, undercover | Leave a comment

Landing a Newspaper Job; Cameraman Tells All

Posted on July 7, 2014 by

Some of my favorite “newsroom scenes” in old radio shows involve a young reporter trying to land a job. Here’s the first of a couple of episodes where the job-hunter is a would-be photojournalist. This 1947 “Crime Photographer” episode put the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, Casey, journalism, newspapers, photographer | Leave a comment

A young reporter’s ethical growing pains

Posted on April 10, 2014 by

Listening to more of Mickey Rooney’s unsuccessful “Shorty Bell” series from 1948 — after reading obituaries and tributes to him this week — I can’t help wondering what the audience wanted from his radio newspaper-journalism vehicle: A lighter family-friendly “Andy … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, editors, ethics, newspapers, reporters, stereotypes | Leave a comment

Mickey Rooney’s newspaper days — on radio

Posted on April 7, 2014 by

Mickey Rooney, who died Sunday at 93, was most famous for playing scrappy, funny and musical young men in the 1930s and ’40s.His starring role in this spring 1948 radio drama didn’t have any “Hey kids, let’s put on a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, newspapers, reporters | Leave a comment