Editing Mutual Broadcasting System (section)

{{Short description|American radio broadcasting network (1934–1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
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{{Infobox radio network
| name = Mutual Broadcasting System
| image = MBSMicLogo.png
| image_size = 150px
| country = {{ubl|United States|Canada (limited)}}
| network_type = {{ubl|[[Radio network]]:|[[Cooperative]] (1934–1952)|Corporate-controlled (1952–1999)}}
| parent = {{ubl|[[General Tire]] (1952–1957)|[[Armand Hammer]] (1957–1958)|[[Scranton Lace Company]] (1958–1959)|Malcolm Smith (1959)|Robert F. Hurleigh (1959–1960)|[[3M|3M Company]] (1960–1966)|Mutual Broadcasting Corp.|(1966–1977)|[[Amway]] (1977–1985)|[[Westwood One (1976–2011)|Westwood One]] (1985–1999)}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1934|9|29|p=y|br=yes}}
| closure_date = {{ubl|{{End date|1999|4|17}}|({{Age in years and days|1934|9|29|1999|4|17}})}}
| affiliates = {{ubl|4 founders (1934);|104 (1938); 384 (1945);|543 (1950); 443 (1960);|950 (1979); 810 (1985);|approx. 300 (1999)}}
}}
The '''Mutual Broadcasting System''' (commonly referred to simply as '''Mutual'''; sometimes referred to as '''MBS''', '''Mutual Radio''' or the '''Mutual Radio Network''') was an American commercial [[radio network]] in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the [[Golden Age of Radio|golden age of U.S. radio drama]], Mutual was best known as the original network home of ''[[Lone Ranger#Original radio series|The Lone Ranger]]'' and ''[[The Adventures of Superman (radio series)|The Adventures of Superman]]'' and as the long-time radio residence of ''[[The Shadow]]''. For many years, it was a national broadcaster for [[Major League Baseball on Mutual|Major League Baseball]] (including the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] and [[World Series]]), the [[National Football League]], and [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football]]. From the 1930s until the network's dissolution in 1999, Mutual ran a respected news service along with a variety of lauded news and commentary programs. In the 1970s, Mutual pioneered the nationwide late night call-in [[talk radio]] program, introducing the country to [[Larry King]] and later, [[Jim Bohannon]].

In the 1970s, acting in much the same style as rival [[Cumulus Media Networks|ABC Radio]]{{Efn|Not to be confused with [[ABC Audio]].|name=ABCAudio}} had [[Cumulus Media Networks#ABC Radio Networks|splitting their network in 1968]], Mutual launched four sister radio networks: [[Mutual Black Network]] (MBN) (initially launched as "Mutual Reports Network" (MRN)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Commission |first1=United States Federal Communications |title=Federal Communications Commission Reports: Decisions, Reports, and Orders of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pd6uGlAU4GEC |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |language=en |date=1975 |quote=Also, as indicated in an earlier request which had been granted by the Chief, Broadcast Bureau pursuant to delegated authority, some stations affiliated with either the MBS or Mutual Reports (Black) network, in markets where another station is carrying one or the other of these games, may wish to carry delayed broadcasts of earlier MBS or Mutual Reports newscasts which have been fed prior to the game. |access-date=November 7, 2024 |archive-date=December 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225021534/https://books.google.com/books?id=pd6uGlAU4GEC |url-status=live }}</ref>), which still exists today as [[American Urban Radio Networks]] (AURN); [[Mutual Spanish Network|Mutual Cadena Hispánica]] (MCH, or in English, "Mutual Spanish Network", MSN, abandoned in 1973); regional outlet Mutual Southwest Network (MSWN, retired in 1983); and [[Mutual Lifestyle Radio|Mutual Progressive Network]] (MPN; later re-branded "Mutual Lifestyle Radio" (MLR) in 1980, then retired in 1983).

Of the six{{Efn|The [[Progressive Broadcasting System|PBS]] & [[Liberty Broadcasting System|Liberty]] radio networks, PBS at 100 affiliates & Liberty at 500 affiliates, were the next closest in size to Mutual, which had 958 affiliates}} national & four major networks of American [[Golden Age of Radio#Broadcast_networks|radio's classic era]], Mutual had for decades the largest number of [[Network affiliate|affiliate]]s but the least certain financial position<ref name="RosseMBS">{{Cite magazine |last=Rosse |first=Dick |date=April 19, 1999 |title=How Sweet It Was |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1999/BC-1999-04-19.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable |volume=129 |issue=16 |pages=74, 76 |access-date=February 9, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131030558/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1999/BC-1999-04-19.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> (though it didn't prevent Mutual from expanding into television broadcasting after World War II, as [[NBC]], [[CBS]] and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] did, but it meant Mutual's attempt was short-lived at 11 months). For the first 18 years of its existence, Mutual was owned and operated as a [[cooperative]] (a system similar to that of today's [[National Public Radio]]), setting the network apart from its corporate-owned competitors. Mutual's member stations shared their own original programming, transmission and promotion expenses, and advertising revenues. From December 30, 1936, when it debuted in the West, the Mutual Broadcasting System had affiliates from coast to coast. Its business structure would change after [[General Tire]] assumed majority ownership in 1952 through a series of regional and individual station acquisitions.

Once General Tire sold the network in 1957 to a syndicate led by Dr. [[Armand Hammer]], Mutual's ownership was largely disconnected from the stations it served, leading to a more conventional, top-down model of program production and distribution. Due to the multiple sales of the network that followed, Mutual was once described in ''[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]'' magazine as "often traded".<ref name="Broad19770815p202">{{Cite magazine |date=August 15, 1977 |title=Sale of Mutual reported in work at $15 million |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1977/BC-1977-08-15.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=93 |issue=7 |page=20 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131030803/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1977/BC-1977-08-15.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> After a group that involved [[Hal Roach Studios]] purchased Mutual from Hammer's group, the new executive team was charged with accepting money to use Mutual as a vehicle for foreign [[propaganda]] on behalf of [[Rafael Trujillo]]'s dictatorship in the [[Third Dominican Republic]], while the network suffered significant financial losses and affiliate defections.{{r|Time19590914}} Concurrently filing for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] and selling twice in the span of four months for purposes of raising enough money to remain operational, the network's reputation was severely damaged but soon rebounded under its succeeding owner, [[3M|3M Company]]. Sold to private interests in 1966 and again to [[Amway]] in 1977, Mutual purchased two radio stations in New York and Chicago in the 1980s, only to sell them after Amway's interest in broadcasting began to fade. Radio syndicator [[Westwood One (1976–2011)|Westwood One]] acquired Mutual in 1985 and [[NBC Radio Network|NBC Radio]] in 1987, consolidating the networks operations. Throughout the 1990s, Mutual was gradually assimilated into Westwood One's operations. The Mutual name was finally retired in April, 1999.