1942 in radio

The year 1942 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.

Events

• 1 January – All radio broadcasting in the Netherlands comes under full control of the country's Nazi occupiers. Publication of the only authorized programme guide, De Luistergids, begins.
• 9 January – Blue Network Company, Inc. is incorporated by RCA in the United States to hold the assets of the NBC Blue Network,<ref name="coxotd">Cox, Jim (2008). This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History. McFarland & Company, Inc. Template:ISBN.</ref> in case NBC loses their case against the FCC in court to maintain ownership of two networks.
• 29 January – The BBC Forces Programme transmits the first edition of Desert Island Discs, presented by Roy Plomley. Vic Oliver is the first castaway.<ref name="Pocket On This Day">Template:Cite book</ref> The series will still be running (on BBC Radio 4) more than 75 years later.
• 23 February – Fireside chat by the President of the United States: On Progress of the War.
• 24 February – The Voice of America begins short-wave radio broadcasting using CBS and NBC transmitters. Its first programmes are in German.
• 27 February – James Stanley Hey, a British Army research officer, helps develop radio astronomy, when he discovers that the sun emits radio waves.
• 28 April – Fireside chat: On Our National Economic Policy.
• 6 May – The Radio Doctor (Charles Hill) makes his first BBC Radio broadcast giving avuncular health care advice to British civilians.
• 19 May – A subsequently famous BBC outside broadcast recording captures the song of the common nightingale with the sound of Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers flying overhead.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• 26 July – Gene Autry takes his oath of office to join the United States Army during the broadcast of Gene Autry's Melody Ranch.<ref name="French76">French, Jack & Siegel, David S. (eds.) (2014). "Radio Rides the Range: A Reference Guide to Western Drama on the Air, 1929-1967. McFarland & Company, Inc. Template:ISBN. pp. 76.</ref>
• September – The Brains Trust first broadcast under this title on BBC Home Service radio in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• 7 September – Fireside chat: On Inflation and Progress of the War.
• 12 October – Fireside chat: Report on the Home Front.
• 8 November – Aspidistra medium wave radio transmitter goes into service in the south of England for black propaganda and military deception purposes against Nazi Germany.

Debuts

• 24 January: Abie’s Irish Rose debuts on NBC.<ref name="dunningota">Dunning, John. (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. Template:ISBN.</ref>
• 3 February: Red Ryder debuts on NBC Blue West Coast.<ref name=coxotd/>
• 1 March: KBON, Omaha, Nebraska, a Mutual affiliate, begins broadcasting on 1400 kHz with 250 W power (full-time).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 4 March: Junior Miss (1942–1954) debuts on CBS.
• 22 March: The Better Half debuts on Mutual.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 3 April: People Are Funny debuts on NBC.
• 5 April: The Army Hour debuts on NBC.
• 13 April: Are You a Genius? debuts on CBS.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 19 April: WJLD, Bessemer, Alabama, begins broadcasting on 1400 kHz with 250 W power.<ref>Alicoate, Jack, Ed. (1944). The 1949 Radio Annual. Radio Daily Corp. P. 347.</ref>
• 1 May: In Person, Dinah Shore debuts on the Blue Network.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 6 May: The Radio Doctor (Charles Hill) makes his first BBC radio broadcast giving health care advice.
• 9 June: Cheers from the Camps debuts on CBS.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 17 June: Suspense debuts on CBS following its 1940 pilot on Forecast.
• 18 July: Chips Davis, Commando debuts on CBS.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 30 July: Stage Door Canteen debuts on CBS.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 2 August: Hop Harrigan debuts on ABC.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 3 August: An American in England debuts on CBS.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 6 September: Mayor of the Town debuts on NBC.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 20 September: The Electric Hour debuts on CBS.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 2 October: The Cisco Kid debuts on Mutual.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 7 October: The Man Behind the Gun debuts on CBS.Template:R
• 10 October: Campana Serenade debuts on NBC.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 14 October: Cresta Blanca Carnival debuts on CBS.Template:R
• 20 October: Songs by Sinatra debuts on CBS.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• 31 October: The Bob Hawk Show debuts on CBS.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 9 November: Ceiling Unlimited debuts on CBS.<ref name=dunningota/>

Closings

• (undated) - Harold Teen ends its run on network radio (Mutual).<ref name="sies">Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition. McFarland & Company, Inc. Template:ISBN. pp. 145-146.</ref>
• 3 January: The Bishop and the Gargoyle ends its run on network radio (Blue Network).<ref name=dunningota/>
• 3 April: Captain Flagg and Sergeant Quirt ends its run on network radio (NBC).<ref name=dunningota/>
• 26 April: Songs by Dinah Shore ends its run on network radio (NBC-Blue).<ref name=dunningota/>
• 26 June: Arnold Grimm's Daughter ends its run on network radio (NBC).<ref name=dunningota/>
• 23 August: Great Plays ends its run on network radio (Blue Network).<ref name=dunningota/>
• 11 September: The Bartons ends its run on network radio (NBC).<ref name=dunningota/>
• 22 September: Cheers from the Camps ends its run on network radio (CBS).<ref name=dunningota/>
• 25 September: The Story of Bess Johnson ends its run on network radio (NBC).<ref name="grso">Template:Cite book</ref>
• 27 September: Joe and Mabel ends its run on network radio (NBC).<ref name=dunningota/>
• 3 November: The Avenger (radio program) ends its run on WHN.<ref name=dunningota/>
• 22 December: An American in England ends its run on network radio (CBS).<ref name=dunningota/>

Births

• 7 August: Garrison Keillor, American public radio host of A Prairie Home Companion.
• 12 August: David Munrow, English early music performer and presenter (Pied Piper on BBC Radio 3) (suicide 1976).
• 29 August: Larry Monroe, 29-year veteran with KUT in Austin, Texas (d. 2014).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• 20 September: Dan Davis, American radio personality on ESPN Radio.
• 24 October: Frank Delaney, Irish-born novelist and radio presenter (d. 2017).
• 11 December: Bud Ballou, American disc jockey and radio personality during the 1960s and 1970s.
• 24 December: Anthony Clare, Irish-born psychiatrist and BBC radio presenter (d. 2007).
• 26 December: Emperor Rosko (Mike Pasternak), American disc jockey on both sides of the Atlantic.
• Bill Brown, New York City television and radio personality (WCBS-FM, WPLJ, WNEW-FM).