NBC Talknet
Encyclopedia
NBC Talknet was a nighttime programming block
on the NBC Radio Network from the 1980s to the 1990s. It comprised several advice-oriented call-in
talk shows
, the most notable personalities
being Bruce Williams and Sally Jessy Raphael
. At a time when talk radio was a mostly local format, Talknet, among similar services, brought the format to a national level.
radio was still largely dominated by all-music formats. Many individual radio stations had introduced some talk programming to their lineups, but it was almost universally locally produced. The concept of national talk radio, broadcast over a radio network, had not been tried. In 1978, Larry King
began broadcasting six hours of talk programming nightly on the Mutual Broadcasting System
. His success in the field proved to radio programmers that there was an audience for both late-night talk programming and national talk radio programming. Both NBC and ABC
were quick to enter the late-night talk radio market. ABC launched a nightly block of programming called TalkRadio and NBC launched Talknet.
was still in place, requiring radio and television stations to, among other things, give equal time to both sides of controversial issues presented on the air. As a result, it would be some time before openly partisan radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh
began to appear and prosper. All of the programming of Talknet was instead advice-oriented, with listeners calling into ask questions and receive help with various issues and problems in their lives.
Talknet premiered on 21 stations nationwide on Monday November 2, 1981. Early affiliates were WRC
Washington, WIOD
Miami, KXL Portland, WJW
Cleveland, KFBK
Sacramento, WLW
Cincinnati, KOB
Albuquerque, WDAY Fargo, WOOD
Grand Rapids. Maurice Tunick was creator and executive producer.
Tunick: "I came up with the name 'Talknet' and created and developed the 'Dear Abby' format for Sally Jessy Raphael
which I tested earlier that year on NBC's WRC
in Washington D.C. Prior to Talknet the only radio advice shows were hosted by clinical psychologists. My idea for Sally was 'a friend.' Over the back fence advice. Someone to talk to, someone who cares (as the theme music said). A daring, revolutionary idea at the time. Sally was a well traveled but unknown broadcaster at the time. Sally's TV show would start a couple of years later (1983) - a direct result of her Talknet success."
"Much forgotten is that Bruce Williams originally aired at 10PM Eastern to Midnight, and Sally Jessy Raphael
aired Midnight to 3AM Eastern time. That quickly changed. I'm not sure how long, maybe a couple of months, to 7-10PM and 10-1AM. The shows were a hit out of the box and stations asked for an earlier feed time. Weekend programming was added a year later with Bernard Meltzer
and Dr. Harvey Ruben."
Bruce Williams answered questions from listeners on issues related to money, personal finance, investments, business and other similar topics. On December 5, 1982 Williams crashed while attempting to land his airplane in Princeton, New Jersey
.
Tunick: "He was critically injured and nearly clinically dead when he arrived at the Medical Center of Princeton. One week later Bruce was back on the air from his hospital room and did his show from there for a week before he was released and originated his program from home for the next three months. We were told at the time this was the first national radio show to originate from a hospital."
Bruce Williams is now syndicating his own program. He has contracted with Rocky Mountain Radio/Global American Broadcasting to provide satellite and technical services. Sally Jessy Raphael
hosted the 10 pm-1 am time slot and spoke to callers about issues involving relationships and their personal lives. Her radio show was recently revived in 2006.
Williams was a tentpole of the Talknet lineup and continued with the service until its demise. Raphael, however, remained as host for a total of six years, from 1981-1987. Following her departure, several other hosts filled the 10 pm-1 am slot, dispensing personal and relationship advice. These included Dara Welles and Neil Myers.
was jumping to ABC Radio. I also hired the legendary Tom Snyder
to make Sally (7-10) and Tom (10-1) the new bookends of nighttime listening."
In 1986, NBC, along with its parent company, RCA
, was purchased by General Electric
. GE purchased the company primarily for the NBC television network
, and shortly thereafter sold the company's various other assets. The NBC radio network was sold to Westwood One
. NBC radio continued as a programming service through 1989. After that date, the NBC brand name continued to be used on some programming, but NBC radio did not exist as a separate programming service. Westwood One continued the "Talknet" programming through the mid-1990s, but eventually dropped the "Talknet" name as well as the 10 pm-1 am personal advice programming. The time slot is currently held by Jim Bohannon
, a carryover from the now-defunct Mutual Broadcasting System
(which was also acquired by Westwood One).
Bruce Williams remained with Westwood One hosting his own individual program from 7 pm-10 pm for some years more, but eventually moved to the Talk America Radio Network (then owned by IDT) on June 25, 2001, and later Business Talk Radio Network until 2008. From 2008 to 2010, he self syndicated the show, which included a relay on the Sirius-XM channel also called "America's Talk
" as well as on the Cable Radio Network
. Williams retired in March 2010.
Raphael focused her efforts on television, but after her TV show was canceled, relaunched her show as "Sally JR's Open House," originally an Internet-only effort, but later transferred to radio syndication. Raphael's last radio show aired July 7, 2008.
Block programming
Block programming or television block is a strategy of broadcast programming and radio programmers. Block programming occurs when the television network schedules similar television programs back-to-back. The concept is to provide similar programming to keep the viewers. Radio stations use it...
on the NBC Radio Network from the 1980s to the 1990s. It comprised several advice-oriented call-in
Phone in
In broadcasting, a phone-in or call-in is a programme format in which viewers or listeners are invited to air their live comments by telephone, usually in respect of a specific topic selected for discussion on the day of the broadcast. On radio , it is common for an entire programme to be dedicated...
talk shows
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
, the most notable personalities
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
being Bruce Williams and Sally Jessy Raphael
Sally Jessy Raphaël
Sally Lowenthal , better known as Sally Jessy Raphael, is an American talk show host, known for the eponymous Sally talk show she hosted for two decades.-Early years:...
. At a time when talk radio was a mostly local format, Talknet, among similar services, brought the format to a national level.
History
Prior to the late 1970s, AMAM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
radio was still largely dominated by all-music formats. Many individual radio stations had introduced some talk programming to their lineups, but it was almost universally locally produced. The concept of national talk radio, broadcast over a radio network, had not been tried. In 1978, Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
began broadcasting six hours of talk programming nightly on the Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
. His success in the field proved to radio programmers that there was an audience for both late-night talk programming and national talk radio programming. Both NBC and ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
were quick to enter the late-night talk radio market. ABC launched a nightly block of programming called TalkRadio and NBC launched Talknet.
Programming
At the time when Talknet was introduced, the Fairness DoctrineFairness Doctrine
The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the United States Federal Communications Commission , introduced in 1949, that required the holders of broadcast licenses to both present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was, in the Commission's view, honest, equitable...
was still in place, requiring radio and television stations to, among other things, give equal time to both sides of controversial issues presented on the air. As a result, it would be some time before openly partisan radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
began to appear and prosper. All of the programming of Talknet was instead advice-oriented, with listeners calling into ask questions and receive help with various issues and problems in their lives.
Talknet premiered on 21 stations nationwide on Monday November 2, 1981. Early affiliates were WRC
WTEM
WTEM — branded ESPN 980 — is a sports radio station licensed to Washington, D.C. and serving the Washington metro area. It is the flagship of a sports talk trimulcast with WWXT in Prince Frederick, Maryland and WWXX in Buckland, Virginia, all affiliated with ESPN Radio and owned by Red Zebra...
Washington, WIOD
WIOD
WIOD is a news/talk formatted radio station in Miami, Florida. For over 80 years, it has been a major information station in South Florida...
Miami, KXL Portland, WJW
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
Cleveland, KFBK
KFBK
KFBK is a radio station in Sacramento, California broadcasting on a frequency of 1530 kHz. KFBK is a class A clear channel station, formerly designated as a class "I-B" station, sharing 1530 with WCKY in Cincinnati, Ohio...
Sacramento, WLW
WLW
WLW is a clear channel talk radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio, run by Clear Channel Communications. The station broadcasts locally on 700 kHz AM...
Cincinnati, KOB
KOB-TV
KOB, virtual channel 4 , is an NBC-affiliate television station based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. Its transmitter is located on Sandia Crest, east of Albuquerque...
Albuquerque, WDAY Fargo, WOOD
WOOD (AM)
WOOD is a news/talk radio station broadcasting at 1300 kHz and 106.9 FM in Michigan, United States. WOOD-AM is licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan and WOOD-FM to Muskegon, Michigan.-Full-service station:...
Grand Rapids. Maurice Tunick was creator and executive producer.
Tunick: "I came up with the name 'Talknet' and created and developed the 'Dear Abby' format for Sally Jessy Raphael
Sally Jessy Raphaël
Sally Lowenthal , better known as Sally Jessy Raphael, is an American talk show host, known for the eponymous Sally talk show she hosted for two decades.-Early years:...
which I tested earlier that year on NBC's WRC
WTEM
WTEM — branded ESPN 980 — is a sports radio station licensed to Washington, D.C. and serving the Washington metro area. It is the flagship of a sports talk trimulcast with WWXT in Prince Frederick, Maryland and WWXX in Buckland, Virginia, all affiliated with ESPN Radio and owned by Red Zebra...
in Washington D.C. Prior to Talknet the only radio advice shows were hosted by clinical psychologists. My idea for Sally was 'a friend.' Over the back fence advice. Someone to talk to, someone who cares (as the theme music said). A daring, revolutionary idea at the time. Sally was a well traveled but unknown broadcaster at the time. Sally's TV show would start a couple of years later (1983) - a direct result of her Talknet success."
"Much forgotten is that Bruce Williams originally aired at 10PM Eastern to Midnight, and Sally Jessy Raphael
Sally Jessy Raphaël
Sally Lowenthal , better known as Sally Jessy Raphael, is an American talk show host, known for the eponymous Sally talk show she hosted for two decades.-Early years:...
aired Midnight to 3AM Eastern time. That quickly changed. I'm not sure how long, maybe a couple of months, to 7-10PM and 10-1AM. The shows were a hit out of the box and stations asked for an earlier feed time. Weekend programming was added a year later with Bernard Meltzer
Bernard Meltzer
Bernard C. Meltzer was a United States radio host for several decades. His advice call-in show, "What's Your Problem?," aired from 1967 until the mid-1990s on stations WCAU-AM and WPEN-AM in Philadelphia, WOR-AM and WEVD-AM in New York and in national syndication on NBC Talknet.A city planner by...
and Dr. Harvey Ruben."
Bruce Williams answered questions from listeners on issues related to money, personal finance, investments, business and other similar topics. On December 5, 1982 Williams crashed while attempting to land his airplane in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
.
Tunick: "He was critically injured and nearly clinically dead when he arrived at the Medical Center of Princeton. One week later Bruce was back on the air from his hospital room and did his show from there for a week before he was released and originated his program from home for the next three months. We were told at the time this was the first national radio show to originate from a hospital."
Bruce Williams is now syndicating his own program. He has contracted with Rocky Mountain Radio/Global American Broadcasting to provide satellite and technical services. Sally Jessy Raphael
Sally Jessy Raphaël
Sally Lowenthal , better known as Sally Jessy Raphael, is an American talk show host, known for the eponymous Sally talk show she hosted for two decades.-Early years:...
hosted the 10 pm-1 am time slot and spoke to callers about issues involving relationships and their personal lives. Her radio show was recently revived in 2006.
Williams was a tentpole of the Talknet lineup and continued with the service until its demise. Raphael, however, remained as host for a total of six years, from 1981-1987. Following her departure, several other hosts filled the 10 pm-1 am slot, dispensing personal and relationship advice. These included Dara Welles and Neil Myers.
Demise
Tunick: "I left Talknet in late 1985 (November 4, 1985) after being recruited by ABC Radio where I became Vice-President of Programming for the ABC Talkradio Network. I stayed close to Sally during the next year, knowing she had one year remaining on her contract. In late 1986 the radio world was shocked to learn Sally Jessy RaphaelSally Jessy Raphaël
Sally Lowenthal , better known as Sally Jessy Raphael, is an American talk show host, known for the eponymous Sally talk show she hosted for two decades.-Early years:...
was jumping to ABC Radio. I also hired the legendary Tom Snyder
Tom Snyder
Thomas James "Tom" Snyder was an American television personality, news anchor and radio personality best known for his late night talk shows The Tomorrow Show, on the NBC television network in the 1970s and 1980s, and The Late Late Show, on the CBS Television Network in the 1990s...
to make Sally (7-10) and Tom (10-1) the new bookends of nighttime listening."
In 1986, NBC, along with its parent company, RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
, was purchased by General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
. GE purchased the company primarily for the NBC television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
, and shortly thereafter sold the company's various other assets. The NBC radio network was sold to Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
. NBC radio continued as a programming service through 1989. After that date, the NBC brand name continued to be used on some programming, but NBC radio did not exist as a separate programming service. Westwood One continued the "Talknet" programming through the mid-1990s, but eventually dropped the "Talknet" name as well as the 10 pm-1 am personal advice programming. The time slot is currently held by Jim Bohannon
Jim Bohannon
James E. "Jim" Bohannon is an American broadcaster who has worked in both television and radio.During the 1980s he was a fill-in for Larry King when King had his popular nighttime national radio program. He also does much work with the Smithsonian Associates...
, a carryover from the now-defunct Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
(which was also acquired by Westwood One).
Bruce Williams remained with Westwood One hosting his own individual program from 7 pm-10 pm for some years more, but eventually moved to the Talk America Radio Network (then owned by IDT) on June 25, 2001, and later Business Talk Radio Network until 2008. From 2008 to 2010, he self syndicated the show, which included a relay on the Sirius-XM channel also called "America's Talk
America's Talk
America's Talk is a news and talk radio channel on XM Satellite Radio, launched on 2007-11-19 on channel 158 and moved to 166 on 2011-05-04. Much like its sister talk channel XM Talk 168, it is a general news/talk focused channel. It was programmed by Sean Compton until 2008-04-01, in Cincinnati,...
" as well as on the Cable Radio Network
Cable Radio Network
CRN Digital Talk Radio Networks, sometimes simply referred to as CRN or CRN Digital Talk, is a syndicator and distributor of radio programs and talk radio networks. Its legal name, and former branding, is Cable Radio Networks, Inc....
. Williams retired in March 2010.
Raphael focused her efforts on television, but after her TV show was canceled, relaunched her show as "Sally JR's Open House," originally an Internet-only effort, but later transferred to radio syndication. Raphael's last radio show aired July 7, 2008.