NBC Orange Network facts for kids
The NBC Orange Network was a special radio network in the western United States. It was part of the National Broadcasting Company. This network operated from 1927 to 1936. It helped bring radio shows to listeners on the Pacific Coast.
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The NBC Orange Network: Radio's Early Days in the West
The NBC Orange Network was also known as the NBC Pacific Coast network. It was created because it was hard to send radio signals across the country. In the 1920s, technology wasn't advanced enough. It was difficult to send live shows from the eastern United States to the West Coast. This meant the West Coast needed its own radio setup.
How the Orange Network Worked
The Orange Network had its own teams. These teams included people who produced shows and performers. They created original radio programs right there on the West Coast.
At first, the Orange Network also made copies of many shows from the East. This happened until the end of 1928. They had to do this because there wasn't a good way to send live signals.
Connecting the Coasts
In December 1928, something important happened. A special high-quality radio line was finished. This line connected the East Coast to San Francisco. Now, the Orange Network could get eastern programs directly. But it could only receive one show at a time.
From then until 1936, the Orange Network shared programs. It would sometimes play shows from the larger NBC Red Network. Other times, it would play shows from the NBC Blue Network.
The Network Changes
By 1936, another important connection was made. A second high-quality radio line was completed. This one went to Los Angeles. This new line was even better. It could send signals both ways very quickly.
This meant Los Angeles could now send its own live shows to the eastern networks. Los Angeles was a great place for this. It had many talented people during the Golden Age of Hollywood. This was a time when movies and radio were very popular.
With these new connections, the Orange Network was no longer needed. Its job was done. The stations that were part of the old Orange Network changed. They became the Pacific Coast Red Network. This new network got its programs from KPO (AM).
One station, KGO (AM), became different. It started a new Western Blue Network. This network included stations from the short-lived NBC Gold Network. So, the Orange Network helped connect the country through radio. It played a big part in early broadcasting history.
