Re: Yankee Network and Mutual

[Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>]

The question was also raised about Shepard's affiliation with CBS while he
maintained a connexion with Mutual.  As I said to David in an e-mail I sent
him the other day, Shepard had a love-hate relationship with CBS, which was
perpetually threatening to cut him off.  Here is a typical headline, from
Variety, 4 March 1936:  CBS AND SHEPARD RENEW DICKERING;  "HOOKUP WITH
MUTUAL MUST STOP"

The gist of the story is that CBS was mightily displeased that the Yankee
Network was running Mutual network programming as well as CBS programming,
and demanded that Shepard choose one or the other.  CBS was also saying it
had approached WEEI, and was prepared to make a change (which in fact it
did that year...).  According to the article, CBS had been so annoyed by
Shepard picking up Mutual that they had approached WHDH and several other
stations in the previous year.  (At that time, WHDH was not fulltime, and
was only 1000 watts, but obviously, CBS was trying to force Shepard to stop
using Mutual or lose the CBS affiliation...) 	
   

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