Larry Glick

[Sid Schweiger]

>>I thought ABC got a waiver from the FCC to keep Breakfast Club on the air for affiliates that still wanted to carry, even though it was on borrowed time at that point. That's what I remember reading in Sterling Quinlan's "Inside ABC" at least.<<
It lasted exactly one more year, until 12/17/1968.  However, because of its length it could not be distributed over ABC Radio's primary network of telco circuits.  It would have been interrupted five times an hour by network newscasts to the four networks.  During that last year it had its own distribution network and was called "The Don McNeill Show."  It was offered first to affiliates of the American Entertainment Network.

The reason I posted that it "disappeared" is because, for all intents and purposes, it did disappear.  Its affiliate list shrank by a lot after 1/1/1968, it was off of the main ABC Radio Network and that kind of programming was out of another era in radio, which was rapidly being abandoned even on so-called adult stations.  The only network radio show done in a similar style that lasted longer (and even then, not by much) was Arthur Godfrey on CBS.

It should also be noted that as host of the Breakfast Club, Don McNeill lasted longer than any other host of a network entertainment program...yes, longer even than Johnny Carson or Bob Barker.  Don began the show in 1933.

Sid Schweiger
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