Cumulus Media Networks

The Mutual Broadcasting System and the NBC Radio Network were both dissolved in 1999 after both were sold to the original Westwood One a decade earlier.WJZ radio, originally owned by Westinghouse and its informal network were absorbed into the National Broadcasting Company in 1927.The distinctions between the two networks were, beyond staff and advertisers, mostly a matter of the more popular and established programming appearing on NBC Red.To add to its programming, ABC bought stations KECA (now KABC) in Los Angeles and WXYZ (now WXYT) in Detroit, the latter home and originator of many popular serials such as The Lone Ranger.Financially unable to match the larger networks, NBC and CBS, ABC merged with United Paramount Theaters early in 1953.[1] Through the 1950s, network radio declined in popularity, and ABC radio gradually became more oriented to its local stations, especially its two pop-music powerhouses, New York's WABC (formerly WJZ) and Chicago's WLS (which was owned and operated by the Prairie Farmer in a time-share arrangement with ABC-owned WENR until both stations merged in 1954; ABC acquired the Farmer's minority stake in 1959).Other long-running ABC programs included the National Barn Dance, running from 1924 to 1960, and Paul Harvey's daily commentary, which ran from 1951 until his death in 2009.[5] Before the split, ABC obtained a waiver of the FCC's "Chain Broadcasting" rule on December 29, 1967, which had forced the sale of the Blue network in 1943.Executives in charge of ABC Rock at the launch were vice president Tom Plant and program director Denise Oliver.Dick Bartley joined the network in 1991 with the AT40 spinoff American Gold and his live Saturday night call-in oldies show, before leaving at the end of March 2009.However, the rising popularity of conservative talk radio, fueled by The Rush Limbaugh Show, led to the main network's demise.This occurred when former ABC executive Ed McLaughlin purchased Spann's former weekday slot with the idea of giving Limbaugh a national platform following his initial success on KFBK in Sacramento.After Tom Snyder's retirement in 1992, ABC ostensibly filled his weeknight slot with Leslie Marshall, at the time the youngest syndicated host ever, while most major affiliates instead picked up Limbaugh.[20] ABC Audio renewed its affiliation with most of the Cumulus stations in 2020 when Westwood One made the decision to fold its news division.