|
WNYC: To Bring 'Greater Happiness to the People'
New York City's 1923 Silver Jubilee celebrating 25 years of borough unification was an opportunity for the Hylan Administration to trumpet its accomplishments and plans for the future. Among those plans was WNYC. Although not yet named, the municipal broadcasting station had already been on the drawing board for a year and city officials were intent on having it come to pass. The exposition for the Silver Jubilee was held at the Grand Central Palace, a city exhibition space. There were daily broadcasts from the Radio booth at the expo over Newark's WJZ. And the booth vigorously promoted what would become WNYC.
" The Officials of the Department of Plant and Structures are of the opinion that there is a new and undeveloped field in broadcasting for municipal governments. The City of New York intends to be the leader in this new field ...
"Uncle Sam is already dispensing health through its Radio station at Arlington, Virginia. New York City will dispense health, protection, safety, education, entertainment and in fact, something from every one of its many departments. A closer bond between the people and their government, a more intimate aquaintanceship and the end for which the government is working, the greater happiness of the people, will be attained..."
Source: Silver Jubilee Review, June 15, 1923, vol. 1 no. 17. pgs. 1 and 3. Thanks to Associate Archivist Alexandra Hilton at the New York City Municipal Archives.
For more see: New York City Silver Jubilee: The Plan and Promise of WNYC in 1923.
|
