Michael Jackson Program – Guest: Eartha Kitt – Michael Hannon – July 5, 1965 – KNX-AM/FM, Los Angeles – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
There are people who swear up and down that the Golden Age of Talk Radio began somewhere in the 1960s. And probably for good reason – talk radio, as we knew it then, catered to a broad audience, whose common denominator was curiosity. Even in the mid-1960’s (around the time of this Michael Jackson show), KNX in Los Angeles adopted the slogan “Curious Radio” as a selling point for advertisers but also a point of information for potential listeners.
Talk Radio ran the gamut in subject matter and provided an avenue for listeners to rant or praise. As is evidenced by this 1 hour excerpt from Michael Jackson’s daily show for KNX, it wasn’t at all unusual to have a well-known personality promoting a book or film for one portion of the program and then switch gears to have a controversial figure like Michael Hannon (a Los Angeles Police Officer who took part in Civil Rights Demonstrations as a protestor) on to discuss the Civil Rights Movement at the time.
Peppered between the questions and answers, the audience phoned in and either chimed in or went on rampages – nothing to too far out of hand and an aura of civility permeated the proceedings.
I doubt strongly if anything resembling Talk Radio exists anymore – Social Media has given fingertip access a free reign to even the most unhinged of participants – discourse in the world of 2023 has become muddled and messages have been largely distorted to the point where sides are now blurry – it has now become a world of contention rather than discovery.
Michael Jackson went on to maintain an illustrious career in Los Angeles Radio and his relaxed approach and persuasive engagement made him an institution for many years. Holding court at KNX until leaving for KABC in 1966 where he stayed until 1998.
For an idea and example of what “Curious Radio” was capable of in 1965, here’s an example and interviews with icon Eartha Kitt and controversial figure Michael Hannon..
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