The year 1959 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.

Events 3 February – A light-aircraft crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, kills three musicians: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and KTRM-Beaumont deejay J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, Jr., as well as the plane's pilot. The tragedy will go on to become known as "The Day The Music Died". 11 May – At 10 am, KROW 960 AM in San Francisco switches its call letters to KABL. The KABL name will stay with the station until September 2004. German-American musicologist Karl Haas starts Adventures in Good Music at WJR in Detroit, Michigan. Polskie Radio broadcasts the drama Pasażerka z kabiny 45 (Passenger from Cabin Number 45), written by Zofia Posmysz based on her time in wartime concentration camps and featuring Aleksandra Śląska and Jan Świderski.

Debuts 14 March – Tulane University's WTUL signs on for the first time. Owned and operated by Tulane University, this progressive-music station. will give Jerry Springer his start in broadcasting. 3 April – Pick of the Week is first broadcast on the BBC Home Service. 7 June – KKLS signs on in Rapid City.

Closings 2 January – CBS ends Our Gal Sunday, This Is Nora Drake, Backstage Wife and Road of Life.Dunning, John. (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. . 2 January – The Kate Smith Show ends its run on network radio (Mutual).Cox, Jim (2008). This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History. McFarland & Company, Inc. . p. 7 9 January – The Howard Miller Show ends its run on network radio (CBS). 24 April - NBC Bandstand ends its run on network radio (NBC).

Births 2 January – Joe Bevilacqua, award-winning American voice actor, radio producer, dramatist, humorist and documentary film producer. 9 January – Andy Kershaw, English world music presenter. 27 January – Cris Collinsworth, American sportscaster, previously American football player. 28 January – Randi Rhodes, American radio host. 22 May – Graham Fellows, English comedy performer. 3 June – John Carlson, American conservative talk radio host on KVI in Seattle. 7 June – Mike Pence, American politician who begins his career on radio station WIFE-FM (WRCR-FM). 13 August – Danny Bonaduce, American comedian, actor and broadcast personality.

Deaths 9 January – Hans Bredow, "father of German radio" (born 1879). 3 March – Lou Costello, American comic actor (The Abbott and Costello Show), heart attack (born 1906). 6 December – Len Doyle, American actor, played investigator Harrigan on Mr. District Attorney (born 1893). .

See also This Gun That I Have in My Right Hand Is Loaded

References