A radio manufacturer named the Radio Corporation of America, which we know as RCA, began to broadcast its own programs on stations it had either started or purchased. In late 1926, RCA created a division of the company known as the National Broadcasting Company, or NBC. NBC officially started broadcasting on November 15, 1926.

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the company, NBC created a series of shows called Recollection at 30. Using a vast number of archival recordings, Recollection at 30 would assemble some of these transcriptions into a 25-minute show. Some of these shows followed a theme, such as the shows The Crash of the Hindenburg, The Big Bands, and Abraham Lincoln. Others concentrated on popular radio programs, such as Truth or Consequences, and Lights Out. People were honored, like Judy Garland, H. V. Kaltenborn, and Irving Berlin.

Some of the ideas for the shows were solicited from listeners. The requests often included hearing some of the earliest recordings. To honor this, an entire broadcast was dedicated to June 11th, 1927, the day of the earliest recording NBC owned. This show included the return of Charles Lindberg, and had President Calvin Coolidgeâs presentation of the Distinguished Flying Cross award to Lindberg. NBC had transmitted this event live to 50 stations simultaneously -- the largest simultaneous transmission accomplished to that point.

A one-hour audition show created May 15, 1956 was titled A Salute to Radio, and hosted by H. V. Kaltenborn. When the show was produced starting June 20, 1956, the announcer for most of the shows was Ed Herlihy. The show would run for a total of 45 episodes, with the final broadcast on May 1, 1957.

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