KEEN Initial Broadcast, June 1947
KEEN Initial Broadcast, June 1947
About This Item
KEEN went on the air on June 21, 1947 and would become a San Jose mainstay for the next five decades. These are the first moments of its opening night broadcast from studios at San Jose's Hotel De Anza. The event was attended by many luminaries including comedy star Red Skelton.
The station's ownership entity, United Broadcasting, was made up of veteran broadcasters George D. Snell Jr. and B. Floyd Farr along with colorful San Francisco restaurateur George Mardikian. Snell was chief announcer at KPO in San Francisco. He hired Snell, with whom he’d formed a friendship at a Salt Lake City radio station. Mardikian befriended the two and supplied the cash to back their dream of owning a radio station.
KEEN would become best known for many years as a source for Country music.
- Station
- KEEN
- Performer
- Unknown
- Date Aired
- 1947-06-21
- Type
- Live Event
- Station Format
- Full Service
- Artifact Format
- Digital File (unknown analog source)
- Duration
- 00:12
- Language
- English
- Program Type
- Fragment
- Views
- 7