The Fourth Estate (audition)


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In the mid-1940s, there was great interest in bringing the drama of the newspaper business to radio. Two competing ideas were vying for attention. An audition for what would eventually become The Big Story was produced on February 1946. Initially titled "Special Assignment," it became "Feature Assignment." It dramatized the Joe Majczek case that would be re-done as the fifth episode of The Big Story a year later. It was also the case that would be produced as the Jimmy Stewart movie Call Northside 777 . Feature Assignment languished a bit in broadcasting limbo as a similar series was auditioned in 1946. It involved the famous writer and movie producer Mark Hellinger. The series, "The Fourth Estate," never made it to the air but the audition is good and starred Edmond O'Brien. Mark Hellinger was a good choice for the potential series. He started as a journalist in 1923 and became a noted newspaper columnist. He joined Warner Brothers in 1937 in writing and production, and later moved to Fox and Universal. Had great affection and insight into the news business, its people and inner workings and believed it would provide engaging entertainment. For eight years, Homer Canfield, NBC Radio production head, and also an ex-news columnist, nurtured the idea of a newspaper series. He recruited writer Warren Lewis for the audition. Years later, Lewis would write the noteworthy radio series, Night Beat , which starred Frank Lovejoy. That, too, was a series about a newspaper reporter. Both were motivated by the business and competitive tensions between newspapers and broadcasters, and believed that a mutual project would be helpful to both. Newspapers believed that their publicity of broadcast programs and Hollywood projects was taken for granted. Broadcasters, especially for their news initiatives, believed that newspapers were their greatest threat. Both mediums needed each other, and The Fourth Estate was envisioned as an opportunity to cooperate. The story that was featured was about Los Angeles Examiner reporter Jack Adams. That same story would be presented on the October 1, 1947 episode of The Big Story. It was about about a counterfeit coins ring that Adams had infiltrated in the Los Angeles area. The criminals were brought to justice because of efforts like Adams with Treasury Department input. In listening, it is clear that The Fourth Estate had many of the elements that would be used in The Big Story . One thing TFE had that TBS did not was a studio audience. It is not known if an audience part of the plan for the series or if it was so executives and potential advertisers could personally see and evaluate audience reactions during the audition performance. Radio Life carried a story about the June 23, 1946 audition performance of The Fourth Estate , and included photos. (Sourced here from worldradiohistory.com archive of Radio Life editions) TFE was getting most of the publicity, and was even accepted by NBC and had Philip Morris as a sponsor. It all fell through and Feature Assignment became the choice, with the name change to The Big Story settled a week or so before the initial broadcast. Hellinger died suddenly at age 44 in December 1947, but lived long enough to hear The Big Story get to the airwaves. His instinct that the newspaper business would be a compelling subject for listeners was right. TBS would become one of radio's and early television's most successful franchises.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.