TheDetroit News Orchestra was the world's firstradio orchestra, debuting in 1922.[1] It was composed of already-distinguished members of theDetroit Symphony Orchestra, broadcasting fromradio stationWWJ inDetroit, Michigan. The orchestra's broadcasts could be received halfway across North America and even as far away as Hawaii.
The 16 members of the Detroit News Orchestra were drawn from the city's Detroit Symphony Orchestra, all of whom had previously achieved distinction as accomplished soloists. The orchestra broadcast onWWJ radio station, debuting on May 28, 1922.[2] The broadcasts were sponsored byThe Detroit Bank and could be received across half of North America.[3]
The Orchestra, sometimes referred to as the "little symphony" by WWJ Detroit News radio station,[4] performed at their studio Monday through Friday at 7:00 P.M., as well as at 2:00 P.M. on Sundays.[5]
On November 23, 1922, at thirty minutes past midnight, the Detroit News Orchestra played the waltz "Three O'Clock in the Morning" in studio in theDetroit News building. The transmission was received clearly at 6:30 P.M. local time in theHawaiian Islands by A. F. Costa, the postmaster there. Several people listened to the program in its entirety at the Wailuku post office, that was more than 4,400 miles (7,100 km) from Detroit. The notes of the music transmitted from the Detroit News radio station in Michigan took about one fiftieth of a second to arrive in Hawaii.[6]
List of personnel of themusical ensemble.[4]
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