Encyclopedia of Radio 3-Volume Set

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YANKEE NETWORK

New England Regional Network

The Yankee networkwas one of several regional radio networks from the 1930s into the 1950s that linked stations to share programs and advertising.

Although Boston broadcaster John Shepard III knew little about engineering, he knew enough to hire good people who did understand the technical side of the radio business. In early 1923 he encouraged them to experiment with networking (WNAC linked up briefly with New York's WEAF). It was not long before WNAC in Boston and WEAN in Providence, Rhode Island, were frequently sharing programming, connected by a telephone line. But Shepard wanted to expand: he had begun paying salaries to talented musicians so they would appear on his stations (early radio ...