Mutual Broadcasting System

Mutual Broadcasting System
Type
Country
  • United States
  • Canada (limited)
Ownership
Parent
History
FoundedSeptember 29, 1934
(90 years ago) (1934-09-29)
Closed
  • April 17, 1999 (1999-04-17)
  • (64 years, 200 days)
Coverage
Affiliates
  • 4 founders (1934);
  • 104 (1938); 384 (1945);
  • 543 (1950); 443 (1960);
  • 950 (1979); 810 (1985);
  • approx. 300 (1999)

The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, Mutual was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow. For many years, it was a national broadcaster for Major League Baseball (including the All-Star Game and World Series), the National Football League, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish football. From the 1930s until the network's dissolution in 1999, Mutual ran a respected news service along with a variety of lauded news and commentary programs. In the 1970s, Mutual pioneered the nationwide late night call-in talk radio program, introducing the country to Larry King and later, Jim Bohannon.

In the 1970s, acting in much the same style as rival ABC Radio[a] had splitting their network in 1968, Mutual launched four sister radio networks: Mutual Black Network (MBN) (initially launched as "Mutual Reports Network" (MRN)[1]), which still exists today as American Urban Radio Networks (AURN); Mutual Cadena Hispánica (MCH; or in English, "Mutual Spanish Network", MSN; abandoned in 1973); regional outlet Mutual Southwest Network (MSWN; retired in 1983); and Mutual Progressive Network (MPN; later re-branded "Mutual Lifestyle Radio" (MLR) in 1980, then retired in 1983).

Of the four national networks of American radio's classic era, Mutual had for decades the largest number of affiliates but the least certain financial position[2] (which prevented Mutual from expanding into television broadcasting after World War II, as NBC, CBS and ABC did). For the first 18 years of its existence, Mutual was owned and operated as a cooperative (a system similar to that of today's National Public Radio), setting the network apart from its corporate-owned competitors. Mutual's member stations shared their own original programming, transmission and promotion expenses, and advertising revenues. From December 30, 1936, when it debuted in the West, the Mutual Broadcasting System had affiliates from coast to coast. Its business structure would change after General Tire assumed majority ownership in 1952 through a series of regional and individual station acquisitions.

Once General Tire sold the network in 1957 to a syndicate led by Dr. Armand Hammer, Mutual's ownership was largely disconnected from the stations it served, leading to a more conventional, top-down model of program production and distribution. Due to the multiple sales of the network that followed, Mutual was once described in Broadcasting magazine as "often traded".[3] After a group that involved Hal Roach Studios purchased Mutual from Hammer's group, the new executive team was charged with accepting money to use Mutual as a vehicle for foreign propaganda on behalf of Rafael Trujillo's dictatorship in the Third Dominican Republic, while the network suffered significant financial losses and affiliate defections.[4] Concurrently filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and selling twice in the span of four months for purposes of raising enough money to remain operational, the network's reputation was severely damaged but soon rebounded under its succeeding owner, 3M Company. Sold to private interests in 1966 and again to Amway in 1977, Mutual purchased two radio stations in New York and Chicago in the 1980s, only to sell them after Amway's interest in broadcasting began to fade. Radio syndicator Westwood One acquired Mutual in 1985 and NBC Radio in 1987, consolidating the networks operations. Throughout the 1990s, Mutual was gradually assimilated into Westwood One's operations. The Mutual name was finally retired in April, 1999.


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  1. ^ Commission, United States Federal Communications (1975). "Federal Communications Commission Reports: Decisions, Reports, and Orders of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States". U.S. Government Printing Office. Also, as indicated in an earlier request which had been granted by the Chief, Broadcast Bureau pursuant to delegated authority, some stations affiliated with either the MBS or Mutual Reports (Black) network, in markets where another station is carrying one or the other of these games, may wish to carry delayed broadcasts of earlier MBS or Mutual Reports newscasts which have been fed prior to the game.
  2. ^ Rosse, Dick (April 19, 1999). "How Sweet It Was" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. Vol. 129, no. 16. pp. 74, 76. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023 – via World Radio History.
  3. ^ "Sale of Mutual reported in work at $15 million" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 93, no. 7. August 15, 1977. p. 20. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Time19590914 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).