1938 - 1945 Radio News Collections includes all 8 years of our Radio News OTR Shows from pre war broadcasts until the end of the war!
Here is what you get:
1938 Radio News 40 Episodes
1939 Radio News 91 Episodes
1940 Radio News 179 Episodes
1941 Radio News 200 Episodes
1942 Radio News 93 Episodes
1943 Radio News 150 Episodes
1944 Radio News 257 Episodes
1945 Radio News 277 Episodes
*** "1939 Radio News is a preserved compilation of real-time radio news broadcasts and commentary segments from the year 1939 — a watershed moment in world history. These authentic recordings provide a compelling, day-by-day account of how Americans and the world experienced the unfolding of historic events through the relatively new but rapidly dominant medium of radio. As tensions in Europe escalated into all-out war, and as domestic developments shaped life in the United States, 1939 Radio News captured the voices, tone, and urgency of the era’s journalism.
This collection is not a dramatized program but an archival chronicle of actual news broadcasts, preserving the sound and substance of history in the making.
The Stars
The broadcasts in 1939 Radio News feature some of the most trusted and recognizable voices in early American radio journalism, including H.V. Kaltenborn, Lowell Thomas, and Edward R. Murrow — whose reports from London would soon become iconic. These pioneering correspondents brought clarity and depth to unfolding global events, often delivering news with a steady gravity that helped define the voice of radio news for future generations.
Commentators and announcers from networks such as CBS and NBC are also heard, along with original station identifications and occasional live remotes that enhance the collection’s authenticity.
Key Dates
• All recordings originate from January to December 1939, a year marked by the formal beginning of World War II with Germany’s invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939.
• Other major events covered include the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, the fall of Czechoslovakia, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth’s U.S. tour, FDR’s foreign policy responses, and early reports from the European front.
• The year also saw continued advancements in aviation, science, and the New Deal-era economy, which are reflected in some broadcasts.
Other Information
The 1939 Radio News collection preserves the urgency and uncertainty of a world on the brink of war. Many broadcasts include bulletins or urgent 1945s from overseas correspondents, particularly in the months leading up to and following the outbreak of war in Europe. The tone of the reporting is often grave but measured, reflecting both journalistic restraint and the technological limitations of early remote communication.
The news format of the time emphasized direct reporting, often with limited or no background sound, relying on the credibility of the broadcaster’s voice to convey the importance of the moment. The material also captures shifting public sentiment in the U.S., as the nation debated involvement in a growing global conflict.
This collection is invaluable for historians, educators, and OTR enthusiasts seeking to experience history as it was heard by millions of Americans. It is both a sonic time capsule and a powerful reminder of the role radio played in informing, connecting, and shaping public understanding during one of the most consequential years of the 20th century."
*** "1940 Radio News is a remarkable archive of authentic radio news broadcasts from a year that marked the deepening of global conflict and the growing realization in the United States that war abroad could soon reach American shores. These preserved recordings capture the pace and power of radio journalism during a time of dramatic world events, offering listeners today a vivid sense of how history was experienced in real time. With Europe engulfed in war, and political tensions rising at home, 1940 Radio News documents the evolution of public awareness and international engagement in the months before America’s direct involvement in World War II.
This collection features actual news reports, commentaries, and bulletins broadcast over major American radio networks, providing an invaluable aural chronicle of one of the most consequential years of the 20th century.
The Stars
The broadcasts in 1940 Radio News feature legendary figures in early broadcast journalism, including H.V. Kaltenborn, Edward R. Murrow, and Lowell Thomas. Murrow’s live reports from London during the Blitz became defining moments in the history of radio, as his calm voice conveyed the reality of war with immediacy and emotion.
Other prominent announcers and commentators — some anonymous, others tied to national radio networks like CBS and NBC — provided coverage of both foreign affairs and domestic developments, delivering the news with authority and clarity.
Key Dates
• All news reports originate from throughout 1940, a year dominated by major events such as:
– The Battle of Britain and the sustained German bombing of London.
– The fall of France to Nazi Germany in June 1940.
– Winston Churchill’s rise to Prime Minister and his historic speeches.
– President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s third-term campaign and re-election in November.
– Growing debates in the U.S. over neutrality, conscription, and aid to Allies, including the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 (the first peacetime draft).
– The formation of the Axis alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Other Information
The tone of the 1940 Radio News broadcasts ranges from urgent and somber to analytical and patriotic. Many programs feature breaking news bulletins, battlefield 1945s, and diplomatic analysis, reflecting the rapid pace of global developments. Domestically, the broadcasts reveal a nation cautiously watching the war unfold, wrestling with isolationism versus international responsibility.
This year also marked the emergence of radio as a trusted primary source of information for the American public. For millions of listeners, the radio became a direct line to the world’s most pressing stories — a role that shaped both public opinion and national policy in the months leading up to Pearl Harbor.
Unlike dramatized programs of the era, 1940 Radio News offers raw, real-time journalism, with few frills and an emphasis on fact-based reporting. It serves today as a critical historical document, preserving not just the news of the day, but the voices, delivery styles, and worldview of an America on the threshold of war.
Today, 1940 Radio News is essential listening for historians, educators, and enthusiasts of radio history. It remains one of the most immersive ways to experience the global turmoil, national debates, and media landscape of a world in flux."
*** "1941 Radio News is a compelling collection of authentic broadcast news reports chronicling a year that marked a seismic shift in American history. These preserved recordings capture the real-time reactions, reports, and analyses of global and domestic events as heard by radio audiences during the year the United States was thrust into World War II. As international tensions exploded into open conflict, and as America moved from neutrality to full-scale mobilization following the attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941 Radio News offers a powerful and unfiltered auditory record of a nation transformed.
Featuring real news bulletins, commentary, and historic broadcasts, the collection provides a front-row seat to the most pivotal headlines of the year.
The Stars
The year’s broadcasts feature many of the most influential voices in radio journalism, including Edward R. Murrow, H.V. Kaltenborn, Lowell Thomas, and Elmer Davis. Murrow’s live reports from war-torn London during the Blitz continued into early 1941, while Kaltenborn and Thomas offered measured political commentary and international analysis for American listeners.
Network announcers from CBS, NBC, and Mutual Broadcasting were the steady voices that delivered breaking bulletins, including those that would change the course of history.
Key Dates
• December 7, 1941 – Attack on Pearl Harbor: Radio networks interrupted regular programming to deliver urgent news of Japan’s surprise attack on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii. These chilling bulletins and the chaos that followed are among the most dramatic broadcasts in radio history.
• December 8, 1941 – FDR’s “Day of Infamy” Speech: President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech before Congress, declaring war on Japan, was broadcast live to the nation and remains one of the most iconic addresses ever delivered over radio.
• Throughout 1941:
– Lend-Lease Act signed, signaling deeper U.S. support for Allied forces.
– German U-boat attacks on American and Allied shipping increase tensions in the Atlantic.
– Germany invades the Soviet Union in June, shifting global alliances.
– Growing domestic debates over isolationism vs. interventionism, culminating in a united front after Pearl Harbor.
Other Information
1941 Radio News provides an unfiltered look at how Americans heard and responded to the events that pulled them into the global conflict. The broadcasts preserve not only what was said but how it was said — the urgency, emotion, and clarity of the era’s best journalists capturing the mood of an anxious and mobilizing nation.
Listeners today can hear live reaction to breaking events, commentary on Roosevelt’s evolving foreign policy, and the build-up to the United States’ entry into WWII. Many recordings also preserve original sponsor messages, station IDs, and the preemptive interruptions of regular programming for special reports.
This collection is more than a summary of world events — it is an audio time capsule of a democracy awakening to war. From disbelief and fear to unity and determination, 1941 Radio News documents a turning point not only in American history but in global affairs.
Today, 1941 Radio News stands as one of the most powerful archival listening experiences from the old-time radio era — capturing the moment America moved from observer to participant in the greatest conflict of the 20th century."
*** "1942 Radio News is a vivid collection of authentic broadcast news reports that documents the first full year of the United States’ active involvement in World War II. These powerful recordings capture the unfolding global conflict as it was heard by Americans at home — through the urgent voices of wartime correspondents, official government announcements, and daily news bulletins. With the country now fully mobilized after the attack on Pearl Harbor, radio became the nation’s most trusted and immediate source of information. The broadcasts in 1942 Radio News reflect both the scale of the war and the transformation of American life on the home front.
This collection serves as a historical sound archive of a world at war, offering listeners a front-row seat to the tension, patriotism, and rapid change that defined 1942.
The Stars
Among the most recognized voices featured in 1942 Radio News are legendary broadcasters such as Edward R. Murrow, H.V. Kaltenborn, Lowell Thomas, and Elmer Davis, now appointed as head of the Office of War Information. Murrow continued his riveting reports from London, while American correspondents embedded with troops in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific offered live or delayed 1945s via shortwave.
These reporters helped define the style of modern war correspondence — brave, measured, and determined to convey the human cost and strategic stakes of global events.
Key Dates
• January 1942 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his State of the Union address, declaring the U.S. a full participant in the “global war for freedom.”
• February–June 1942 – News coverage follows the early months of combat in the Pacific Theater, including the fall of Singapore, the Doolittle Raid, and the Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Pacific war.
• Summer 1942 – American forces begin combat operations in North Africa, and coverage shifts toward the European and Mediterranean fronts.
• June–December 1942 – Domestic reports focus on rationing, war bond drives, and the rapid expansion of wartime industries, including coverage of women entering the workforce.
• Throughout 1942 – Listeners hear 1945s on Nazi advances in Russia, Axis atrocities, and Allied cooperation, including joint announcements between Roosevelt and Churchill.
Other Information
Radio in 1942 was more than just a news source — it was a unifying force for a nation at war. Bulletins were often delivered with no commercial interruption, and many stations carried special war reports several times daily. Programs were interrupted regularly for battlefield 1945s, presidential addresses, and alerts from the War Department. Voices of war correspondents came in via shortwave, often crackling with static, adding to the sense of urgency and realism.
The broadcasts also reflect the growing use of propaganda and morale-building messages, both subtle and overt, with emphasis on unity, sacrifice, and patriotic duty. News segments often ended with reminders to conserve materials, buy war bonds, and support the troops.
Today, 1942 Radio News is a powerful historical resource and immersive listening experience. It preserves the exact sound and sentiment of a nation at war — a time when the radio served as America’s lifeline to the battlefield, the president, and the pulse of the world."
*** "1943 Radio News is an essential collection of real broadcast news reports that chronicle the pivotal middle year of World War II — a time when the momentum of the conflict began shifting in favor of the Allies. These preserved recordings offer a front-line view of the war as it was experienced by millions of radio listeners in the United States, providing timely 1945s on military campaigns, home front developments, and political decisions that shaped the course of global history. Radio remained the primary source of information, and in 1943, its role in connecting the public to the world was more vital than ever.
These broadcasts serve as a compelling audio chronicle of history in motion — from the factories of Detroit to the battlefields of North Africa, Italy, and the Pacific.
The Stars
Featured throughout 1943 Radio News are the era’s most trusted voices in journalism, including Edward R. Murrow, H.V. Kaltenborn, Lowell Thomas, and Elmer Davis — who, as head of the Office of War Information, frequently addressed the American public with 1945s and morale-boosting reports. Murrow’s dispatches from bombed-out European cities and battlefield correspondents’ gritty eyewitness accounts brought the realities of war directly into American homes.
Reports also featured official statements from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Allied commanders, and members of the War Department.
Key Dates
• January 1943 – Coverage of the Casablanca Conference, where Roosevelt and Churchill meet to set the course for the war, including the demand for “unconditional surrender” from the Axis.
• May 1943 – Surrender of Axis forces in North Africa, ending the North African campaign and paving the way for the invasion of Europe.
• July 1943 – Allied troops land in Sicily, and reports cover the fall of Mussolini and Italy’s political upheaval.
• September 1943 – Italy formally surrenders, though German forces continue resistance throughout the peninsula.
• Throughout 1943 – News focuses on the U.S. industrial war effort, rationing, the Red Cross, war bond drives, and the evolving role of women in the workforce (""Rosie the Riveter"").
• Reports also follow the brutal fighting in the Pacific, including battles in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea.
Other Information
The tone of 1943 Radio News shifts between solemn realism and patriotic determination. Bulletins provided daily 1945s on the war’s progress, troop movements, casualty reports, and Allied cooperation. Commentary often emphasized the righteousness of the Allied cause and the need for continued sacrifice and unity at home.
The broadcasts offer a unique perspective on how Americans were encouraged to see the war — not only as a military conflict but as a moral crusade. News programs were frequently interspersed with calls to action, including war bond purchases, metal drives, and volunteer efforts.
These recordings preserve the rhythm and rhetoric of wartime broadcasting: the clipped cadences, the background music of urgency, the occasional static of shortwave reports from abroad — all part of the real-time wartime experience for 1940s radio listeners.
Today, 1943 Radio News is an invaluable historical archive and an immersive listening experience. It captures a year in which the tide of war began to turn, and America’s military and industrial might surged forward. It stands as a sonic monument to resilience, journalism, and the unbreakable connection between the home front and the front lines."
*** "1944 Radio News is a gripping and historically rich collection of authentic radio broadcasts that chronicle one of the most decisive years of World War II. These preserved recordings capture the sound of a world in upheaval — with the Allies launching major offensives in Europe and the Pacific, and the American home front fully mobilized for victory. From D-Day to the liberation of Paris, and from the political stage to the battlefield, these broadcasts offer a vivid account of how millions of Americans heard the war unfold in real time.
Radio was now at the height of its power as a mass communication tool, delivering urgent 1945s, presidential addresses, and eyewitness accounts directly into living rooms across the nation.
The Stars
1944 Radio News features legendary broadcasters such as Edward R. Murrow, H.V. Kaltenborn, Lowell Thomas, and Elmer Davis, whose reporting and commentary gave shape and voice to the rapidly changing events of the war. Murrow’s dispatches from Europe remained unmatched in their emotional clarity and descriptive power, while Kaltenborn and Davis provided analysis and context for complex political and military developments.
News bulletins also included official statements from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as recordings of Allied commanders like General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the D-Day invasion.
Key Dates
• June 6, 1944 – D-Day (Operation Overlord): American listeners heard the long-awaited announcement of the Allied landings in Normandy, followed by live 1945s and special bulletins throughout the day and week.
• August 1944 – Liberation of Paris: Radio reports covered the emotional and symbolic liberation of the French capital after four years of Nazi occupation.
• Throughout 1944:
– Ongoing reports from the Italian front, including the bloody Battle of Monte Cassino and the capture of Rome.
– Major air raids over Germany, including coverage of U.S. and RAF bombing campaigns.
– In the Pacific Theater, broadcasts tracked battles in the Marianas, including Saipan and Guam, and early preparations for the Philippines campaign.
– Domestic coverage focused on rationing, war bonds, the 1944 presidential election, and the continued integration of women and minority workers into the war effort.
Other Information
The tone of 1944 Radio News is one of grim determination and rising hope. Broadcasts carry the weight of the war’s human cost, but also reflect the growing belief that victory is within reach. Regular 1945s featured casualty counts, prisoner-of-war exchanges, heroic stories from the front, and messages of resilience from Allied leaders.
Radio stations interrupted regular programming for breaking news, especially during June and August, when military developments were rapidly evolving. Listeners could hear the crackle of shortwave transmissions, battlefield correspondents dodging bombs, and the sounds of liberation celebrations carried across the Atlantic.
Politically, 1944 also marked FDR’s election to an unprecedented fourth term, a decision that reflected the nation’s desire for continuity during wartime — and was widely covered on radio alongside commentary and analysis.
Today, 1944 Radio News stands as one of the most dramatic and emotionally powerful collections of wartime broadcasting. It captures not only the key military and political events of the year, but the lived emotional experience of a nation drawing closer to the end of a long and costly war — one radio bulletin at a time."
*** "1945 Radio News is a powerful and emotionally resonant archive of authentic radio broadcasts from one of the most momentous years in modern history. These preserved recordings chronicle the final chapters of World War II, capturing the Allied victory in Europe, the devastating conclusion in the Pacific, and the dawn of a new geopolitical era. Through the voices of legendary journalists and wartime announcers, 1945 Radio News offers listeners a front-row seat to history as it happened — from breaking bulletins of battlefield triumphs to moments of national mourning and jubilation.
This collection is more than a record of events — it is the audible heartbeat of a world in transition.
The Stars
The broadcasts feature iconic voices such as Edward R. Murrow, H.V. Kaltenborn, Lowell Thomas, and Elmer Davis, each delivering critical 1945s with clarity, urgency, and humanity. Murrow’s reports from liberated concentration camps brought the horrors of the Holocaust to American listeners with unflinching honesty. Davis, as head of the Office of War Information, was frequently heard providing government briefings and contextual analysis.
Listeners also heard official wartime addresses from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and later, following his sudden death in April, from President Harry S. Truman, who would guide the nation through victory and into the atomic age.
Key Dates
• April 12, 1945 – Death of President Roosevelt: News of FDR’s passing stunned the nation. Tributes and reflections poured in across radio stations as Americans mourned their wartime leader.
• April–May 1945 – Reports covered the Allied push into Germany, the fall of Berlin, and Adolf Hitler’s death.
• May 8, 1945 – V-E Day (Victory in Europe): Radio bulletins celebrated the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Spontaneous parades, speeches, and personal reactions were broadcast from cities around the world.
• July–August 1945 – Coverage of the Potsdam Conference, where world leaders charted the postwar order.
• August 6 & 9, 1945 – Reports of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shocked listeners and ushered in the nuclear era.
• August 14–15, 1945 – V-J Day (Victory over Japan): Radio brought the announcement of Japan’s surrender to a waiting world. The war was over.
• September 2, 1945 – Formal surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri was broadcast live, marking the official end of World War II.
Other Information
Throughout 1945, radio remained the most trusted source of news and connection. The broadcasts reflect the immense range of emotions experienced by the public — sorrow at Roosevelt’s death, horror at the revelations of the Holocaust, awe at the atomic bomb, and joyous relief at the war’s end. Network stations broke into programming frequently for 1945s, military briefings, and presidential addresses.
Radio also served as a tool for postwar transition. Programs shifted toward coverage of returning troops, the GI Bill, labor concerns, and the emerging role of the United Nations. Propaganda gave way to reconstruction messaging, and coverage of war crimes trials, displaced persons, and political realignments began shaping the tone of the postwar world.
Today, 1945 Radio News remains one of the most poignant and historically vital collections of broadcast journalism. It captures the voice of a generation standing at the crossroads of victory and uncertainty, and documents — in real time — the end of one world and the beginning of another."
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