— Ch. 1 · Network Origins And Early Struggles —
ABC News (United States).
~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
ABC began in 1943 as the NBC Blue Network, a radio network spun off from NBC following an order by the Federal Communications Commission. The commission mandated this split to expand competition in radio broadcasting across the United States. Only a few companies like NBC and CBS dominated the market before this ruling. ABC started regular television news broadcasts after signing on its first owned-and-operated station WJZ-TV in New York City during August 1948. Production centers were established there to support expanding nationwide operations. Until the early 1970s ABC News consistently ranked third in viewership behind CBS and NBC programs. The network had fewer affiliate stations compared to its two larger rivals. Prime-time programming slates also remained weaker than those of competitors who had built radio news operations throughout the 1930s.
Roone Arledge And The Golden Age
Roone Arledge became president of ABC News in 1977 after leading ABC Sports for many years. He transformed the division into a ratings leader through innovative programming models that attracted significant advertising revenue. Under his leadership ABC created enduring programs including 20/20 World News Tonight This Week Nightline and Primetime Live. These shows helped establish ABC News as a major source of content across television radio and eventually the internet. By the late 1980s the network adopted the slogan More Americans get their news from ABC News than from any other source. This claim referred to total audience reach rather than just telecast numbers alone. In June 1998 ABC News sold its stake in Worldwide Television News to the Associated Press while maintaining a multi-year content deal with them.