All Radio Networks to Cover Test

U.S. Department of Energy

The mushroom cloud of the “Easy” atomic bomb test rises above the Nevada Test Site on Nov. 5, 1951. Energy levels the equivalent of over 31 thousand tons of TNT were discharged by the bomb.

Sun Staff

Tuesday, April 22, 1952 | 6 a.m.

With television providing the nation with a ringside view of today's historic atom war maneuvers, all major radio networks will provide TV-less audiences an on-the-scene description of the event through recordings taped at News Knob.

Generally no specific time has been allocated on the local stations, but dialers are asked to check as early as 9 a.m. to learn when the local network outlets will schedule the tape recordings.

Station KLAS, which has top CBS news commentators covering the spectacle, will probably initiate broadcasts locally at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Tape recordings will be flown by plane to McCarran Field where they will be dispatched to KENO, as well as KLAS. First broadcast of the event from KENO is scheduled at 11:45 a.m and will be channeled nationally through ABC outlets.

Gene Coon, KENO staff announcer, just returned from Korea where he served as a Marine combat radio correspondent, will handle the commentary for ABC. Other broadcasts will continue through the day.

Lowell Thomas heads CBS commentator staff which includes Frank Goss, Grant Holcomb, Dallas Townsend.

Maj. George Fielding Eliot will be commentator for Mutual, through local outlet KRAM. The tape will be fed by phone to Los Angeles for nationwide release. With Eliot will be Fred Young, KRAM engineer.

NBC operating through KORK will have George Corneal and Bill Binford assigned to test the site. The tapes will be flown by an Army Air Force jet directly to Los Angeles for NBC rebroadcast.