FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2026-104

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (June 19, 2026) – This edition of FWM recognizes a milestone in radio broadcasting and a notation of television which followed 13 years later.

THE PEACOCK NETWORK

NBC (National Broadcasting Network) was incorporated on June 19, 1926, making today its 100th anniversary.  It began coast-to-coast radio broadcasting on November 15 of that year and television service in 1939.

NBC is headquartered at Rockefeller Plaza (The Rock) in New York City, an iconic building in a city of many notable buildings.

NBC radio featured many of the popular stars of the “golden age.”  Its programming included Jack Benny, Bing Crosby, and Fred Allen as well as classical music and story serials.  It was the first radio network to introduce call-in advice shows.

In the television industry, NBC was the first to cover sports broadcasting (August 26, 1939 game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers), made late night TV viewing popular with The Tonight Show, and introduced the idea of “Must See TV.”

A centennial celebration program is planned for December 2026 – another “must see” in the history of the oldest broadcasting network in the US.

This Bradford map of lower to midtown Manhattan is from 1841. The future Rock is in the top center right.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps. Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.