Friday, May 22, 2026, was an historic day in radio history. The CBS Radio Network, later CBS News Radio, aired its final broadcast at 11 p.m.

WDOD AM was a CBS affiliate, beginning in the late 1920’s until their contract expired in 1967.

WDOD AM was a part of the network for more than 35 years. This retired broadcaster remembers the WDOD Radio Playhouse of the 1940’s through conversations with those who were there.

The late Gaylord McPherson came to Chattanooga from WHO Radio in Des Moines, Iowa, to work for WDOD and the Radio Playhouse. He said the show was broadcast live over CBS Radio, Monday through Friday during the lunch hour. The Radio Playhouse home was the Capitol Theater building in the 600 block of Market Street, now a parking lot. Grand Ole Opry star Archie Campbell was one of the top entertainers. Mr. McPherson said the daily broadcast ran about two years.

Merrill Parker was a control room operator for WDOD for nearly three decades. Mr. Parker was working the Sunday night when Orson Wells' famous “War of the Wolds” aired over CBS and WDOD. Mr. Parker said, "The station had a record number of telephone calls that evening; listeners thought the world had come to an end.”

Over the decades, Chattanoogans listened to CBS on WDOD, The station broadcast “Arthur Godfrey time” every morning at 9:00 followed by “Art Linkletter’s House party.”

The CBS World News Roundup was a listener favorite at 8:00 every morning with veteran newsman Dallas Townsend. At 6:45 each evening, Chattanoogans listened to Lowell Thomas deliver the news. “Music and the Spoken Word” was a weekly CBS program from Salt Lake City, Utah with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Popular newsmen Douglas Edwards, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, Charles Kuralt, and Reid Collins were heard during the day on the network’s Dimensions feature.

Soap Operas were a daily favorite of WDOD listeners in the 1940’s and 50’s. They included “Oxydol’s - Ma Perkins,” “The Brighter day,” and “The Romance of Helen Trent.” Listeners looked forward to the weekly radio version of “Gunsmoke” with William Conrad. The radio western drama aired on network radio during the 1950’s.

Television news anchor David Carroll summed it up, “Breaks my heart, CBS Radio News has long been the gold standard.”

Chattanooga broadcaster Jim Reynolds said Allan Jackson, who anchored news on the network for over 30 years, gave him one of his early jobs. Mr. Reynolds said the 1963 report on the Kennedy assassination was filed by the CBS news Correspondent. Mr. Jackson owned a small radio station in Central Illinois and hired a young Reynolds to do news.

This writer told the world about the June 12, 1967, fire that caused millions of dollars in damage at the Peerless Woolen Mill in Rossville. It was the only time I reported for the network, being introduced by veteran journalist Richard C. Hottelet.

Boots White, executive assistant to longtime WDEF Radio General Manager Ken Flenniken, said in the late 1960’s CBS Radio saved the WDEF TV contract when WDEF Radio affiliated with the radio network. Ms. White said Channel 12 was about to lose the CBS affiliation to Channel. 3, but the radio station agreed to drop NBC radio and sign with CBS.

Chattanooga broadcaster Ernie Feagans worked for CBS radio in the 1940’s for two years. The late Mr. Feagans said he got to meet some of the great singers like Bing Crosby, Doris Day and Perry Como.

Network owners said industry changes and the way Americans get their news brought about the decision to unplug the news microphones after nearly a century of broadcasting service.

The top of the hour bong, heard for decades, meant it was time for news. That bong is now silent, the final sounds, “Good Night and Good Luck,” words of the famous CBS newscaster, Edward R. Murrow.