20 January 2025

The World's Longest-Running
Radio Speech Show

This article is an excerpt
from RUSC Member's Area

What is the longest-running speech radio show in the world?

Here are a few clues: 

  • It's not American, but it originated from America on a weekly basis.
     
  • It doesn't have an American presenter, but the presenter has lived for over half a century in an apartment overlooking Central Park.
     
  • The show was first broadcast in March 1946 and has been on air every week, with just the very occasional break, usually due to illness.
     
  • In total, there have been 2,869 shows, giving a total of 717 hours of broadcasting time.
     
  • The show can be heard in Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Africa, the Americas and the Middle East.
     
  • In 1973, the presenter of the program was awarded an honorary knighthood by the Queen of England and in 1974, he addressed the United States Congress on its 200th anniversary.
     
  • The presenter was born in Lancashire, England, in 1908.
     
  • Until just a few days ago, the show was broadcast every Sunday morning at 8:45 AM.
     
  • The presenter of the show also hosted Masterpiece Theatre in the United States for 22 years and has written several best-selling books.
     

Have you guessed it yet?

If you have, then congratulations. If not then let me put you out of your misery. It is Alistaire Cooke's Letter from America that was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and also repeated throughout much of the globe on the BBC World Service.

Unfortunately, the BBC announced today that after over half a century of continuous broadcasting, Alistair Cooke has had to retire after advice from his doctor. The BBC certainly can't complain as they've had an excellent run. At 95 years of age, it might be time that Mr. Cooke tried his hand at something else.

It is an incredible achievement that the Letter from America show was broadcast for so long. To put it into perspective, here's a list of other shows that were first broadcast in 1946, all of which, apart from the Bob & Ray show, ended many decades ago.

There's a long list of classic shows that were first broadcast in 1946.
Here's a list of just a handful:

  • Academy Award Theatre (CBS, 1946)

  • Adventures Of Sam Spade (ABC, CBS, NBC, 1946-51)

  • Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (CBS, 1946-58)

  • Bickersons The (NBC, CBS, 1946-51)

  • Bob And Ray Show (NBC, MBS, CBS, 1946-89)

  • Danger Dr. Danfield (ABC, 1946-51)

  • Fat Man, The (ABC, 1946-51)

© 2025 rusc.com