1934 in radio

The year 1934 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.

Events

 * 1 January – In New Zealand, station 3YL Christchurch is opened.
 * 14 January – The Lucerne Frequency Plan, reallocating long and short wave frequencies in Europe, comes into force.
 * February – The government of France suppresses radio reporting of the Stavisky Riots.
 * 26 March – In New Zealand, station 4YO Dunedin is opened.
 * 1 April – NIROM (Nederlandsch-Indische Radio-omroepmaatschappij), the Dutch East Indies Radio Broadcasting Corporation, begins broadcasting from studios in Batavia and Surabaya.
 * 6 May – "Day of the Saar": all Germany's radio stations broadcast propaganda material aiming to influence the result of the 1935 Saar status referendum.
 * 28 June – Fireside chat: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt broadcasts a Review of the Achievements of the Seventy-third Congress.
 * 1 July – The Federal Communications Commission is created, replacing the Federal Radio Commission in the United States.
 * August – At the first congress of the Union of Soviet Writers, several of the union's most prominent figures, such as Alexander Serafimovich and Marietta Shaginyan, comment on the merits of radio as a medium for writers.
 * 30 September – Fireside chat: On Moving Forward to Greater Freedom and Greater Security.
 * 7 October – In the United Kingdom, the new high-power longwave transmitter at Droitwich takes over from Daventry 5XX as the main station radiating the BBC National Programme.
 * 10 December – WJBO is relocated from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and relaunched as WJBO 1150AM.
 * EKCO introduces its distinctive round bakelite radio cabinets in the United Kingdom.
 * date unknown – Radio Misr is launched in Egypt, the first radio station in the Arabic-speaking world.

Debuts

 * 13 January – Al Pearce and His Gang debuts on NBC Blue.
 * 10 March – Beatrice Fairfax debuts on NBC.
 * 17 March – The Growth of a Poet (about John Masefield) is broadcast by the BBC in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
 * 26 March – The Adventures of Frank Merriwell debuts on NBC.
 * 16 April – Babe Ruth debuts on the Blue Network.
 * April – Major Bowes Amateur Hour debuts on the New York City station WHN.
 * 15 September – The Gibson Family debuts on NBC.
 * 29 September – The Quality Network cooperative is reorganized and renamed the Mutual Broadcasting System. The stations participating in the co-op, all serving as part-owners, include WOR-New York (Bamberger Broadcasting Service/Macy's), WGN-Chicago (Chicago Tribune), WLW-Cincinnati (Crosley Broadcasting Corporation) and WXYZ-Detroit (Kunsky-Trendle Broadcasting).
 * 5 October – Hollywood Hotel debuts on CBS.
 * 14 October – Lux Radio Theater debuts on NBC Blue for its first year, before moving to CBS for the remainder of its run.
 * December – The first episode of Ovaltiney's Concert Party is broadcast, with Harry Hemsley and Gladys Young as presenters.

Endings

 * 2 January – Blackstone Plantation ends its run on network radio (NBC).
 * 25 February – The American Revue ends its run on network radio (CBS).
 * 3 March – Tarzan of the Apes ends its run on WOR.
 * 16 November – Bring 'Em Back Alive ends its run on network radio (Blue Network).
 * 17 December – The Atwater Kent Hour ends its run on network radio (CBS).

Births

 * 1 January – Alan Berg (died 1984), Denver-based liberal radio talk show host, previously an attorney.
 * 30 January – Tammy Grimes (died 2016), American actress and singer, host of the final season of CBS Radio Mystery Theater.
 * 4 March – John Dunn (died 2004), British radio presenter.
 * 25 April – George Bogle, minister and religious broadcaster in Detroit, Michigan.
 * 10 May – Gary Owens (died 2015), American radio host and voice actor.
 * 5 June – Bryon Butler (died 2001), British radio football correspondent.
 * 5 August – Gay Byrne (died 2019), Irish broadcaster.
 * 18 December – Michael Freedland (died 2018), British journalist, biographer and broadcaster in London (You Don't Have To Be Jewish).

Deaths

 * 8 June – Dorothy Dell, 19, US actress
 * 28 July – Marie Dressler, 65, Canadian-born actress, whose 1933 birthday party, hosted by MGM, was broadcast live
 * 30 August – Don Lee, 54, pioneer California broadcasting mogul.
 * 10 September – George Henschel, 84, singer and pianist (a few months after his first radio performance as a singer)