The Big Broadcast

The Big Broadcast

The Big Broadcast is WAMU’s longest-running program. The show features a collection of  radio from the golden age, the 30s, 40s, and 50s, hosted by Tony-Award winning playwright, lyricist and director Murray Horwitz.

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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: June 8, 2025

The Big Broadcast: June 8, 2025

03:58:50
Jun 6, 2025 1:18 PM
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More Episodes

The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: June 01, 2025

The Big Broadcast: June 01, 2025

03:58:37
May 30, 2025 12:38 PM
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The Big Broadcast
Big Broadcast Bites: When Evolution Went to Court

On May 25, 1925, a grand jury indicted high school teacher John T. Scopes for teaching evolution, setting off one of the most famous courtroom battles in American history. This excerpt of The Big Broadcast features a dramatized reenactment of the trial’s key moments, introduced by Edward R. Murrow from his landmark I Can Hear It Now recordings. Host Murray Horwitz reflects on the cultural and historical significance of the Scopes Trial—and how debates over what can be taught in schools continue today.

Guests:
– Edward R. Murrow (archival audio)
– William Jennings Bryan (reenactment)
– Clarence Darrow (reenactment)
– Hosted by Murray Horwitz

00:05:31
May 29, 2025 6:41 PM
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The Big Broadcast
Big Broadcast Bites: Malcolm X at 100

This episode of The Big Broadcast marks the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth with excerpts from a rare 1961 interview originally aired on New York’s WNYC. Then a minister in the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X speaks with journalist Eleanor Fischer about race, religion, and power in mid-century America. Host Murray Horwitz offers context and reflection on the evolving legacy of one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.

Guests:
– Malcolm X (archival audio)
– Eleanor Fischer (archival audio)
– Hosted by Murray Horwitz

00:11:54
May 29, 2025 6:2 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: May 25, 2025

The Big Broadcast: May 25, 2025

03:58:52
May 23, 2025 12:18 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: May 18, 2025

The Big Broadcast: May 18, 2025

03:58:50
May 16, 2025 5:44 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: May 11, 2025

The Big Broadcast: May 11, 2025

03:58:58
May 9, 2025 3:25 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: May 4, 2025

The Big Broadcast: May 4, 2025

03:58:38
May 2, 2025 2:57 PM
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The Big Broadcast
Big Broadcast Bites: Reports of Hitler’s Death

On May 1, 1945, the world learned the news of Adolf Hitler’s death; how did the story unfold for Germans and the world? Hear rare broadcast clips announcing the news.

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Big Broadcast Bites presents curated clips from WAMU’s long-running radio program, The Big Broadcast. Hosted by Murray Horwitz and produced by Jill Ahrold Bailey, these shorter selections offer quick listens, featuring golden age of radio audio and historical recordings that connect the past to today’s listeners.

00:08:05
Apr 30, 2025 4:51 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: April 27, 2025

The Big Broadcast: April 27, 2025

03:58:35
Apr 25, 2025 3:15 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: April 20, 2025

The Big Broadcast: April 20, 2025

03:58:54
Apr 16, 2025 6:48 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: April 13, 2025

The Big Broadcast: April 13, 2025

03:58:36
Apr 11, 2025 1:43 PM
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The Big Broadcast
Big Broadcast Bites: Franklin D. Roosevelt's passing

Radio was the first medium to break the news of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death in April 1945. In I Can Hear It Now, Edward R. Murrow captures the moment with the original CBS bulletin voiced by John Daly. This segment originally aired on The Big Broadcast on April 6, 2025.

Big Broadcast Bites presents curated clips from WAMU’s long-running radio program, The Big Broadcast. Hosted by Murray Horwitz and produced by Jill Ahrold Bailey, these shorter selections offer quick listens, featuring golden age of radio audio and historical recordings that connect the past to today’s listeners.

 
00:05:19
Apr 11, 2025 12:57 AM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: April 6, 2025

The Big Broadcast: April 6, 2025

03:59:05
Apr 4, 2025 2:4 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: March 30, 2025

The Big Broadcast: March 30, 2025

03:58:37
Mar 28, 2025 1:24 PM
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The Big Broadcast
Big Broadcast Bites: Who's On First?

This excerpt from the March 23, 2025, The Big Broadcast features one of the most iconic comedy routines of all time — Abbott and Costello’s "Who’s On First?".  From their radio show on April 17, 1947, this timeless sketch showcases the duo’s razor-sharp wordplay and impeccable timing, cementing its place in comedy history.

Big Broadcast Bites presents curated clips from WAMU’s long-running radio program, The Big Broadcast. Hosted by Murray Horwitz and produced by Jill Ahrold Bailey, these shorter selections offer quick listens, featuring golden age of radio audio and historical recordings that connect the past to today’s listeners.

00:05:23
Mar 24, 2025 4:26 AM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: March 23, 2025

The Big Broadcast: March 23, 2025

03:58:54
Mar 21, 2025 9:17 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: March 16, 2025

The Big Broadcast: March 16, 2025

03:59:14
Mar 17, 2025 10:5 AM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: March 9, 2025

The Big Broadcast: March 9, 2025

03:58:41
Mar 7, 2025 9:55 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: March 02,2025

The Big Broadcast: March 02,2025

03:58:40
Feb 28, 2025 1:0 PM
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The Big Broadcast
Big Broadcast Bites: Baseball Hall of Famer "Cool Papa" Bell

We honor James “Cool Papa” Bell — a legend of the Negro Leagues and one of the first of its members to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Bell was known for his lightning speed and powerhouse hitting. Widely regarded as the fastest runner in baseball history, Bell’s legacy lives on through stories shared by his goddaughter, WAMU's midday host, Geri Mitchell. This is an extended version of an interview that originally aired in a shortened form on The Big Broadcast on February 23, 2025.

00:19:27
Feb 24, 2025 6:24 PM
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The Big Broadcast
Big Broadcast Bites: Baseball Hall of Famer "Cool Papa" Bell
We honor James “Cool Papa” Bell — a legend of the Negro Leagues and one of the first of its members to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Bell was known for his lightning speed and powerhouse hitting. Widely regarded as the fastest runner in baseball history, Bell’s legacy lives on through stories shared by his goddaughter, WAMU's midday host, Geri Mitchell. This is an extended version of an interview that originally aired in a shortened form on The Big Broadcast on February 23, 2025.
00:19:27
Feb 24, 2025 6:2 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: February 23, 2025

The Big Broadcast: February 23, 2025

03:58:59
Feb 21, 2025 4:36 PM
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The Big Broadcast
The Big Broadcast: February 16, 2025

The Big Broadcast: February 16, 2025

03:58:57
Feb 14, 2025 2:30 PM
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The Big Broadcast
Big Broadcast Bites: Edward R. Murrow's This I Believe and Ralph Bunche

Edward R. Murrow’s This I Believe invited people from all walks of life to share their personal philosophies, debuting on CBS Radio in 1951. This Big Broadcast segment features Murrow’s introduction to the series, followed by an essay from Ralph Bunche—scholar, diplomat, and the first person of African descent to win a Nobel Prize. Our thanks to CBS for this archival audio.

Big Broadcast Bites presents curated clips from WAMU’s long-running radio program, The Big Broadcast. Hosted by Murray Horwitz and produced by Jill Ahrold Bailey, these shorter selections offer quick listens, featuring golden age of radio audio and historical recordings that connect the past to today’s listeners.

 

00:09:30
Feb 13, 2025 4:18 AM
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