Old Time Radio Magazines

History of Old Time Radio Magazines

    Publication of old time radio magazines is as old as the hobby itself. Fans wanted a way to connect with each other in those pre-computer days, and fanzines were the best way.  They utilized various methods of print, some few commercial, but most were mimeographed, with one or two being typewritten!!  Circulation was always small, generally under 100 copies, but Radio Dial reported in 1970 their subscription list was nearly 600.

    Those early days gave birth to many publications, of which it's believed that 'Radio Dial' published by The Radio Historical Society of America(now defunct), was the first.  RHSA was organized in 1959.

    Many other clubs arose to serve the needs of collectors - SPERDVAC, NARA(now defunct), Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound, Radio Preservation Club, Radio Historical Association of Colorado, Old Time Radio Club of Buffalo, Metro Washington Old Time Radio Club, Golden Radio Buffs of MD, Inc, and the Chattanooga Old Time Radio Club. Each published a magazine especially for their members.

    There were many independent publications as well -  Airwaves, OTRAGAN, Collectors Corner, The National Radio Trader, World of Yesterday, BRC News And Reviews, Nostalgia Radio News, No Static Please, Stay Tuned, Radiola, Epilogue, Radio Premiums Collectors Newsletter,  Nostalgia Newsletter, Radio Historian, Stand By..On The Air, Radio Nostalgia, OTR Digest, and perhaps many more. They were all filled with stories about otr, pictures of conventions, and featured many collectors who are no longer with us. Some of those early fans are still active today carrying on a tradition established nearly 50 years ago. Most of those publications, excepting the club magazines and OTR Digest no longer exist.

    It is the goal of the Old Time Radio Researchers Group to attempt to locate, scan and preserve as many of these great publications as possible. They constitute a vital part of our history, and far too many issues have yellowed, faded, or been thrown away.  Additionally, many languish in the files of collectors who have no wish to share them with the community at large, and others are to be found in only in museum collections.

    We invite the various otr clubs to make back issues available via pdf files so that they can be included in this publication archive. Individuals who have copies of these, as well as any other otr or nostalgia magazine are encouraged to submit them for archiving also. All contributors will be acknowledged as patrons of the 'Old Time Radio Publication Archives'.

Be advised that some of the old time radio magazines we offer here as pdf files, are still in publication and we have been giveen the right from their publishers to offer their back issues as pdf files for your personal use. We are the ONLY site authorized to display them. Commerical sites or any other sites that put them up do so in violation of the law. If you see these pdf files or any pdf files of these publications on any other site, you will know that they are stolen, and we ask you to give us that information..

The members of the OTRR group has spend many hundreds of dollars acquiring many of these publications, or have received them as gifts by their publisher, with the understanding that they are for use on this site only. Members of the OTRR group have spent many hundreds of hours scanning in these publications, and other sites, commerical, or 'donation' supported that leech them, have violated legal and ethical standards.

If you have items you wish to contribute, please e-mail :
beshiresjim@yahoo.com