Shortly after its November, 1920 debut, KDKA began a regular nightly broadcast schedule, which was very successful in promoting Westinghouse radio receiver sales to the general public. In late 1921 the company decided to expand operations by setting up three additional broadcasting stations, each sending out a local program for about an hour each night. Although these new stations did help spur interest in broadcasting and additional sales in the Northeast and Midwest, because of their low powers it was pretty optimistic for Westinghouse to claim that WJZ in Newark, New Jersey covered "the South", or that KYW in Chicago, Illinois was heard in "the West", except on rare occasions.
At this time Westinghouse still didn't have very much competition in the broadcasting field -- there were only a relative handful of other broadcasting stations on the air, operated with varying levels of sophistication and financing by assorted companies and individuals. However, if Westinghouse expected this to continue to be true they were sorely mistaken, for in the next year hundreds of new broadcasting stations would go on the air, only one of which, KDPM in Cleveland, Ohio, would be operated by Westinghouse.
Electrical Review, December 10, 1921, page 887:
WESTINGHOUSE TO COVER COUNTRY WITH RADIO ENTERTAINMENT.
On account of the great success and widespread interest that has been the outcome of pioneering in radio telephone broadcasting by the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., the company has announced a complete plan of covering the entire United States with a service to the home that will allow anyone anywhere in the country to enjoy the many benefits of radio. The operation of the first radio broadcasting station of its kind in the country at East Pittsburgh, Pa., for the past 12 mo., has opened possibilities hitherto undreamed. From this station alone persons in Canada, New England, Florida, Arizona, the Dakotas, and at greater distances, have been able to enjoy the service. Even in Cuba, Mexico and on ships in the middle Atlantic and on the Gulf of Mexico many have heard the concerts broadcasted from East Pittsburgh.
In order to cover certain parts of the country not reached by this station, and to intensively service other parts, the Westinghouse Co. has laid out a complete program and has already added three large stations. At Springfield, Mass., station WBZ supplies New England; at Newark, N. J., station WJZ takes care of the Middle Atlantic and Southern states, and at Chicago, station KYW services the Middle and Western states.
The fact that the pioneer work of Westinghouse has not been in vain is shown by the fact that, although operating a full year, station KDKA at East Pittsburgh continues to interest more people as time progresses. This is due, however, not so much to the novelty of radio telephone broadcasting, as to the well-planned and diversified program that has been established.
The service started with the transmission of presidential election returns in November, 1920, and has progressed through the broadcasting of phonograph music, entire church services, speeches of prominent men, acts from theaters, musical recitals, reports of boxing contests, results of baseball, football and basketball games, complete minstrel shows, Government market reports, New York stock market reviews, national and international news from the station at East Pittsburgh. At Springfield, Mass., in addition to many of these features there is a periodical talk to farmers about market and stock conditions. A feature of the Newark, N. J. broadcasting station has been bedtime stories for the children, marine information and talks on radio.
The complete transmission of grand opera from the Chicago Opera Co. productions has been the feature of the recently established station on the Commonwealth-Edison building, Chicago. It is predicted that, as a result of the diversified entertainment and information which have been broadcasted through these stations during the past year, this service will prove of expanding value and distinctive interest to mankind.
The programs as conducted by Westinghouse usually last for an hour each evening, and they are announced far enough in advance to enable everyone interested to know what is contemplated. Such stars as Geraldine Farrar, Rachmaninoff, Telmanyi, Clarence Whitehill, Mary Garden, Muratore, Edith Mason and Raisa have performed for the radio and the programs are put on a very high plane. Many speakers of note have talked over the radio, some of them being Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, Secretary of War Weeks and Secretary of Labor Davis.
In order to perfect the transmission of music by radio, Westinghouse engineers have made considerable research studies of the different frequencies of music. A studio has been built especially for the singing of artists so that the reproduction will be accurate. The studio at East Pittsburgh consists of a room 20 by 30 ft. completely lined with burlap and cloth, and without windows, so that there will be no reflection of sound.