Ken: It’s hard to predict, I tend to doubt it, but would welcome such a trend. The Mutual Radio Network attempted to start such a revival in the early 1970’s with a half hour daily drama called “Zero Hour” hosted by the Twilight Zone’s Rod Serling. It folded after a year or so, with CBS Radio responding with a 60 minute daily show called “The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre” hosted by actor E.G. Marshall. It ran for 8 years until 1982. Mutual countered with “Sears Radio Theatre” in 1979, an hour long 5 day a week show, which was later renamed “Mutual Radio Theatre”, but its two year run ended in 1980.
Other than a few programs on XM Radio, Garrison Keillor's “A Prairie Home Companion” on public radio, the 5 minute daily soap opera on Tom Joyner’s Morning Show, ZBS Media’s “Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe”, and various independent internet podcasts, there isn’t much drama on America radio. However, “audio theatre” as it’s now called, remains popular in other countries. Contemporary plays can be heard regularly on Canada’s CBC networks, and on BBC Radio channels 3, 4, and 7.
