OTR Ratings

If you are interested in the top-rated radio shows of the 30s, 40s, and 50s, check out this site. You'll start to notice a lot of the same shows showing up in the top ten year after year. In fact, some of the top shows in the late 30s and early 40s were still in the top-ten into the 50s. I think this lack of turnover in new, popular programs contributed to OTR's demise. I mention this list because an OTR Digest reader asked about the ratings of The Shadow. To find numbers for that program you'll need to look in the Daytime/Weekend sections since it aired on Sundays before the primetime hours. Judging by a couple sample years The Shadow was consistently ranked at the top or near the top of the daytime/weekend division. Compared to the primetime numbers, though, the show would not have cracked the top-twenty.