Radio 2XG

[9] The debut program was aired on October 26, 1916,[5] and it was announced that nightly transmissions of news interspersed with Columbia recordings would be sent from the Highbridge laboratory beginning November 1.

[16] Also featured were Columbia recordings that included "'The Star Spangled Banner,' 'Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean,' 'Dixie,' 'America' and other airs long loved by Americans".

[19] However, with the entry of the United States into World War I on April 6, 1917, all civilian radio stations were ordered shut down, and 2XG was silenced for the duration of the conflict.

For this revival Bob Gowen and Bill Garity worked as announcers, with Richard Klein acting as program director.

[20] There were also live performances, including multiple appearances by Vaughn De Leath—for these broadcasts she earned the sobriquet "The Original Radio Girl".

[21] In early 1920, the 2XG transmitter was moved from the Bronx to Manhattan to take advantage of an offer by Emil J. Simon to use an antenna located atop the World's Tower building.

[22] However, the move had not been approved by government regulators, and the second district Radio Inspector, Arthur Batcheller, ordered the station to suspend operations.

However, shortly thereafter, de Forest ceased involvement with radio work altogether, in order to concentrate on developing the Phonofilm sound-on-film system.

On October 13, 1921, the De Forest company was issued a broadcasting station authorization in the form of a Limited Commercial license with the randomly assigned call letters WJX, operating on 360 meters (833 kilohertz) at its Sedgwick Avenue facility.