Special Bulletin

At 11:41 (EST) last Thursday night the song, dance and prattle on most of the 167 stations of the NBC networks throughout the U. S. faded out, signature chimes sounded softly and a bated voice explained: "We interrupt the program at this time to bring you a special bulletin from Rome: From Vatican City comes the information of the death of His Holiness Pope Pius XI.

. . ." Soon similar announcements were going out over 90 CBS stations, over many of the no stations affiliated with MBS and from innumerable unafftliated stations the nation over.

Thus, ten minutes after it happened, radio was bringing to its incalculable audience the biggest news of last week. Forty minutes after the first bulletin, NBC added to radio's scoop. From a hotel room over-looking Vatican City, over a microphone NBC had hooked up and ready for just this story for the last 18 months, NBC's Rome representative, Phillips McKenzie, described for U. S. listeners the scene in the saddened city itself.

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