In early 1950 as NBC launched Night Beat starring Frank Lovejoy as Chicago night beat reporter Randy Stone, they sent this recording of the episode "Zero" out to potential sponsors with a sales message taking the place of an opening commercial. Night Beat was a high-adventure human interest series.
The program would get sponsorship starting in July as part of General Mills' Wheaties "Big Parade," but the cereal company would drop the entire campaign after just eight weeks. Night Beat was taken off the air in November of 1950, but revived the following March. It would continue to air until September 25, 1952, never again having a regular national sponsor.
