Before the musical storm that was The Beatles swept across North America, the band had their initial brush with American television audiences back in 1963. A segment presented by NBC News correspondent Edwin Newman on the November 18, 1963 edition of the Huntley-Brinkley Report marked their debut. The segment showcased concert footage of The Beatles from the Winter Gardens in Bournemouth, captured by three American networks: NBC, CBS, and ABC.
The Beatles: Dismissed by American Media
While American networks had their cameras rolling, not all decided to air the footage they captured. ABC, in particular, chose not to utilize their material. Interestingly, the music of The Beatles was met with a dismissive stance by Edwin Newman, who ended the segment with a negative comment about the band’s musical prowess. NBC and CBS echoed this dismissive sentiment in subsequent news bulletins, with NBC dubbing the band’s music as “non-music.”
A Shift in Attitude
However, the narrative began to shift with The Jack Paar Program on January 3. Paar, instead of focusing on the band’s music, presented The Beatles as a sociological phenomenon, emphasizing their wit and their tough upbringing in Liverpool’s dock area. He aired a clip that showcased fan hysteria and a part of the Bournemouth concert. Even though Paar claimed to find the entire scenario amusing, his knack for identifying cultural shifts suggested that he recognized the band’s potential impact.
The Beatles: Setting the Stage for the Ed Sullivan Show
Paar’s presentation of The Beatles, coupled with his tongue-in-cheek remark about England achieving America’s cultural level, helped set the stage for The Beatles’ imminent breakout performance. The band’s subsequent appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964 cemented their fame in the US, marking the onset of ‘Beatlemania’ on American soil.
