U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for April 20

WASHINGTON, April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

TUESDAY, APRIL 20: HIT PARADE'S 75TH

Profile America — Tuesday, April 20th.  On this date 75 years ago, one of America's most popular broadcasts began — "Your Hit Parade," a weekly look at the top songs people around the nation were buying and listening to.  The format evolved into counting down the top 15 tunes so that the number one song was the last played. Through the years, many popular bands and singers were featured, including Frank Sinatra and Doris Day.  The show lasted for 18 years on radio and from 1950 to 1959 on television.  Today, music fans buy $8.5 billion of music each year, about $5.5 billion on CDs, and just over $1 billion on downloading singles electronically.  Profile America is presented by the U.S. Census Bureau, reminding you — take part in the 2010 Census and put your census form in the mail.

Sources:  440 International Calendar of Events, Those Were the Days

               www.radiohof.org/music/hitparade.html

               Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1103

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau