8. Pioneering Radio Advertising Synergy, the Better to Scam the Gullible
Whatever his shortcomings as a doctor – and those shortcomings were legion – Brinkley was a savvy entrepreneur who quickly grasped the potential of the then-new medium of radio. In 1923, he bought what came to be America’s fourth-biggest radio station, KFKB, chiefly to market his medical practice.
Before long, Brinkley was prescribing medications to his listeners: people would write him, with $2 included in the envelope, and he would diagnose them on air, then prescribe a medication. The medication was typically only available in a Brinkley-owned pharmacy, or one with whom he had cut a deal for a cut of their profits. However, all good things come to an end, and in 1923, California tried to extradite Brinkley. However, Kansas’ governor refused to hand him over.
