. S . ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Air ▁Com merce . ▁ ▁The ▁Junior ▁Bird men ▁of ▁America ▁( J BA ) ▁program ▁was ▁officially ▁launched ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁with ▁not ices ▁published ▁in ▁every ▁William ▁Rand olph ▁H ear st - owned ▁newspaper ▁in ▁America . ▁There ▁were ▁ 1 7 ▁H ear st - owned ▁newsp apers ▁involved ▁initially ▁as ▁" J un ior ▁Bird men ▁Wing ▁City ▁New sp apers ," ▁including ▁his ▁flags hip ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Ex am iner , ▁the ▁H ear st ▁New ▁York ▁American , ▁the ▁H ear st ▁New ▁York ▁Even ing ▁Journal , ▁the ▁H ear st ▁Pitts burgh ▁Sun - Te legraph , ▁the ▁H ear st ▁Detroit ▁Times ▁and ▁Detroit ▁Sunday ▁Times , ▁the ▁H ear st ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Light , ▁the ▁H ear st ▁Chicago ▁American , ▁the ▁H ear st ▁Chicago ▁Her ald - Ex am iner , ▁the ▁NY ▁Sy rac use ▁Journal ▁and ▁Sy rac use ▁Sunday ▁American , ▁and ▁H ear st ' s ▁Boston ▁American ▁( its ▁Fl ight ▁Squadron ▁Plan ▁application ▁form ▁and ▁letter ▁listed ▁ 2 2 ▁H ear st ▁newsp apers ). ▁The ▁cost ▁to ▁join ▁and ▁become ▁a ▁J BA ▁member ▁originally ▁was ▁one ▁d ime ▁sent ▁to ▁your ▁local ▁H ear st ▁newspaper . ▁Within ▁a ▁year , ▁H ear st ▁newsp apers ▁were ▁reporting ▁Junior ▁Bird men ▁membership ▁was ▁over ▁ 1 5 1 , 0 0 0 ▁by ▁ 1 9 3