Bill Ryan, Retired TV Newsman THE ASSOCIATED PRESS During a papal visit to Yankee Sta- Point Marion, Pa. — William Em- dium in the mid-60s, he told radio lis- mett (Bill) Ryan III, a former NBC teners, "And the cardinals are leaving newsman who was among the first on the dugout." television to report the assassination Born in Brooklyn, he served with of President John F. Kennedy, has the Marine Corps during World War II died. He was 70. and got his start ifi--broadcasting as an Mr. Ryan worked for NBC and its announcer for Armed Forces Radio. New York City affiliate, WNBC-TV, for After working for local radio stations, 26 years, covering the civil-rights move- he joined NBC-TV as a writer for ment, early space flights and local "Camel News Caravan," anchored by news. In the 1960s, Mr. Ryan anchored John Cameron Swayze, in 1951. the station's local "Pressman-Ryan Re- He also was press secretary to Sen. port" with Gabe Pressman and the net- -Jacob K. Javits (D-N,Y.) and was ac- work's radio "News of the World." tive in the American Federation of He died Tuesday at his home south Radio and Television Artists. After of Pittsburgh after a long illness, ac- he retired to western Pennsylvania, cording to his son Marc Ryan. he did a public-affairs program for When Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Mr. Ryan was West Virginia Public Television. the network's first anchor to go on the air, eventually He is survived by his widow, Kay; nine children breaking the news that Kennedy had died. He stayed and 14 grandchildren. with the story for most of the next three days as the The funeral is scheduled for Saturday at St. There- network went to around-the-clock coverage. sa's Roman Catholic Church, Morgantown, W. Va.