MAY | JUNE 2017 PHILLY AD NEWS

PART II OF II 70 years of Philly radio

In celebration of the 70th anniversary, former KYW Newsradio highlighting many personality disc jockeys reporter/anchor Larry Litwin tackled the challenge of highlighting including the WIBG “Good Guys,” WFIL’s “Boss radio’s past seven decades. Here is Part Two of Jocks” and the personalities at Philly’s top a two-part series. Part One appeared in our Jan. 2017 issue of Middle-of-the-Road station WIP. It looked at Philly AD NEWS on page 14. M. Larry Litwin, APR, Fellow PRSA the nation’s fi rst two-way talk host Frank Ford currently teaches at The College of after retiring as (WPEN), the advent of FM radio including the associate professor from Rowan (NJ) University where he spent phenomenon of what became B-101 (WBEB- 42 years. He’s an award-winning broadcast journalist and public FM), KYW Newsradio and the six-decade-long relations counselor who has authored eight books including “The institution Sid Mark and “The Sounds of Sinatra.” PR Practitioner’s Playbook,Broadcast Journalism — A Potpourri,” Part Two recalls many of the female radio “The ABCs and More ABCs of Strategic Communication” (visit voices and those behind the scenes of Philly www.larrylitwin.com). radios past 70 years. Part One looked at the “Baby Boomer” years of Philadelphia radio Larry Litwin circa 1966.

ver 60 of these past 70 years there happening, they expect it to be there (like the 1912. From about the mid-20s until the mid-70s has been one constant: Sid Mark proverbial faucet),” he says. “You can’t run a he hosted “Pat Stanton’s Irish Hour.” And that and “The Sounds of Sinatra.” It all department of even one person on contingency. is only a small contribution to our local radio began with “Friday with Frank” You either spend the money and it’s there, or you history. According to The Billboard and his Ostarting in 1957 over WHAT-FM, where Mark was do not. Sources are the same. They gravitate to biography, Pat founded his own radio station, a disc jockey. It has been running continuously those who cover them day-in-day-out.” WJMJ-1540 AM, which became WRCP in 1965 – now on WPHT-AM. Co-incidentally, Sid and In spite of streaming, smart phones and and eventually WNWR. After selling his station, John Paul Weber are graduates of Camden’s computers, when a major story breaks, there is he broadcast his Irish Hour on WKDN and Woodrow Wilson High School. still a large audience segment – especially in their WTMR in Camden. WIP alumnus and former Action News car, that “hits the center button” although many So, where are we today? Just as Philly AD producer Bob Timms recalls its radio news cars now have six buttons, not fi ve. NEWS has had to adapt, so has radio. KYW’s director Paul Rust and an expertise emulated by Conspicuous by their absence is mention of Mike DeNardo started his career as an intern many newsrooms across the country. the many females who started hitting Philly out of in the early 80s. He has “AT WIP, it was Rust’s policy not to airwaves with the advent of all-news radio. Like been a part of Philadelphia radio’s evolution and bulletin stories unless big enough to overrule all other markets, Philadelphia was not only the transformation from analogue to digital. programming and cover wall-to-wall,” says male-dominated, it was just about all male. It is “My equipment bag is much smaller now. When Timms. “Research proved doing so otherwise sent important to mention some of the women who I started as a radio reporter, we had to lug around listeners up the dial to all-news KYW. have pioneered Philadelphia radio. cassette machines to record audio. You had to “My brief tenure at WIP had me in the Whether or not current and not nearly all cross your fi ngers that the tape counter was company of industry giants — my heroes who inclusive, many are “top of mind,” some are working, as you hit REW and FF to search for the accepted me as an equal from day one. I could not legendary and all paved the way for hundreds quote or sound bite you wanted. Then, you’d have have known how short that department’s days of others: Lynne Atkins, Esther Broza to fi nd a pay phone and unscrew the mouthpiece would be. I didn’t want to leave for a full-time (“The Children’s Hour”), Mary Cummings- to connect alligator clips to send audio over the gig at WPVI, but it was an obvious choice. Uncle Jordan, Rica Duffus, Emily Elfenbein, phone. An engineer back at the station would dub Pauly, as he was known, told me so. Soon after, Pat Farnack, Kim Glovas, Terry Gross, your sound onto 20-, 40- or 70-second tape carts. the InfoTainment format arrived at WIP and, Pam Haynes, Brenda Jorett, Helen All of that took time. one-by-one, the magnifi cent journalists went Leicht, Lauren Lipton, Pat Loeb, Mary Jo “Now, digital audio has revolutionized radio away. Steve Ross became a writer at WCAU- Malone, Andrea Mitchell, Marty Moss- news gathering. Using an iPhone app, we can TV, Gordon Thomas left for more work at the Coane, Karin Phillips, Deborah Potter, record and edit studio-quality audio in the advertising agency where he long part-timed and Maggie Schiavone, Sue Serio and Christy palms of our hands. And another app allows us John Paul retired. Springfi eld. to play that audio on the air as we report live Bob expresses concern over the future of One more legendary name that left a mark from anywhere in the fi eld. No rewind time. No local radio news in Philadelphia and elsewhere. on Philly radio over the past 70 years is searching for pay phones. “Nowadays,” Mike “Paradoxically, listeners treat news as a tune- Patrick Stanton — a true pioneer who came says, “we are using all of the extra time to live- out. But when they perceive something to be to Philadelphia from County Cork, Ireland in Tweet, take pictures, do web writes, post videos and Facebook events. So we’re still busy, but we’re not simply radio reporters anymore. Thanks to technology, we’re multimedia journalists.” Tony Hanson preceded Mike at KYW by about fi ve years and has similar recollections plus Kae Williams at WDAS with Lois Timbers, WIP Radio morning drive time host Wee Willie the station’s traffi c manager in the 60s. Webber intervews talk show host Johnny Carson. Popular radio personality Harvey Holiday CONTINUED ON P. 44

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70 YEARS OF PHILLY RADIO reel-to-reel tapes home and started editing out the The band was originally organized by Iliana pauses, the bloopers and anything else that didn’t Kloesmeyer of Philadelphia Coca-Cola to CONTINUED FROM P. 33 belong in the fi nal show and inserting some music perform at the Summer Outing. The band’s and sound effects. drummer, Frank Marciante, recalls a band “It took hours of laborious cutting, rearranging that included radio’s Vince Raimondo on some concerns for both radio’s future, and the and splicing of the physical tape. A few months guitar, Baker Sound’s Gary Moskowitz on future of credible news reporting. later, I was introduced to digital recording bass, Toni Brownstein and Mark Ferri on “It is remarkable in some respects, how little and editing. I cursed that I had not had that vocals, and WMGK’s Kate Cohn on keyboards. the news gathering aspect of reporting changed technology available when putting that WRTI The Ad Club Band garnered rave reviews at over my nearly four decades at KYW Newsradio,” program together. Digital editing, whether the 1993 Holiday Party. New members, Harvey Hanson refl ects. “At its core, it’s still about audio or video, was so easy and versatile that it in the Morning (keyboards), KYW-TV’s Fran keen observation, talking to people, building revolutionized the broadcast industry. Forgione (vocals) and radio’s Allen Hite (bass relationships and working sources. But how we get “Today, it is all bits and bytes recorded in and vocals) performed their version of “The Last the news to our listeners changed dramatically. computer fi les that can be manipulated and Waltz” at their fi nal performance at the Bellevue “When I started, we literally cut tape using distributed in ways that the broadcasters of my era in Dec.’98 during Mary Padula’s term as a grease pencil and razor blade and relied on could not even have imagined.” president. pay phone booths and a temperamental two- So, what would Guglielmo Marconi — inventor, Possible band reunion? way radio system (handy-talkies) to broadcast electrical engineer, entrepreneur and businessman from the scene. It was not unusual to go to a — a Nobel Prize recipient and major contributor WHAT MADE US UNIQUE? murder scene, interview a neighbor and then to the development of wireless telegraphy — think Our administrative offi ce was led solely by the ask to enter their home and use their phone of his invention today? He would no doubt be unfl appable Bernardine Steinmetz, who, for unscrewing the mouthpiece for a hookup that pleased and not at all surprised. many years, handled all club mailings, produced allowed us to transmit sound back to the station. the Ad Club treasurer’s report, mailed monthly Or perhaps, more disturbingly, knocking on the newsletters, handled reservations, and attended door of an unsuspecting and far too-trusting every board meeting and event – all while resident to inform them there had been a murder #46 TAKES A FOND LOOK BACK working at The Inquirer and raising a young outside their home, and then asking to enter and AT HER PRESIDENTIAL YEARS family. Many late nights with her dining room disassembling their phone. Now the cell phone is CONTINUED FROM P. 32 turned into a mail-house. A talented cellist, a pocket-sized recording studio, editing booth and Bernardine is now teaching music. broadcast center. The multi-talented Shelley Goldstein later Tony’s concern focuses on the “new” technology. replaced Bernardine, ably fulfi lling admin duties. “It has also created new issues. One, in Ad Club 2.0 is remarkable. We had a staff photographer. Thomas particular,” he says, “has increasingly concerned Today’s Ad Club begins its mission younger Toohey Brown, who after many years as a me over the past decade. The internet and social by focusing on teens, college seminars and KYW-TV account executive, pursued his passion media have allowed anyone with a computer or scholarships, 2.0’s young professionals and a for photography, fi lming (yes – Film!) every phone and internet connection to post whatever formal mentoring program. seminar, luncheon, Addy, outing, holiday party, they want, often under the guise of news, without College scholarships are now over $40,000 a etc. You can check out Toohey’s current work the oversight, restraint and ethical standards that, year. In comparison, in 1990, the club awarded with brilliant sports and golf coverage. although dismissed by some wary of the ‘main $5,050 to nine recipients. The Club’s 501(c)3 We had the professional services of Robert stream media,’ are an integral part of daily news designation makes it easier for individuals and Goldy, Esq. who served as the Ad Club’s legal reporting by reputable organizations.” corporations to support scholarship efforts. Kudos counsel for over 30 years. One wonders, how would Paul Rust handle that to Toyota for providing the club with an additional We had the exceptional professionalism of today? revenue outlet and for the media for promoting TV Guide’s Beth Wagner. Beth joined the Jerry Klein is another Philly radio veteran this initiative. Ad Club board in 1972 and served as First VP, and industry observer. An attorney and business Our May 1993 Person of the Year luncheon, participating in public service, seminar and executive, Klein is a Broadcast Pioneers’ past honoring CBS’ Ed Bradley, was one of the summer outing groups. Her experience as president and former KYW Newsradio editor. fi rst times a silent auction was held benefi ting Addy co-chair (then called the Billys) aided her Like most good journalists, he summarizes the scholarships, with a follow-up at our Summer transition from the board to Addy Coordinator technical aspects of the 70-year journey this way: Outing. We achieved modest results compared to (1991-95). “To me, the biggest change has been the the breadth of today’s auction items proffered and Beth recounts, “As a member of the technology. When I worked in radio in the mid- revenue achieved. Scholarship 60s to mid-70s, all sound (other than records Committee, - i.e. 45s and LPs - and live performers) was on HOW WERE WE DIFFERENT? it was audio tape. It was basically either on reel-to-reel For many years, the Ad Club produced a bi-annual particularly tape (fl exible strips of acetate, and later Mylar, Public Service Campaign for an area non-profi t. rewarding a quarter inch wide and hundreds of feet long) Creative, production and media time were all to ‘pay it or tape “carts” (plastic cartridges with lengths of donated. A memorable campaign was created by forward’ tape that ran in an endless loop, similar to 8-track club board member & LevLane creative director, to college cartridges). Many younger people in our industry Bruce Lev, for the Children’s Advocacy Center. students have never heard of, let alone worked with, tape. Noteworthy were four unique performances eager to Toohey, Beth, Bernardine, Ted Goldfl ies You could not edit carts. Instead you had to by the (in)famous Ad Club Band from 1990-98. pursue edit the reel-to-reel audio, then “dub” (copy) it careers in broadcasting or advertising.” Beth to the cart for use on the air. And, editing tape stated, “It was an honor to serve on the board of meant physically cutting and splicing it (with a governors and work with area professionals for cellophane-like tape), just like you had to do with 25 of the Ad Club’s 70 glorious years!” Beth is movie fi lm.” enjoying life in the beautiful Southwest. Jerry recalls that in 1998 “we had a reunion of people who had worked at the Temple University radio station, WRTI-FM, before it went all- WATCH FOR PART II in 1968. At the reunion, we recorded a half-hour WITH PLENTY OF OLD PHOTOS radio production (think TV program without pictures). After the recording session, I took the

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