October 1999

Newsletter

October 1999 Page 2

October Meeting Lunch: 12 Noon Bala Golf Club Cocktails: 12:30 pm October 13, 1999 Ratecard $16.00 Reservations: 215-563-1310 Inside this issue:

Fall is here. Floyd blew away by Radio.” Once again, it the summer season. should be a great meeting, September 2 Meeting and a wonderful opportunity to see your friends. And it’s time for the October Robert E. Klose 2 Vince Gasbarro meeting of the Broadcast Pio- neers. We’ll be at the Bala Please make it a point to call Francis Davis 2 Golf Club once again on in your reservation. Paul Norton Wednesday, October 13. October Speaker: Larry Kane 2 PLEASE NOTE: A NEW Herb Clarke Our speaker this month will NUMBER…..215-563- Steve Butler Pat Delsi 2 be appropriate for the season, 1310—the number again— Director of Programming KYW Newsradio Billy Penn Awards and the stormy late summer. 215-563-1310. Steve Butler, Director of Pro- Captain/Mrs. Noah 3 gramming, of KYW Newsra- On the Move dio will speak to our group on Hall of Fame 3 the subject “Storm Coverage New York Trip

Jo Oristaglio

The reason we have a new of any slack. Jo worked for a number of of the group. And, of number for reservations is be- advertising agencies including course, it wasn’t cause our wonderful secretary, Reimel Carter, where she su- O’Ristaglio, she was Ital- and lady at the door, and the Jo went to South pervised the transition from ian. lady who took the meeting res- High School and graduated in manual paper, to computer ervations, for so many years, 1929. She attended Normal recordkeeping. That was Jo, and she will School and became a school be missed. has died. Jo died September 18 at the age of 88. That’s not a teacher in the Philadelphia sys- misprint. She didn’t want any- tem for many years. Getting At her memorial service, one of one to know how old she was into radio, she managed WDAS the eulogists was a gentleman because she didn’t want anyone and was instrumental in hiring who introduced himself as a to cut her any slack because of Joe Niagara, among others. Friendly Son of St. Patrick. He her age. I think she’ll forgive She worked for Pat Stanton at said that Jo was the only me now that there’s no danger WJMJ Radio. woman member, a devoted one, Retirement Dinner

The headline in a recent Stu Bykof- his will he set aside money for that their place at the shore and in Haver- sky column said “Last will and purpose. town. They will be at the new location in toast.” the middle of October. In late August, the Merbreiers, and It told of Captain and Mrs. Noah studio crew chief, Bill Russell, dined Bob reports seeing Susan Drake several times recently while visiting the Quad- (Carter and Pat Merbreier) celebrating on Larry's bequest and remembered rangle on Darby Road in Havertown, PA. a belated retirement at Ruth’s Chris their old friend with a toast. She walks her dog every day and is doing Steak House, compliments of the late fine. He says. organ virtuoso Larry Ferrari. On the Move He says Kay Baltukonis is not doing so Larry had promised to take them to A lot of our members are moving well, however. She is still recovering dinner when their show retired in around. from a savage assault five years ago. She 1995. Larry had been organist on the will be remembered by members for her show for many years. But he be- Member Bob Humes, former account time at Aitken Kynett and other agencies. came ill before he could fulfill his executive for WFIL and WDAS, and his Kay is living at the Bellington Apart- promise. Through his illness he wife Peg are moving to Freedom Village ments on Spruce Street and would love to hear from old friends at 215-546-2713. never forgot the dinner offer and in in the Dowingtown area, having sold

Hall of Fame/Person of the Year

Don’t forget the big meeting next This is the club’s big fund raiser for In case you missed it, the month. the year and supports scholarships Person of the Year is Don and other charitable activities. Tollefson. The Hall of Fame will Our Hall of Fame/Person of the Year include Bill Campbell, Trudi dinner will be held on November 18 Haines, Joe McCauley and Bill at 7:00 p.m. at the Bala Golf Club. Webber. $60 for members, $80 for nonmem- bers. Past Person of the Year awardees, Shelly Gross, Dorie Lenz and Gene McCurdy will be added to the Hall this year.

Trip to New York News!

Lydia DeGuio informs us that the lar price. For information call 215- If you have any information for the World Affairs Council is sponsoring 731-1100. archives, anything appropriate for a history of broadcasting here, contact a trip to to the Mu- seum of Televsion and Radio on Oc- Ed Papazian who is collecting such The group will leave from the tober 19. material. Adam’s Mark at 7:45 a.m. And don’t forget. Paul Norton needs Charles Osgood of CBS will discuss your items to do the Newsletter. You radio and his new book at lunch can call 1-302-645-8910, or write him at 205 Ocean View Blvd., which is included in the 60 or 70 dol- Lewes, DE 19958, or e-mail him at [email protected].

Page 3 October 1999 Newsletter September Meeting Robert E. Klose Vince Gasbarro

If you were not there for last month’s We note with sadness the passing of Vince Gasbarro, whose illness was re- Pioneers meeting, you missed a good one Robert E. “Bob” Klose (Kloff). Bob was ported in the last letter, has died. with a very large attendance. The usual a disc jockey, and program director, at numbers of Pioneers were buttressed by a WFIL-560 in the sixties. He had contin- Vince was a long-time member of the large turnout of Philadelphia Ad Club ued with Triangle Broadcasting, later crew, and cameraman at WFIL-WPVI Gateway, as Manager at WNBF Radio in TV and had recently retired. He appreci- members. Binghamton. In the Army Infantry Band ated the many calls, cards and flowers in the Second World War, he got his that the club sent. Masters in Finance from Ohio State, Brian Hurst explained what will be hap- where he was also in the band. He loved pening as TV, Radio and the Internet music and his mid-day show in Philadel- shape a new future. Ed and Cissie Hurst phia was very popular. He later owned were justifiably proud of the way their WAZR-WATS in Sayr, PA. son explained things to the gathering. Bob died June 26 in Sequesta, Fl.. He leaves two daughters and two grandchil- Incidentally, Ed and Cissie have sold dren. their place here, and moved to Margate, NJ. But we’re sure that we’ll be seeing and hearing a lot from them.

Francis Davis Paul Norton Larry Kane

Board Chairman Shelly Gross e-mails Also in the education department is Gleanings...Gail Shister says that mem- that he has just spoken to Francis Davis, Newsletter Editor Paul Norton, who used ber Larry Kane is writing a book. “Larry veteran Channel 6 weathercaster. He has to fill in for Francis on weekends and Kane's Philadelphia” will be published come out of retirement to teach meteorol- vacations. by Temple University Press in the fall of ogy and physics at Hilton Head High. 2000. According to Gail, Larry says “It's Paul is now teaching Telecommunica- The physics is a college prep subject the toughest thing I’ve every done. For tions at Delaware Technical and Commu- TV you write in two-minute bursts.” open to seniors only. Dr. Davis was for- nity College in Georgetown, DE. Details merly Dean of the Physics Department at are being worked out so that Channel 6 Larry says that after beginning at WFIL- Drexel University. Anchor Marc Howard can speak to the TV with in 1966 he has class. worked with 35 anchors, 25 general man- agers, and 19 news directors. We believe Carefully monitoring the course of Hurri- “When small men begin to cast big that he is the only anchor who has cane Floyd, he avoided the terrible traffic shadows, it means the sun is worked at all three VHF stations as a the first day of warnings, and evacuated about to set.” featured anchor. the day after, before the storm hit, and Lin Yutang with the roads uncongested. Herb Clarke Pat Delsi Billy Penn Awards

Past President Herb Clarke is keeping President Pat Delsi is also keeping Pat Delsi says that Alan Tripp is well busy. John Roberts reports having his hand in with a TV show on WB- along with his plans for next year’s heard him do a new series of com- 17. Billy Penn Awards. mercials for PECO. It’s called “Philly Connection” and in It will be bigger and better than ever. addition to Pat, who does sports, it includes Stu Bykovsky, Trudy Haines, Bob Pantano, Jim Corea.

Page 2 October 1999 Newsletter