Marciarose Shestack & Tom Snyder
Eyewitness News set
KYW-TV
Friday, August 20, 1965

The Eyewitness News format started on Monday, August 30, 1965, ten days after the above picture was taken. It was the first time that street reporters were on camera and it would change the course of broadcast journalism forever.

The first anchors were the noon-time team of Broadcast Pioneers member Marciarose Shestack and Tom Snyder. The evening anchor was Broadcast Pioneers member Vince Leonard who started with the Eyewitness News format on his newscasts during the next month, September 1965.

We have three audio clips from Friday, June 3, 1966, the noon report. Anchoring that day were Tom Snyder and Marciarose, who was inducted into our "Hall of Fame" during November of 2004. Notice how long the stories were in comparison to today's newscasts.

The first clip dealt with the launch of Gemini 9 that morning and where and how the space suits used during the Apollo missions were manufactured in our area. While this was a TV broadcast, we have only audio.

Next is a clip dealing with the United States' involvement with the Vietnam War and how one American was being tried for refusing to carry a rifle.

Finally, Secretary of State Dean Rusk visited Norway and Pennsylvania's Governor William Scranton said that he will never run for political office again.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Audio clips originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Gerry Wilkinson
Special thanks to Broadcast Pioneers member Jerry Klein
© 2005, All Rights Reserved

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com