The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

Michael Muderick’s 40+ professional years cover a variety of careers. At Temple University, during his undergraduate days, he was heavily involved with WRTI, and learned from Broadcast Pioneers members Professors Lew Klein and John Roberts. During that time, he worked summers at WCAU-TV and WFIL-TV in the engineering departments. He did his Masters’ graduate work at Syracuse University continuing his love for radio as Technical Director of WAER-FM and also worked at WCNY-TV.

Upon leaving Syracuse, Muderick joined WPHL-TV in the production area doing studio work and on-air program coordination. In 1972, he went to WTAF-TV where he was a coordinator for Flyers Hockey and wrote and produced all local commercials. He produced and directed commercials and infomercials with Gunilla Knudsen, the Noxema “Take It Off” girl, Buffalo Bob Smith from Howdy Doody, Wolfman Jack, and Reggie Jackson.

In 1975 he joined the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. He was the Director of Video Communications and designed one of the premier corporate TV studios in Philadelphia at that time. He produced programming for education, sales, and marketing. In 1984 he worked with EJ Stewart Video and ABC-Television at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He decided to form his own company, Muderick Media and served corporate clients such as Philadelphia Electric, Dupont, PSFS, and Merck.

He was a manager and chairman of the Philadelphia section of the SMPTE, (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) and President of the Philadelphia chapter of ITVA (International Television Association). He received numerous awards from both organizations as well as the IABC (International Association of Business Communicators.) He conducted executive coaching seminars, and co-authored a national trade publication technical advice monthly column.

Muderick also served as an adjunct professor of video at Cabrini College. In addition, he was a frequent contributor to many trade publications, and lectured at a PLRA-Pennsylvania Learning Resources Conference, Visual Communications Congress, ITVA International Conference, AECT International Conference, Temple University Seminar, Philadelphia School District Career Conference, and other local meetings. He is an avid student and collector of broadcast history and wrote a monthly column on the history of television.

In 1992 he took a hiatus from the video field and became the Executive Director of a Conservative Synagogue in the Philadelphia area. He had served on the board of another synagogue for 20+ years, received a number of service awards, and had been president of that congregation. So, he added 15 years of experience in non-profit organizational management, fundraising, community relations and building management to his portfolio. He successfully helped manage a capital campaign, a major renovation project, vendor relations, member participation and departmental budgets. He currently holds an FSA certification-Fellow in Synagogue Administration. Michael was chaplain of the Communications Lodge of Bnai Brith and has served on the Board of Directors of the Delaware Valley Region of United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism.

In 2008 he returned to the Video/AV field and revived Muderick Media. During the summer of 2009, he became a partner in Family Video Stories, a company which produced documentaries for families His work today continues in the area of video, primarily working with Videotapetransfers.tv, a Delaware Valley facility specializing in the transfer and digitzation of almost all old formats of video including 2" quad, all consumer formats, 8mm and Super 8 film, slides, and photographs. He also provides voice-over talent for various audio, video, and Powerpoint presentations and does pro-bono voice-over for various PSA's and 501C-3 organizations. He is currently involved in the Digital Archive Project of the Broadcast Pioneers.

He is married to Ann, and has two boys Aaron, married to Elizabeth, and Joel, married to Lisa. He has two granddaughters, Sara and Rebecca, and two grandsons, Eli and Dylan.

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