On Monday, September 21, 1965, the owners of KYW Radio (Group W, Westinghouse Broadcasting) took a bold step in Philadelphia by instituting a new format for the market, 24 hour news. It would soon to be known as "All News, All the Time." Earlier that year, Westinghouse had started a similar programming format in New York City (WINS).

In June of that year, there were industry reports that the station would go all news instead of Top 40 or MOR. While KYW officials had no comment at that time, a former high source with Westinghouse Broadcasting said that the all news decision had already been made.

This audio has been on our website since 2000. However, we recently received a different tape with all these cuts on them. The quality was alot higher. There was hardly any tape hiss and this tape was running on speed. While the speed doesn't make a lot of difference, it did slightly raise the pitch on the announcers voices. We have corrected all this. The piece at 11:54:30 am was 5:22 in length. It is now 5:36. We have also encoded them at a higher level so this too will increase the quality of the clip. And for the first time, these clips are also available in the Windows Media Player format (.wma).

In the waning moments of the old format, Million Seller Tunes, Broadcast Pioneers member Bill (Wee Willie) Webber was on hand to help make the transition. He was live. At 11:47 am, Bill introduced a million seller by Billy Williams.

11:47 am

Listen in Real Audio!
Listen in Windows Media!

After that selection, Bill introed what he thought would be the last song of the old format. The clock was ticking down the seconds and minutes.

11:50 am

Listen in Real Audio!
Listen in Windows Media!

When the song was finished, there was still enough time for one more, so Bill introduced Frankie Randall singing "A Wonderful Day Like Today." It would be the last song ever to be played on KYW Radio before starting the all news format.

11:52:15 am

Listen in Real Audio!
Listen in Windows Media!

It was now 5 and a half minutes before high noon, and the countdown would begin. It was not done live but was pre-recorded.

11:54:30 am

Listen in Real Audio!
Listen in Windows Media!

The time had come for the all news format to take to the air. While many of you may be familiar with KYW Newsradio today, it had its roots in this initial broadcast on September 21, 1965 at 12 noon. The anchor was Steve Porter and the engineer was Broadcast Pioneers member Ralph "Bud" Galow.

12 noon

Listen in Real Audio!
Listen in Windows Media!

Broadcast Pioneers member Bud Galow mentioned that shortly after 12 noon, he noticed that Broadcast Pioneers member Marciarose Shestack was looking through the studio glass reporting on Channel 3's Eyewitness News (the noon broadcast from 12 noon to 12:30) which had just started three weeks earlier. Marciarose and a camera operator were reporting to the TV audience the beginning of KYW Newsradio. Tom Snyder was anchoring the TV news from Channel 3's air studio.

By the way, Steve Porter left KYW Newsradio to go to WCBS Newsradio. On August 28,1967, Steve was the first voice on that all news operation.