Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is a federally recognized, state chartered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the Philadelphia Broadcast Community since January of 1962.

April Luncheon
The Bala Golf Club, Philadelphia
Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Meet and Greet at 12 noon!
Lunch served at 12:30 pm!
Ratecard: $28 per person

Please reserve now!
CALL (856) 365-5600!
rsvp@broadcastpioneers.com

Another Third Wednesday Luncheon!
Wednesday, April 19, 2017!


IT'LL BE A GREAT TIME!

Spring has sprung, as they say, and this year is no exception. Our big Spring Potpourri of Broadcasting is back again. Make plans to be with us.

Our MC for the afternoon is member Harry Hurley. Harry is a nationally recognized talk show host based here in our area. Harry's charitable work with his annual golf tournament underwrites one of our scholarships each year. Hurley has been described as the Rush Limbaugh of the Jersey Shore.

Our scheduled speakers are all members of Broadcast Pioneers, and they are (in alphabetical order):

John DeBella, top-rated morning air personality on WMGK Radio
Matt DeLucia, NBC 10, WCAU-TV Street News Reporter
Leigh Richards, former WXTU air personality for 25 years
Patrick Stoner, WHYY-TV host of "Flicks," a national program

It all takes place at the beautiful and historic Bala Golf Club, 2200 Belmont Avenue (across the street from the state police) in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia. Only minutes away from Channels 6, 10 and 17 and the radio stations in Bala Cynwyd. Call now for reservations. (856) 365-5600! E-mail: rsvp@broadcastpioneers.com. Don't miss this one! THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Make plans to be there.

Plenty of FREE parking. Our luncheons are open to all our members, their guests and any person in the industry or associated fields, whether active or retired. You do NOT have to be a member to attend. There is no reserved seating at our luncheons. Feel free to sit anywhere. Well, okay--the three people on the camera crew sit near the cameras, but that's in the back of the room.

The cost is only a donation of $28 (or more) per person! In order to speed up check-in at the luncheon, it would help if you had exact change or your check already written. Checks can be made payable to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.

If you would like to add a few dollars extra, we would appreciate it. It would help us with all the important work we are doing. Thanks!

WE'LL BE PROUD TO SEE YOU IN THE CROWD!

Visit Our Website Often - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com
You should check the front page of our website often (link above) for important information!

Tune in to our YouTube Channel - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/youtube
Our YouTube Channel has all our luncheons, exclusive interviews and archival material!

Check out our Facebook Page - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/facebook
There are things on our Facebook Page that are NOT on our website (like our vintage photo of the week)

Go to our Twitter Account - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/twitter
The Broadcast Pioneers Twitter Account has info and stuff not available elsewhere!

Go to our Instragram Section - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/instagram
Here's another one of our social media sections. Visit it as often as you wish!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM GERRY WILKINSON, OUR CEO: Our newsletter is very abbreviated this month. As many of your know, I am our newsletter editor. With all the video and audio, the columns and features (most written and prepared by me), each newsletter takes about 60 hours to produce. A lot of you may know, that my family had a medical emergency with my wife, Michele, being hospitalized for a week.

Because of me spending my days (and nights) with her, I could not devote the time needed to produce this month's newsletter in the manner I would like and you deserve. Be assured, it is our plan that the newsletter will return in May in its usual format with all the columns and features in place.

By the way, my wife, Michele, usually proof reads each newsletter. Being of her hospitalization, she did not get to look at this one, so please excuse any typos.

NEW MEMBERS TO BROADCAST PIONEERS:

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DIGITAL ARCHIVAL PROJECT NEWS:

VIDEO:

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AUDIO:

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IN TOUCH WITH OUR MEMBERS:

Member Steve Vertlieb tell us that his blog, "Better Days, Benner Nights" has been nominated for "Best Blog of 2016" in this year's annual Rondo Awards competition. Voting for the award has a deadline of the middle of this month.

Member John Primerano has another dinner and show starring himself. It's called, "It Might As Well Be Swing." It all takes place on April 30th at the Tiffany Diner in their banquet room, 9010 Roosevelt Blvd in the northeast. Tickets are $30. You've seen John perform at several Broadcast Pioneers events.

Philadelphia advertising agency founder, publisher and radio broadcast producer, Member Joe Ball is featured in a new book pertaining to the 101st Airborne division, Camp Breckinridge, KY. It is a paperback, 462 pages "history" of the 101st Airborne during the 1948-1953 years. Ball did his infantry basic training there in 1951.

The Women's Humane Society honored Broadcast Pioneers member Carol Erickson last week during its second Trailblazer Award Ceremony. Carol is currently a daily news anchor for Calkins Media and hosts "Ask the Pet Vet." Erickson has long been known for her support of animals. Carol was inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2010.

We've gotten word that Broadcast Pioneers member Bill Roswell, called Roz by most everyone, retired last month from KYW Newsradio. He was their Director of Digital News and Media and had been with the station for more 36 years. Bill was inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2013.

Roz isn't the only one retiring. Member Dave Conant has spent more than a half century in Philadelphia broadcasting. He started at WXPN during his college years and then spent 26 years at WFLN and 19 years at Temple University's WRTI. He retired at the end of last year.

Member Bunny Gibson (you remember her from her old Bandstand days) e-mailed us and said that she just did Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" Funny or Die Promo with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. As most of you know, Gibson lives out on the west side of the country.

At the beginning of last month, Broadcast Pioneers member Bob Pantano celebrated his 40th anniversary with a big gals event broadcast live on WOGL. It's the first and longest running dance party in the nation. Bob was our Person of he Year in 2015. Pantano, a South Philadelphia native started spinning at record hops in the late ‘60s and then the nightclubs in the ’70s, before taking the show to the airwaves in 1977 on 98.1, WCAU-FM “Fascinatin’ Rhythm.” Over the decades, well over a million Delaware Valley residents remember dancing, meeting, and even falling in love at Bob's dance parties.

Today's News Becomes Tomorrow's History!
(This is what our Digital Archival Project, DAP, is all about!)

Did you know...

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Our special thanks go to TUTV - Temple University Television and The Kal & Lucille Rudman Media Production Center.

They have underwritten a grant to be used to fund an entire year of all our newsletters for calendar year 2017. We thank them so much for their support!

 

You Can Help Us!

When you log into Amazon via http://smile.amazon.com, all eligible purchases earn Broadcast Pioneers a donation of 0.5% from Amazon. However, you must log in to Amazon through http://smile.amazon.com. We have made it simple. You can also log into them using http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/amazon. It's easy to remember and takes you to the same place.

AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices and the same service. The only difference is that they donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Broadcast Pioneers. IT DOESN'T COST YOU ANY MORE TO DO THIS! Same price to you and we get a donation to help us continue with all our great educational projects! IT'S WIN - WIN!

MORE DIGITAL ARCHIVAL PROJECT NEWS:

VIDEO:

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AUDIO:

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IN TOUCH WITH THE INDUSTRY:

NBC10 / WCAU announce that Pennsylvania native Tammie Souza has joined NBC10’s First Alert Weather team as a Meteorologist. Souza began at the beginning of last month and can be seen evenings at 5 pm and 11 pm.

Souza comes to NBC10 from WFLD, FOX32 in Chicago where she has served as both the weekday morning and weekend meteorologist. She has also worked at NBC5 Chicago / WMAQ as the weekend meteorologist.

Weather and science is a family affair for Souza. Her father worked for the space program, her sister is a broadcast meteorologist in Sacramento and her brother is a pilot for FedEx.

Lawson Found, a novel by veteran New Hampshire journalist Roger Wood, is now in the audio-book format. Wood, who used the main character Derek Lawson to mirror his own life, produced and narrated the audiobook for Audible. He is also in the editing phase of a second book about Derek Lawson’s roller coaster ride through life, and is starting to write a third.

Roger is a native Penn Wynne and a graduate of Temple University. Wood and Broadcast Pioneers CEO Gerry Wilkinson produced a daily talk/music show called "Years Gone By" for a suburban Philadelphia radio station for two years. Roger worked at WVCH and WDVR before heading to New England. Gerry later became PD of the station before moving on to WDAS. Welker worked at WCAU-TV for five years from 2005 to 2010.

Kristen Welker, NBC's White House Correspondent got married last month to John Hughes at the Hyatt at the Bellevue here in Philly. Hughes is Merck's Marketing Director. Kristen's parents still live in Philly in the Fairmount section of the city where Kristen was raised. Lots of NBC people were in town for wedding.

Legendary rocker Charlie Gracie was in the United Kingdom last month where he headlined at the Shake, Rattle and Roll Festival. Gracie was the first American solo artist to tour Britain and has played there over three dozen times. The event was at the Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, UK. Charlie will be 81 next month.

WMVB, La Brava 1440 based in Millville has been sold to Martin Muniz, who has been leasing the outlet. The station was owned by Jim Quinn, who co-founded a local cable system. Quinn is the former mayor of Millville, NJ.

Broadcast Pioneers member John Primerano had his music heard on the radio in the midwest part of the country. His "adio Amore" tune was on WDCB, in Chicago.

WE REMEMBER:

We lost one of the legends of early Rock & Roll last month,Chuck Berry. He held a degree in hair dressing and cosmetology but it was his music that really made history. His top ten hit, "Sweet Little Sixteen," mentioned the national TV hit, "American Bandstand" that originated out of Philadelphia and WFIL-TV. By the way, he has a new album (his first in four decades) called, "Chuck." It's currently due for release in two months. Berry was 90 years old.

Last month, we also lost Claude Lewis, who worked for NBC more than a half-century ago. He joined the Evening Bulletin here in Philadelphia during 1965 as a street reporter. Three years later, he started his famous column that ran three times each week. He was one of the founding members of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and two years later, co-founded the national organization. He was 82 years old.

THIS AND THAT! Little Bits of Information....

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OUR PRESIDENT, BILL GELLHAUS, WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW:

He says:

We have a group of 2 different Larry Ferrari Organ CDs for a minimum donation of $15 each. More, if you feel generous enough to help out. One is called "A Touch Of Class" with such songs as The Impossible Dream, Blue Hawaii, Danny Boy, How Great Thou Art and the Hallelujah Chorus.

Another CD by Larry Ferrari is "LF plays the Music You Love." This one includes Stardust, The Syncopated Clock, Ebb Tide, You'll never walk Alone and the Lord's Prayer.

They are yours for a donation of $15 each and you can get an "autographed" picture of Larry with your donation. If you are interested see Bill Gellhaus ( at the sound table before the luncheon). That's me. I'll be glad to help you out. Hurry! Quantities are limited. All Proceeds go to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia & The Organ Society of the Delaware Valley archive funds. Since these CDs were donated, every penny goes to the designated archive funds.

By the way, Larry Ferrari was a board meeting and officer of Broadcast Pioneers for over a decade.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES:

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OUR HATS OFF TO YOU FOR GIVING:

We would like to thank the following for their contributions donated at our March luncheon: Bob Backman, Paul Big Bear, Pat Delsi, Bill Kelley, Bob Kravitz, Tom Lamaine, Carol Leebron, Dorie Lenz, T. Morgan, Steve Sacks, Jackie Strauss, Steve Tatz, Rich Troyan, Angelo Vasaturo and Gerry Wilkinson.

We are a federally recognized, state chartered charity with a 501(c)(3) status. Contact us at (856) 365-5600 or e-mail pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com for more details. Your gift to Broadcast Pioneers will help us and may lower your federal income tax. That's win-win, isn't it?

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for the gift of Appreciated Stock: (a federal tax advantage for the giver)

Member Marc Howard - $3,600 (put into our general fund to be used where needed)
Member Sylvia Kauders - $5,159.45 (used for the scholarships listed below)
Member Dan Lerner - $5,217.80 (used for the scholarships listed below)

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for contribution of $1,000 or more to our DAP, Digital Archival Project:

Member Jerry Del Colliano - $1,000
Member Johnny B. Hall and wife Ginny - $3,000
Member Harry Hurley's Golf Tournament - $1,000
The Shunfenthal Family (in memory of Sherri Shunfenthal's father, Les Waas) - $2,000
Member Marlin Taylor - $1,000

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for April 2017 Scholarships:

Member Johnny B. Hall and his wife, Ginny - 7 scholarships
Member Harry Hurley's Golf Tournament - 1 scholarship (for a Stockton University student)
Member Sylvia Kauders - 1 scholarship (from a grant for 5 yearly scholarships running until 2019)
Member Kal Rudman - 5 scholarships (for Temple University students)
Member Marlin Taylor - 1 scholarship

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for April 2018 Scholarships:

Member Sylvia Kauders - 1 scholarship (from a grant for 5 yearly scholarships running until 2019)
The Shunfenthal Family (in memory of Sherri Shunfenthal's father, Les Waas) - 1 scholarship
Member Harry Hurley's Golf Tournament - 1 scholarship (for a Stockton University student)
Member Kal Rudman - 5 scholarships (for Temple University students)

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for a contribution of $500 or more to our DAP, Digital Archival Project:

Member Esther Kurtz - $500
Member Art Moore - $500
Member Lauren Lipton - $500

Bequests in their Will:

Member Sylvia Kauders passed away earlier this year. In her will, she bequest to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, the amount of $5,000. This funding is to be used to underwrite one scholarship per year until gone. These scholarships will start in the year 2020 and continue until 2024. From a previous gift, Sylvia has underwritten one scholarship a year starting in 2015 and continuing until 2019.

Member W. Carter Merbreier passed away a couple of months ago. In his will, he bequest to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, the amount of $1,000. This funding is to be used to underwrite one scholarship which will be awarded in April of 2017.

W. Carter Merbreier Scholarship Fund:

The family of Captain Noah had asked (in the Philadelphia Inquirer) that donations for scholarships in the memory of W. Carter Merbreier can been made to The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Scholarship Fund. We would like to thank those you have donated: Joyce Haas (Mrs. Harry Haas), Karen Strauss, Art Moore, Elaine Skypala, Marc Howard and Mushinski family, Steve, Hank and member Liz Matt.

Underwrite a complete scholarship and we'll give you credit in the electronic newsletter until the scholarship is awarded in April of 2017. Give us a donation of appreciated stock of $2,000 or more) and we'll list you in our "Thank You" column for two years. Give us a donation of $1,000 or more and we'll list you in our "Thank You" column for a year. Give us a donation of $500 or more and we'll list you in our "Thank You" column for six months. You can select how we use the money: for our archival project, for scholarships or for our general fund to be used as needed.

More Thanks:

A growing portion of the revenues that fund the different activities of the Broadcast Pioneers comes from donations.  This includes our archival project and our scholarship program. Now, we are making it even more beneficial for our donors. Broadcast Pioneers is now able to accept gifts of appreciated stock, which provides a significant tax benefit to you. By giving appreciated stock (stock which is worth more now than what it cost when it was purchased), you can get a charitable contribution tax deduction based on the current market value of your stock. At the same time, you avoid the capital gains
tax that would arise if you simply sell the stock. So if you'd like to support our educational mission or our archival project and save money on taxes too, please consider making a gift of appreciated stock. We are a federally recognized, state chartered charity with a 501(c)(3) status. Contact us at (856) 365-5600 or e-mail pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com for more details.

Don't be left out. You too can make a pledge. It's never too late. You can earmark it for scholarships, our Digital Archival Project or our general fund. Thanks so much for your support. If you forgot to make an extra contribution (cash or memorabilia) and would like to do so now, you can do so. We would be thrilled to hear from you at: PO Box 2886, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, call us at (856) 365-5600 or e-mail us at: pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com.

A FINAL THOUGHT....

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Please contact us by e-mail at newsletter@broadcastpioneers.com or by mail to: Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, PO Box 2886, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. Your stories are important, to you, to us, and your colleagues. Contact us today and we’ll include your story in the next newsletter!

© 2017, Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
All Rights Reserved


The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com
For luncheon reservations call (856) 365-5600 or e-mail us at: rsvp@broadcastpioneers.com