On Thursday, September 29, 1988, the United States returned to space travel after the Challenger disaster. It was the flight of the Space Shuttle "Discovery." Broadcast Pioneers member Terry Ruggles carried the activities live from Cape Canaveral for WCAU-TV, Channel 10 in Philadelphia. The station carried the CBS Television Network's coverage (they were a CBS O&O at that time). The launch was at 11:47 am and Dan Rather finished the network's coverage in time for the local stations to do their noontime newscast. Watch the tease for that noon Channel 10 newscast.

Watch the Tease!

After a couple of commericals, the noon broadcast started anchored by John Blunt and Steve Levy. Terry Ruggles reported live from the cape.

Watch part of the Noon News!

At 5 pm, the station was back into their news mode. On the tease for the early evening newscast were Terry Ruggles from the Cape and Dennis Woltering from the Jersey Shore. Dennis, in 2008, was the 5 pm and 6 pm anchor for WWL-TV in New Orleans.

Watch the Tease!

The anchors for the 5 pm newscast werre Doreen Gentzler and Alan Frio. Doreen returned to her hometown of Washington, D.C. in 1989. As of 2008, she was the co-anchor on the 6 pm and 11 pm on WRC-TV. Alan Frio, as of 2008, was the main on the 4 pm, 5 pm and 10 pm news in Nashville on WSMV-TV. Alan's wife, Terri Merryman, a former KYW-TV anchor is also at WSMV-TV and anchors the noon newscast.

Back to the story. Terry Ruggles' report was live from Cape Canaveral. It was sent back to Philly via satellite and was so unusual (and expensive) at that time that the station even included that info in the lower third key.

Watch part of the 5 pm News!

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Video originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Terry Ruggles
© 2008, Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
All Rights Reserved

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