Bob Pantano
Broadcast Pioneers' 2015 "Person of the Year"
Broadcast Pioneers member Bob Pantano is the host of the Saturday Night Dance Party in Philadelphia on 98.1 WOGL. This is the first and longest running radio dance party in the nation, now celebrating 38 years. Bob was our 2015 "Person of the Year."
Bob Pantano, a South Philadelphia native, started spinning at the record hops in the late 1960s and then the nightclubs in the 70s. His professional radio career began on WCAM in Camden, New Jersey in 1971. Bob pioneered the live-radio broadcast, The Saturday Night Dance Party, in 1977, which airs every Saturday night live from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. and has enthralled and entertained Philadelphia audiences with its upbeat dance music. Our MCs for the evening were Larry Kane and Dom Giordano.
"Hall of Fame" - Living Inductees
Lynne Barrett, TV personality & voice over announcer from the 40s to the 70s
Tracy Davidson, NBC 10 News Anchor & Reporter & 6-time Emmy Winner
Jim Donovan, CBS 3 Consumer Affairs Reporter & 13-time Emmy Winner
Harvey Holiday, 98.1, WOGL Air Personality for the last quarter century
Dick Kearney, former WCAU Cameraman Extraordinaire & Emmy winner
Lauren Lipton, currently, the KYW Newsradio Morning Drive News Editor
Marian Lockett-Egan, advertising guru & former leader of Broadcast Pioneers
Al Primo, the person who changed television news across the nation forever
Pierre Robert, long-time radio DJ & air personality on 93.3, WMMR Radio
Karen Rogers, morning Traffic/Weather Anchor for Action News, 6ABC
Joe Tarsia, founder/owner of Sigma Sound Studios with 100s of Gold Records
Marlin Taylor, father of the "beautiful music radio format & former PD at WDVR
"Hall of Fame" - Posthumous Inductees
Don Cannon, former radio air personality at several different stations in town
Mark Drucker, KYW Newsradio reporter, former newsman for John DeBella
Aldo Farnese, former TV Children's Air Personality on WKBS & Channel 29
Dick Heist, suburban station announcer/air personality for many decades
Helen Pulaski Innes, WIP's first female Program Director & that was in 1922
Lee McCarthy, former NBC correspondent & Channel 29 news anchor/reporter
Wynn Moore, former radio talk show host at several stations in Philadelphia
Cozy Morley, popular Southern New Jersey entertainer, musician and comedian
Karin Phillips, former KYW Newsradio, 1060, community affairs reporter
Art Szcykalski, former WPHL, Channel 17 Manager of Engineering & Operations
The Star Spangled Banner was sung by Board Member Bob Kravitz with piano accompaniment by Michael Stairs of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The invocation was done by Michael Muderick. At the piano for the rest of the evening was Broadcast Pioneers member John Primerano.
This was our BIG FUNDRAISER of the year. If you couldn't be with us in person, you can still do your part. If you make a contribution to us for the next couple of weeks, we will credit it to this fundraising event. So you can still be a part. But hurry before it's too late! Time is running out.
The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation that is tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Membership fees, contributions and the bulk of our banquet tickets may be tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes. Consult your tax advisor.
VIDEOS!
(Video courtesy of Broadcast Pioneers VP Brad Seecof and Metramedia Broadcasting and Studios)
Watch the red carpet pre-show!
Watch the posthumous Inductees video!
Watch the Lynne Barrett video and acceptance!
Watch Tracy Davidson!
Watch Jim Donovan!
Watch Harvey Holiday!
Watch Dick Kearney!
Watch Lauren Lipton!
Watch Marian Lockett-Egan!
Watch Al Primo!
Watch Pierre Robert!
Watch Karen Rogers!
Watch Joe Tarsia!
Watch Marlin Taylor!
