The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

Broadcast Pioneers member Dick Standish

Broadcast Pioneers member Dick Standish reported for KYW Newsradio and KYW-TV for more than 40 years. He began his long career at the Rutgers campus radio station, WRSU, in 1960. He served as News Director and Station Manager. He was elected to the senior honor society, Cap and Skull.

After graduation, he joined WHWH-AM, Princeton, as News Director. He covered community and statehouse events, and produced a documentary about the New Jersey Pine Barrens, its future, and the people who lived there. It was voted the top state public affairs program by the New Jersey Broadcasters Association.

As the New Jersey correspondent for KYW Newsradio, he covered the debate that led to the state’s first income tax, the gubernatorial elections, and the campaign that brought casino gambling to Atlantic City.

In 1977, the Philadelphia Press Association awarded him its top local news story for his coverage of the fire that destroyed the Garden State Racetrack.

Dick joined the Eyewitness News team in 1979. News Director Carolyn Wean assigned him to cover the Philadelphia mayoral race. He hosted the station’s candidate debate live from Carpenter Hall.

His coverage of the 1983 mayoral race began when he broke the story Mayor Bill Green would not seek re-election. Sigma Delta Chi, the journalism society, awarded it the top Philadelphia news story of the year.

For the eight years that Eyewitness News produced political polling, Dick was known for his on air analysis of the results. He also created the graphics, and worked closely with the pollsters to frame the questions of interest to the local audience.

With his wife, Kim, he published the Rundown newsletter weekly for 30 years. It was read by television executives nationwide. The Rundown produced the most comprehensive record of how local television news was executed between 1980 and 2010.

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