Vince Lee
(from a WFIL Publicity Release)
circa 1959
October 16, 1965
We have 15 clips from KYW Newsradio from their first few months of operation. First up is a clip from Saturday, October 16, 1965 and it features Broadcast Pioneers member Bill Bransome. KYW Newsradio is less than a month old.
October 18, 1965
First up on this Monday morning, is a four-minute clip from the 9 am to 10 am hour. The newscaster has not yet been identified. If you recognize the voice, please e-mail us.
Next, here's a two-minute clip from a little later that day. Again, the newscast has not yet been identified. Know who it is? Please e-mail us.
Finally, from the 4 pm to 5 pm hour, here's a voicer, a voice report over the telephone from KYW Newsradio's Nelson Cohen.
October 23, 1965
Here's a clip that features Don Budd and Ray Quinn. Most of the news stories on this excerpt are about the United States' involvement in Viet Nam.
November 6, 1965
Next is Saturday, November 6, 1965. Here we listen to some details about space satellites and how the French hope to be the third space power.
November 7, 1965
The next three clips are from the next day, Sunday, November 7, 1965. KYW Newsradio is less than two months old. In this first clip, we hear a KYW promo about an upcoming news series on Vietnam and a news story about draft card burners in New York City.
Next on KYW Newsradio is Jack Rattigan doing the top stories from that same Sunday, November 7th, 1965.
Finally from that Sunday, we hear Broadcast Pioneers member Dick Covington (the voice of the KYW Newsradio IDs for decades) with some Vietnam War news.
Broadcast Pioneers member Bill Bransome e-mailed in 2001, "...Covington is the voice on the station ID, and has been for many years...Warren Maurer, former GM of the station, believed the voice on the ID should never change, and Dick still does it, making minor changes through the years from his home in North Carolina." Even after Covington's death in March of 2004, the station continued to use Dick's voice on the station identification.
November 26, 1965
Our next clip dates from just after Thanksgiving. It's Friday, November 26, 1965. France launched their satellite becoming the third space power and the Soviet Union launched a satellite of their own.
November 27, 1965
From the next day, Saturday, November 27, 1965, we have three clips from KYW Newsradio. First up, you hear the headlines, some Vietnam War news and a report about precautions at the Army-Navy game.
Next is Dan Streeter with a story about an anti-Vietnam War demonstration in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C.
Finally, Jim Berson does the headlines and has a report that the United States may consider halting the air bombing over North Vietnam.
December 12, 1965
Finally, we have two clips from Sunday, December 12, 1965. First up is a short one with Ray Quinn doing the headlines.
The final excerpt is that of Vince Lee, a longtime radio hand in Philadelphia broadcasting. Vince is heard doing some news and the intro for a Gemini 7 report.
Broadcast Pioneers member Bill Bransome who was a mainstay at KYW Newsradio for many years said that Vince Lee is also the voice heard yearly, at Christmas, reading, "Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus." Bill also said, "...You will note in the early years, the similarity of the voices. Management was very much in favor of the 'same sound' all day..." There were exceptions like Bill who was already there and had a contract.
We received an e-mail from Jack Rattigan, who said, "I am the same Jack Rattigan who worked at KYW when they switched to All News. In 1967, I went to WMMR to become the first sales manager when they changed from WIP-FM. In 1971, I moved to Norfolk, VA to manager stations in Norfolk and Richmond, VA. From 1977 to 1982, I managed WRAP, an Urban Station. Then to WNOR AM/FM and in 1986 became a partner in Saga Communications which bought WNOR and 5 other stations. In 1989, I sold my interest in Saga and started my own broadcast consulting company. That venture has evolved into my traveling, speaking to Ad Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, Broadcast Groups etc. My topics vary from Marketing and Advertising to Motivational material. Incidentally, our son, Neil is now a news producer at KYW-TV3."
Bill Bransome e-mailed back, "Jack and I were survivors, along with Don Budd, when the station went All News. He went into management and they let him go. I refused. I had a bigger family than he did! Don Budd wound up in DC. Have no idea where he is now."
And Jack Rattigan replied, "...Bill Bransome. As you know we worked together for years. The last time I saw him was 1980 or 1981 in Dallas. He was attending an AFTRA Convention and I was on a sales trip for WNOR."
From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Photo originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Bill "Wee Willie" Webber
Audio originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Gerry Wilkinson
Identification of KYW Newscasters by Broadcast Pioneers member Bill Bransome
Audio clips used with the permission and authority of KYW Newsradio
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The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com