The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

IN TOUCH WITH THE INDUSTRY!

Greater Media announced last month that Chuck Damico has been named PD at Ben FM. He has been serving as interim PD since February. He will continue his duties as Assistant Program Director at WMMR, also owned by the group.

Ukee Washington with the Philadelphia Boys Choir
Talk Philly, KYW-TV
Photo by Randall Scott, courtesy of CBS 3
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Last week, May 25th to be exact, CBS 3 and the Philly CW 57 celebrated Ukee Washington's quarter of a century with the stations. A native of Philadelphia, Washington was a sports anchor at WBBH-TV in Fort Myers, Florida and at WSB-TV in Atlanta. Washington is a graduate of the University of Richmond. Today, he makes his home in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2008, Ukee Washington was inducted into our "Hall of Fame." Susan Schiller, the stations' news director said:

Ukee is one of those rare newscasters that does everything well. Whether it’s hosting a town hall meeting on the future of public education or joining a top chef for an in-studio cooking segment, Ukee brings the totality of his experience as the ultimate hometown anchor to the table.

As many of our members know, Ukee has a wonderful voice and used to sing with the Philadelphia Boys Choir. On his 25th anniversary, Ukee was presented with a Philadelphia Boys Choir jacket. By the way, Washington said that Channel 3 hired him directly out of the 2nd grade.

Print Ad for the Action News "Trio"
August 1979

On Wednesday, May 25th, 6ABC, WPVI-TV aired the last Oprah Winfrey Show. The next day, a Thursday, the station started a new one-hour newscast from 4 pm to 5 pm in Oprah's old timeslot. The new cast has a trio of co-anchors; Brian Taff, Shirleen Allicot and Alicia Vitarelli. Meteorologist Adam Joseph will be on hand for the weather. Broadcast Pioneers member Bernie Prazenica, president and general manager of 6ABC said:

We’ve been building to this date for almost a year now, and we’re ready. This newscast will be everything you expect from Action News, but more interactive than ever before. And we’ve got a impressive anchor team to tie it all together. We’re really excited to share this new Action News program with our viewers.

Weather guy Adam Joseph is planning a garden along the edge of City Avenue which we will see from time to time during his weather forecasts when he's broadcasting live from the edge of the property. Adam says that it's fine to honk your horn as you drive by.

Watch a video about the weather garden!

By the way, it is fairly common that before premiering a new news show, that the station's personnel has dry run throughs or rehearsals. It was the case years ago and it is also true today.

(Left to right) Chris Wagner and Lisa-Thomas Laury
Action News at Noon Rehearsal
WPVI-TV, 6ABC, Philadelphia
Wednesday, June 18, 1981

We have in our video archive, the original station 3/4" tape on which this rehearsal was recorded. The news team was Chris Wagner, Lisa Thomas-Laury and Dave Roberts with weather. Remember, Jim O'Brien was doing the 6 pm and 11 pm weather at that time. The tape contains about half of a 30-minute rehearsal. We aren't showing you any of the actual footage because, we feel, that wouldn't be fair. It was never meant to be seen outside of the station. However, the above still from that video tape gives you an idea what it was like. Dave Roberts does not appear on that recording.

And with Oprah gone, CBS 3 has moved Dr. Phil to 4 pm (the same time that Oprah used to be on). Phil McGraw's career in talk TV started on Winfrey's show, so he's already known to her fans. Dr. Phil also airs at 6 am on sister station, the CW Philly 57. Dr. Phil's program also airs several times a day on OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network). And according to the Dr. Phil website, Dr. Phil also airs at 9 pm nightly on WFMZ, Channel 69 out of Allentown. You can certainly have your fill of Phil!

On the day of our last luncheon, May 18th, a fire broke out at Houlihan's Restaurant on City Avenue, a block away from Channels 6 and 10. Country WXTU and CHR rocker WIRED 96.5, WRDW-FM were forced to send employees out of the building. The stations, owned by Beasley Broadcasting, suffered minor damage from the sprinkler system. The stations were on the air but had to resort to using automation. Metro Networks facilities were also forced to send their people out of the structure.

Millennium Radio, owner of seven radio stations in Jersey has announced plans to sell its stations to an investor group in California. In southern New Jersey, Millennium owns light-rock station WFPG-FM 96.9, country station WPUR-FM 107.3, hot adult contemporary WSJO-104.9 and sports stations WENJ-FM 97.3 and WENJ-AM 1450. It also owns soft-rock station WOMB-FM 97.7 and oldies station WOMB-AM 1160 in Ocean County.

On Sunday June 19, 2011 (Father’s Day) in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Gary Papa 5K Run/Walk and 1 mile Fun Walk will take place to benefit prostate cancer research and awareness. For information or to register: www.garypaparun.com. Gary was inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2007.

The president of Harmelin Media, Mary Meder, was honored at the 16th annual dinner of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics Committee in May. Mary has been a part of the organization for over ten years and has been the group's Chairman of the Board.

WPVI-TV Sarah Bloomquist announced on the air last week that she was expecting her first child this fall. Watch the announcement on Action News!

Antenna TV, Channel 252 on many Comcast systems, and over the air on WPHL-TV, Channel 17.2, has finally, as promised, started carrying Burns and Allen daily at 3 pm and 3:30 pm and Sundays at 7 am. Also new to the schedule are Circus Boy at 9 am and 9:30 am and The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, Sundays at 10 am and 10:30 am. Other fifties favorites continue such as Father Knows Best and Dennis the Menace.

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