Columns

IT WAS AUG. 3rd … when 36-year-old announcer Frank Blair (pictured) became news anchor of the NBC-TV Today Show, a job he would keep for the next 22 years!… When CBS-TV war correspondent Morley Safer sent out a Vietnam report showing American troops using their Zippo lighters to set fire to thatched huts in a Vietnamese village … When ‘Tonight Show’ host Johnny Carson graced the cover of the Burbank telephone directory… ..and when the ABC-TV news magazine Primetime Live debuted, with Sam Donaldson and Diane Sawyer headlining. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE

IT WAS AUG. 2nd .. when the TV station now known as KCPQ (FOX 13) in Tacoma-Seattle, began broadcasting as KMO-TV Tacoma… When Canadian-born CBS correspondent Morley Safer (pictured) sent the first TV report from Vietnam indicating the US was losing the war… When CHUM-owned TV stations in Victoria, London, Barrie, Wingham, Windsor and Ottawa became A-Channels… …and when radio station WHTZ-FM, Newark, New Jersey (serving New York City and environs) – signed on as “Z100” with Scott Shannon and the “Morning Zoo”. It went from “worst to first” in just a few months. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS AUG. 1st …when CKWX signed on from studios in Vancouver’s Belmont Hotel, after being known previously as CFDC Nanaimo … When Mutual radio debuted “The Goodwill Hour”, with its familiar phrase, “You have a friend and advisor in John J. Anthony”… When Victoria radio station CKDA 1340 moved to AM 1280 and increased its power from 250 watts to 5000 watts… When an era ended on Vancouver's CKNW as both Philip Till and Bill Good closed out their talk show careers .... When Kelowna’s AM 1150 switched from a country music format to Oldies…. ..and when “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” launched on CBS-TV with a short summer run followed by three successful regular seasons. ALL the milestones for Aug. 1st INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 31st … when the announcer introduced for the first time ‘Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy!’ on CBS radio… When TV news anchor Chet Huntley (pictured) retired from NBC, ending “The Huntley-Brinkley Report” after 14 years… When Leeza Gibbons made her first appearance on TV’s Entertainment Tonight, where she remained for 11 years… ..and when CBC Newsworld made its debut on Canadian cable. Today it is branded CBC News Network. ALL the milestones for July 31st INSIDE

IT WAS JULY 30th … when radio crime drama ‘The Shadow’ began its 24 year run, the first two years on CBS…. When the popular radio soap opera, ‘The Guiding Light’, was seen for the first time on CBS television… When the soap opera “Santa Barbara” debuted on NBC TV; day 1 of an 8 1/2 year run… ..and when NBC’s ‘L.A. Law’ was nominated for 20 Emmy Awards, one shy of the record held by ‘Hill Street Blues.’ ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 29th … when the CBC’s prairie powerhouse CBK-540 signed on with 50,000 watts from Watrous, Saskatchewan, as the only CBC radio outlet between Winnipeg and Vancouver… When decades later Toronto's CBC Radio One service was approved for a move to FM.... When Jack Paar (pictured) began his five-year run as host of NBC-TV’s “Tonight Show”… When Jim Hartz was named to join Barbara Walters as co-host of the Today show on NBC…. …and when millions around the world watched on television as Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were wed in London. ALL the milestones for July 29th INSIDE.

This week's show features yet another broadcast icon who I've been a fan of for a long time. Eric Zane is one of many former radio hosts who've made the transition into podcasting, and he's done it more successfully than most.

It’s the date of birth of radio announcer Bill Goodwin and TV announcer Art Hannes, producer Dick Ebersol and 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley. Judy Garland recorded her iconic ‘Over the Rainbow,’ Regina got Saskatchewan’s 1st TV station, Toronto’s Crew Cuts had their only #1 song hit, Jerry Lee Lewis made his TV debut, Kathie Lee Gifford (pictured) made her last appearance on TV’s ‘Live with Regis & Kathie Lee’, and Rosemary Clooney had a #1 hit with ‘Come On-a My House.’ Obits include radio announcing heavyweights Truman Bradley and Jackson Beck, actress Eileen Brennan and radio’s first Lone Ranger, George Seaton. Details of these and scores more milestones for July 28th INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 27th .. when Moose Jaw radio station CJRM signed on with 500 watts at 665 KHz. It was later moved to Regina and became CKRM …. When Okanagan Broadcasters Ltd. was incorporated, as Kelowna’s first radio station (CKOV) was moving from experimental to commercial status…. When Steve Allen (pictured) began a local late-night TV talk show in New York City that the following year went national on NBC-TV as ‘The Tonight Show’ …. When a summer replacement series “Dean Martin Presents The Bobby Darin Amusement Company” debuted on NBC-TV… .. and when NBC-TV removed the daily Dinah’s Place from its programming roster. The move brought Dinah Shore’s 23-year association with the Peacock Network to a close. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 26th .. when the Abe Burrows Show premiered on CBS radio, as the comedy writer got his own 15 minute program… When UBC radio station CiTR was approved for operation on 650 KHz via AM carrier current, to cover the Point Grey campus only…. When the ABC-TV daytime soap General Hospital taped its 7,000th episode… ..and when legendary radio personality Don Percy (pictured) did his last morning show on Vancouver’s oldies station CISL AM 650, before returning to Winnipeg. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.