Saturday, March 29, 2008

Radio Blast From The Past

I'm out of town attending the Northwest Broadcast News Association's annual meeting, part of the Midwest Journalism Convention in Minneapolis with RTNDA, AP broadcasters in Minnesota and SPJ members from a six state region on hand. Just in time I get a nice reminder of the impact radio news has -- even the stuff I can't believe made it on the air.
Growing up in Medina in the 70's was a great time for radio; as a high schooler with a driver's license you were either a WMMS or WGCL listener, surfing off what was left of WIXY.

And then there was the Big 8:



As a professional I guess I should cringe when listening to these newscasts but I've got to admit I thought CKLW's news was the most amazing thing I'd ever heard. We didn't listen to the station for the music...it was 20-20 News that had me sitting at the feet of Byron MacGregor and his news department. Later, trips as an adult to Detroit helped confirm for me the pictures painted by those words screaming along the Lake Erie shoreline weren't show biz, even if the delivery was.
Outrageous? Absolutely, but MAN what a blast listening to those guys!

No comments:

Post a Comment