Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is a federally recognized, state chartered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the Philadelphia Broadcast Community since January of 1962.

March Afternoon Luncheon
The Bala Golf Club, Philadelphia
Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Meet and Greet at 12 Noon!
Lunch served at 12:30 pm!
Ratecard: $28 per person

Please reserve now!
Call (856) 365-5600!
rsvp@broadcastpioneers.com

Another Third Wednesday Luncheon!
Wednesday, April 17, 2019!

Good Food - Great Programs - Wonderful Times

Our Mixed Bag of Speakers!

Four great speakers!
One fabulous MC!

Hit After Hit, Smash After Smash, Blockbuster After Blockbuster... Here's another "monster" lunch where the "stars" don't wait to come out at night. They are there at lunchtime!

Our next Broadcast Pioneers luncheon is another "Spring Mixed Bag Special!" It will be held at the Bala Golf Club, 2200 Belmont Avenue in Philadelphia. Meet and greet at 12 noon. Lunch will be served at 12:30 pm. The date is Wednesday, April 17th.

Our MC for the afternoon will be Broadcast Pioneers member Harry Hurley, morning talk guy at WPG at the shore. He has often been described as the "Rush Limburgh of the Jersey Shore." Hurley is often found filling in doing telephone talk nationally. He was inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2013.

Our four scheduled speakers Broadcast Pioneers members Ted Greenberg, NBC 10 New Jersey Reporter; Elliot Abrams, retiring VP of Accu-Weather; Marlin Taylor, the first PD of WDVR (now known as B-101), and Broadcast Pioneers' Person of the Year for 2018 Vernon Odom, longtime WPVI Action News Reporter.

It all takes place at the beautiful and historic Bala Golf Club, 2200 Belmont Avenue (across the street from the state police) in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia. Only minutes away from Channels 6, 10 and 17 and the radio stations in Bala Cynwyd. Lunch includes a nice, fresh, green salad with dressing, a roll, a 3-course meal, dessert, iced tea and coffee. Save the date: Wednesday, April 17th.

Call now for reservations. (856) 365-5600! E-mail: rsvp@broadcastpioneers.com. Don't miss this one! THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Make plans to be there. Bring a friend (or three)! Meet and Greet starts at 12 noon. Lunch is served at 12:30 pm. $28 per person.

Plenty of FREE parking. Our luncheons are open to all our members, their guests, and any person in the industry or associated fields, whether active or retired and members of the public. You do NOT have to be a member to attend. There is no reserved seating at our luncheons. Feel free to sit most anywhere.

In order to speed up check-in at the luncheon, it would help if you had exact change or your check written in advance. Checks should be made payable to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.

If you would like to add a few dollars extra, we would appreciate it. It would help us with all the important work we are doing. Thanks!

We'll Be Proud
To See You in the Crowd!

BE THERE!

Our 18th Annual
College Student Symposium
and Pizza Lunch
at WPVI, Philadelphia

Saturday, March 30, 2019
WHAT A TIME WE HAD!

We had a sell-out crowd. The students learned alot from our panel. Next symposium is scheduled for Spring 2020 at CBS 3, KYW-TV. Here's some photos taken by our CEO, Gerry Wilkinson.

It was Fabulous!

Visit Our Website Often - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com
You should check the front page of our website often (link above) for important information!

Tune in to our YouTube Channel - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/youtube
Our YouTube Channel has all our luncheons, exclusive interviews and archival material!

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There are things on our Facebook Page that are NOT on our website (like our vintage photo of the week)

Go to our Twitter Account - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/twitter
The Broadcast Pioneers Twitter Account has info and stuff not available elsewhere!

Go to our Instragram Section - http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/instagram
Here's another one of our social media sections. Visit it as often as you wish!

DIGITAL ARCHIVAL PROJECT NEWS:

VIDEO:

(Left to right) Al Alberts and his wife, Stella
The Al Alberts Showcase
6ABC, WPVI-TV
January 3, 1998

As many of you know, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Video Archive is the home of 125 Al Alberts Showcase shows. These are the original tapes that Channel 6 recorded the program on and the same ones used to air the broadcast. On December 26, 1987, WPVI-TV aired an Al Alberts Showcase telecast that was recorded on December 9th of that year on WPVI tape number 711. These tapes were donated to us by WPVI-TV. We have digitized most of the shows. None are available to the public at the present time. On this show, Al and Stella talk about the song "On the Way to Cape May."

Watch in Real Video!
Watch in Windows Media!

AUDIO:

Next we have Paul Parker on WIP Radio with "The Quaker Question Mike." It aired four times a day (each show was different) and this one was the noontime broadcast. We believe it dates from September of 1958. The topic for the day is "The Phillies May Move to New Jersey." After the Quaker program, you'll hear Jack Pyle briefly talking about the subject. Quaker was the "Quaker Food Stores, where you'll find the kinds of foods you want in quality, taste and price." This excerpt was donated to us by Broadcast Pioneers member Michael Muderick. The original source material was on a 8 and 3/4" flexible green disc--sort of an inexpensive version of a 16" transcription disc.

Listen in Real Audio!
Listen in Windows Media!

Today's News Becomes Tomorrow's History!
(This is what our Digital Archival Project, DAP, is all about!)

IN TOUCH WITH OUR MEMBERS AND THE INDUSTRY:

Broadcast Pioneers member Harry Hurley has been really busy lately. Besides doing his daily 4-hour talk show on WPG (at the shore), Harry has been filling in about 3 days a week on the national Fox Radio Network doing a nationwide version of his very successful talk program. The national shows are carried on Sirius XM and on local stations across the United States. Harry was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers' Hall of Fame in November of 2013.

Broadcast Pioneers member Jay Meyers pointed out to us that Spotify recently announced that it would be acquiring Parcast, which was brought into being by Max Cutler. Max is the son of Ron Diamond of WIFI fame in the seventies. The venture was started 2016 with cash flow from Max and his dad.

Our CEO Gerry Wilkinson had a very nice conversation with Philadelphia broadcast legend Ed Hurst. His voice sounded strong and we were thrilled to be in communication with Ed. Ed served for many years on our Board of Directors and is currently a Board Member Emeritus. Ed's wife, Cissie had also served on our board. Ed is remembered for his radio days at WPEN and his television days at various stations around the city. In 1990, Ed Hurst and his radio partner Joe Grady were our "Persons of the Year."

Dr. Joseph Fallon has 30 plus years of private practice experience in endocrinology, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. You can always see him enjoying himself at the Broadcast Pioneers annual banquet. You'll find him sitting at the TUTV (Temple University TV) table with Paul Gluck and Kal Rudman, a leader in the music industry and a member of our board of directors for more than two decades. Kal and Dr. Joe have a weekly radio show on WTEL, 610 ESPN Saturday mornings at 10 am.

During upcoming weeks, their program will feature Dr. Meagan Vermeulen, MD, assistant professor at Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine, family practitioner and associate director of Rowan’s residency program. Later, in the month, we hear Dr. Stephen H Sinclair, MD, ophthalmology, affiliated with Crozer Chester Medical Center and Hahnemann University Hospital. Towards the end of April, we will receive helpful info from Dr. Joseph Costable, vascular surgeon, affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center and Virtua Marlton Hospital.

This past Saturday, there was a Memorial Concert for member Michael Stairs at the Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. We lost Michael last year. He was the organist for the Philadelphia Orchestra and could often be found at the Wanamaker Organ in Center City. When his health was good, you could always find Michael at all the Broadcast Pioneers events. Michael was inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2016.

After Rahel Solomon departed from CBS 3, the question was "who will take over" mornings at CBS 3. Well, we have the answer. It's Janelle Burrell, who comes to the Quaker City from the Big Apple where she was a general assignment reporter for CBS 2. Here, she becomes an anchor, a position she had before going to NYC. Burrell previously anchored in earlier markets. She starts here this month.

Today's News Becomes Tomorrow's History!
(This is what our Digital Archival Project, DAP, is all about!)

A LITTLE BIT OF BROADCAST HISTORY!

KYW Radio is the only station in the United States to ever to be licensed to three different cities (at different times) in three different states with ownership never changing. On November 11, 1921, KYW went on the air broadcasting from the stage of the Chicago Civic Auditorium. On December 3, 1934, KYW switched cities and began broadcasting from Philadelphia and in January of 1956, KYW Radio moved to Cleveland. During June 1965, KYW returned to Philadelphia. Three months later, they became "All News, All the Time."

Did you know...

WCAU-TV Test Pattern
1948

WCAU received approval from the Federal Communications Commission for the establishment of an experimental television station before the Second World War. However, that station never went on the air. There are some Internet reports stating that it did, but they are totally incorrect.

Sometimes people have been confused about the operation of a WCAU station called W3XAU. Some believed this to be an experimental television station because of the call letters. However, it was, in reality, WCAU's commercial shortwave station which ceased operations during World War II and never restarted afterwards. Charlie Higgins, a long-time tech at WCAU, said, "I know of no attempt by WCAU to (actually) operate an experimental TV station." Others from the WCAU Radio family echo this statement.

All experimental television in Philadelphia began with W3X. So somewhere along the line, someone assumed the shortwave station, W3XAU, was an experimental television station. It was not. W3XAU was listed incorrectly as a future television station for Philadelphia in a summer 1941 issue of FM Magazine. There was a CP for an experimental WCAU television station but not with those call letters. That article may have been the original source of the confusion.

WCAU-TV was the last of the "big three" to come on the air in Philadelphia in March of 1948. The Philadelphia Record newspaper agreed to purchase the WCAU stations in November of 1946. However, a couple months later (February 1947), that newspaper ceased operations and its rights to purchase the WCAU stations were sold to the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin newspaper, which at that time owned WPEN AM & FM and the construction permit for WPEN-TV, Channel 10. Remember that all "The Bulletin" really wanted were the rights for the famous syndicated columnists and popular comic strips that were licensed to the Record newspaper. The broadcast deal was only a very minor part of the agreement.

Control Room A
WCAU-TV, 1622 Chestnut Street
1948

You'll remember that last month we talked about how WCAU had a construction permit for Channel 6 (not a typo) and turned the CP back into the government. The station was planning to apply for an UHF frequency but entered into an agreement to sell the station before that could actually take place.

The Bulletin purchased WCAU AM & FM, sold off the less powerful WPEN AM & FM (WCAU-FM and WPEN-FM flipped frequencies) to Sun Ray Drugs and transferred WPEN-TV's construction permit to WCAU becoming WCAU-TV.

Until January of 1948, the station's construction permit still operated under the call letters of WPEN-TV. Only two months before signing on the air did the call letters become WCAU-TV. And that's how Channel 10 became WCAU-TV and how the Evening Bulletin came to own the stations.

This regular monthly column is written and researched by Gerry Wilkinson

Our special thanks go to TUTV - Temple University Television and The Kal & Lucille Rudman Media Production Center.

They have underwritten a grant to be used to fund two years of all our newsletters. That's until December 2019. We thank them so much for their support!

 

You Can Help Us!

When you log into Amazon via http://smile.amazon.com, all eligible purchases earn Broadcast Pioneers a donation of 0.5% from Amazon. However, you must log in to Amazon through http://smile.amazon.com. We have made it simple. You can also log into them using http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/amazon. It's easy to remember and takes you to the same place.

AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices and the same service. The only difference is that they donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Broadcast Pioneers. IT DOESN'T COST YOU ANY MORE TO DO THIS! Same price to you and we get a donation to help us continue with all our great educational projects! IT'S WIN - WIN!

WE REMEMBER:

LARRY POLLOCK

Larry Pollock, 86, the former general manager of WPVI, 6abc, whose leadership helped make the station the market’s leading news channel, passed away a little while ago. Pollock arrived at WPVI-TV in 1975 and transformed the operation. Until his retirement, Pollock was chairman of the ABC-owned television stations group which included Channel 6 here in Philadelphia.

"Larry Pollock was an icon in the local television business," said Rebecca Campbell, president, of The Walt Disney Company, owners of the ABC network. Rebecca was once GM of WPVI here in Philadelphia. Rebecca was followed at the station by their current GM and President, Bernie Prazenica, a member of this organization. Prazenica said of Pollock, "Larry knew ultimately that people connect with people, and if you put the right people in the right places, it would work."

DAVID WHITE

Philadelphia singer, songwriter David White, a member of Broadcast Pioneers, co-wrote a string of late 1950s and early ’60s hits. His "At the Hop," "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay" and "You Don’t Own Me" once topped the charts on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. David’s mom and dad, Frank and Marcia Tricker, performed on WFIL-TV and throughout the country as an acrobatic and hand-balancing act.

White, 79, passed away last month in Las Vegas where he lived. He was a founding member of the rock and roll group, "Danny and the Juniors," along with Broadcast Pioneers members Joe Terry and Frank Maffei. The Group was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2013.

THIS AND THAT! Little Bits of Information....

Print ad for "The Grady & Hurst Show Room"
WPTZ, Channel 3, Philadelphia
1955

Most of us think of Jackie Gleason's "The Honeymooners" as the "classic 39" episodes that we all came to know and love. However, the Honeymooners actually went back to 1950 on the DuMont TV Network's "Cavalcade of Stars." Then Jackie moved over to CBS with a similar program, "The Jackie Gleason Show." Even in the 60s, Jackie did more Honeymooners programs, now known as "The Color Honeymooners" because the CBS shows were now telecast in color. Well, Jackie did more Honeymooners programs in the late seventies for ABC. One of them was the so-called "Christmas Special" from November 28, 1977. That telecast had a Delaware Valley connection. It originated from Resorts International in Atlantic City and the technical facility was WHYY-TV's huge remote van filled with beautiful 2" video tape machines.

We had heard from Blake Ritter's nephew in January of 2004. The nephew's name was Bill Benn. Blake played a character on "Action in the Afternoon," which was a daily half-hour live western on CBS-TV originating out of WCAU-TV here in Philadelphia. While Blake often played someone in a wheel chair, he also rode a horse on the show. Benn tells us: "Blake told me that he had never ridden a horse before and he was scared silly when he was required to do so during one of these episodes."

Another note on "Action in the Afternoon...." One day, there was a partial eclipse of the sun. It took place during the live telecast. So it was written right into the script. Paul Sullivan, a TV show reviewer told us: " I remember one episode where the eclipse of the sun was made part of the day's script. If I remember correctly, the characters were looking at the eclipse through pieces of glass smoked with carbon black. ... many kids were fascinated."

Member Joe Pelletier was the Chief Engineer that put Channel 29, WIBF-TV on the air in 1965. He told us that in July of 1965, the station applied to build a station translator in Atlantic City on Channel 46. The proposed translator station would have operated atop the Claridge Hotel and would have operated with the Effective Radiated Power of 1334 watts. The translator was never erected. The station previously had applied for a translator on VHF Channel 8. This one to be on the top of the Hotel President.

One of the most popular TV game shows for decades was one called "To Tell the Truth." Producers originally wanted to call it "Nothing But the Truth" but somehow it doesn't have the same feel, does it? Well, you would have two imposters and only one person telling the truth. Well, one time the imposter was Channel 6 TV host Rex Morgan.

Longtime tech of WCAU Charlie Higgins once told us: "When the new building was opened in May of 1952, there were four TV and four radio studios with the intention of adding an additional four TV studios for a total of eight. The TV studios were numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4. Studio 1 was the auditorium studio. It was accessible from the lobby. The Horn & Hardart Children's Hour, Cinderella Weekend, The Big Idea, and many other programs originated from Studio 1."

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES:

Wheel of Fortune
and member Brian Schwartz!

(From left to right) member Lee Schwartz, Joan Schwartz and member Brian Schwartz
Los Angeles, California
February 2018

Member Brian Schwartz loves games shows on television. Even though he graduated from Temple University several years ago, he continues to host and produce a campus game program called, "Tell All." Last year, Brian was a contestant on "Wheel of Fortune," seen locally here on WPVI, 6 abc at 7:30 pm daily. Here's Brian's story about that adventure:

I’ve always been a game show fanatic. For as long as I can remember, I was screaming at the TV when someone won big and counting out playing cards like they were $100 bills. As a visually stimulated individual, game shows (especially in the 1980’s) had extremely flashy and colorful sets. One fateful night in 1984, I heard these words for the first time: WHEEL…OF…FORTUNE.

Just seeing the wheel spinning was mesmerizing but then there’s luxurious prizes, a carousel spinning around more prizes and lights in almost every crevice imaginable. But, the best was still to come. The puzzle board was humongous, colorful, and had enough lights to keep your eyes bust when they blinked. Then, the contestant’s head floated around like The Wizard of Oz as they picked prizes from the carousel. I would hooked, at a very young age I said “one of these days I’m going to spin that wheel.”

In February 1990, I got my first inside secret to how game shows work. My cousin Ellen appeared on Wheel of Fortune for two episodes. After the shows aired she shared that a lot of game shows aren’t taped once a day, they tape five shows in one day. So Pat Sajak and Vanna White only work four days a month and make a pretty hefty salary. I’ve always wanted to be a contestant but after hearing this information, I also wanted to be a host.

The problem was the majority of game shows are taped in Los Angeles and before the creation of YouTube, the only way to get noticed was to move out west and hope someone will notice you. However, dropping everything and moving into the unknown worked out for Vanna, but there are many others who don’t make it. I didn’t have the nerve to go to UCLA or one of the California Colleges but it might not have mattered.

All through Community College of Philadelphia, people were telling me, “if you want a chance in television and aren’t able to move west, Temple University is the place you want to be.”

I arrived at Temple in 2010 after time at CCP. The year before, it was announced that Temple was going to revamp its television station with all new equipment and studios. As soon as orientation was over, I asked “Who can I talk about getting a game show on TUTV?” I was introduced to Broadcast Pioneers member Paul Gluck, and he was excited about the addition of a game show. The original idea pitched was a game similar to the show “Press Your Luck.”

After telling me it would be too complex to accomplish, he stated; “come back with something simpler.” The concept picked up was a word association game called “Tell All.” The contestants would choose one of two subjects and tell us everything they know about said subject in 20 seconds. The game was so addictive, people in the control booth couldn’t help but play along. The game went over so well, Paul let me continue hosting after I graduated.

Finally, we spin to 2015, two years after graduating Temple with a Bachelor’s in Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media. I was doing freelance videography and editing for an independent communications firm. One day, I hear The Wheelmobile was coming to Atlantic City.

This is a traveling road show and doubles as the first step for auditioning for Wheel of Fortune. For three one-hour shows, they draw applicants five at a time and play one puzzle speed up style. I went to all three shows but wasn’t selected to go on stage. However, they mentioned the slips not drawn will go back to LA and will randomly draw other names to fill out empty slots.

About a month after the even, I received an email that said Wheel of Fortune Audition. I was one of the lucky names they drew and was going to the Philadelphia Audition for Wheel of Fortune. Three weeks later I received the acceptance letter and felt elated that I’m finally going to get to spin the wheel. All that was left was to wait for a tape date.

So I waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, in January 2018, over two years since getting the letter I received an email with the heading Wheel of Fortune Taping on Friday February 9, 2018. The long wait was finally over and I was flying to Culver City to live the dream.

After watching five episodes from the sidelines I step up behind the yellow podium ready to spin that wheel. I’ve heard all day it’s over very quickly so I was going to take it all in as much as possible. Pat walks over, we pick up our buzzers and we’re looking at the first toss up. I buzz in and guess wrong. In my mind I’m saying “that’s it I blew it” but in my heart I said “shake it off there’s lots of game to go.” When it came to me for the last time in the first puzzle I knew the answer but was determined to pick up all the multiple letters up there. But a close call with Bankrupt scared me into take the bigger of the multiples and solving the puzzle; making sure I leave the stage with more than the minimum.

The luck continued when I solved the crossword and captured the Wild Card. Then came the Prize Puzzle. As soon as I figured out it was a trip to Italy I had to solve this puzzle. I took one spin hoping to hit the Express Wedge but got money and solved BRUSHING UP ON MY ITALIAN.

Of all the trips I could’ve won Italy was the one I wanted the most. The game ends and I’m going to the bonus round. I pick my letters including an extra consonant for the Wild Card and not a lot is revealed. I then made the fatal mistake of only looking at the puzzle and forgetting to look at the used letter board. Time runs out and I don’t take home an extra $35,000.

The best part of winning the game was spending the small amount of time during the credits with Pat and Vanna. I ran over, gave Vanna a big hug and we all talked like we knew each other for 35 years.

I left the studio with $17,950 including a trip to Italy and the story of my life. This June my fiancé and I will be taking the trip. So it is true, persistence really does pay. No dream is impossible so don’t give up on yours.

Ed Lewis!

He was a REAL Broadcast Pioneer!

Radio Audience "Broadcast Applause Card" (Back)
WFI Radio - Philadelphia
1924

About 8 years ago, member Chuck Gagliardi wrote a piece for us about Ednyfed "Ed" Lewis, who was involved in the very early days of radio broadcasting. Here's what he wrote:

One of four sons of a professional singer, Ednyfed “Ed” Lewis was born in North Wales, England during 1886. At fourteen he and his family moved to Liverpool where he and his brothers formed a group, the Brothers Lewis Quartet, that toured and sang in various places throughout Great Britain.

In 1914, Lewis emigrated from Wales to the United States and soon after began working as a grocery store clerk in Center City Philadelphia at 11th and Chestnut Streets. Overcoming a slight language barrier, he felt happy to land a job and, like most people immigrating to America, hoped for better things.

Shortly after Lewis’s arrival, the choir of a local church held tenor auditions. Ed tried out and gained instant praise. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Lewis stated, "When the pianist heard me sing, she stopped playing, grabbed me by the arm, and said, 'What a voice!' and 'Where have you been?' The church engaged me on the spot."

Short in stature, but warm and dignified in manner, Lewis eventually secured a position in payroll at the famous Strawbridge and Clothier store local at 8th and Market in Philadelphia. According to Lewis and the Inquirer, Herbert J. Tily, president of the store, “befriended Lewis and treated him like a son.” At the store Ed would meet his future wife, the former Marie Agnes Clauser, whom he would marry in 1919.

In 1922 Lewis joined the Strawbridge and Clothier Quartet, a celebrated chorus in the eastern United States and a group well-known and well-received on Philadelphia radio in the 1920s and 1930s. Lewis served as the quartet’s tenor, second tenor, and assistant conductor.

Lewis eventually moved to a job in Strawbridge’s credit department and began attending classes at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1922, he became general manager of Strawbridge’s radio station, WFI, then in its formative stage. The station debuted on March 18, 1922 at 10:16 am, (the same day that station WIP commenced its operation, but forty-four minutes earlier), and Lewis began the opening program by singing a solo song called “The Star.” This was at 10:25 am, only nine minutes after the station signed on the air. There were speeches and another song by Mae Ebrey Hotz.

The Strawbridge and Clothier Quartet, with Lewis singing second tenor, then followed with another song. Lewis also did the announcing for the station and alternated with Herbert J. Tily in leading and conducting the Strawbridge and Clothier Chorus at holiday concerts and other events. Lewis even conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra along with the Strawbridge Chorus at the Robin Hood Dell in the mid-1930s. According to the Inquirer, Jack Steck, an announcer and program director at WFIL, the station that succeeded WFI, declared “the quartet to be highly respected and very popular in Philadelphia."

Ed Lewis maintained a rather busy schedule and assumed new challenges by also directing Philadelphia’s Welsh Choir throughout the 1920s and 1930s. One of the greatest Welsh-American choruses ever, the choir won many competitions at Welsh music and poetry festivals all over the United States.

After WFI merged with WLIT of Lit Brothers in 1935, Lewis chose to leave the new station and began work in the advertising department of Strawbridge and Clothier. He retired from the store in 1955, after working there for thirty-five years.

Lewis remained married to his wife Marie for fifty years, before her death in 1965, and lived in Upper Darby, PA, for more than sixty years. He passed away at age 103 in 1989. At that time, Lewis’s son Frank, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren survived him.

Ednyfed “Ed” Lewis, regarded by many as the first person ever to sing on radio in Philadelphia, enjoyed success as an employee, tenor, program manager, conductor, husband, and father and will always rank as a true pioneer in Philadelphia broadcasting history.

A LITTLE BIT OF BROADCAST HISTORY!

Richie Ashburn & Bill Campbell
Veterans Stadium
1992

 

Bill Campbell, Harry Kalas & By Saam
Sports Writers Association
1991

OUR HATS OFF TO YOU FOR GIVING:

We would like to thank all those people who made an extra contribution when they attended our March luncheon in the snow. They included: Eric Address, Dorie Lenz, T. Morgan, Bob Backman, Paul Big Bear, Mark DiGiovanni, Johnny B. Hall, Marlyn Kauffman, Mike Melnyk, Rich Troyan, John Sichert, Steve Seiber Lina Rozder, Debbie Knight, Mike Nozilo and Gerry Wilkinson.

We welcome these people as new members of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia: Anne DeSantis, Lora Lewis and Michael Bane.

Special thanks to the Entercom Philadelphia radio cluster and WPVI, 6 abc for the use of their conference rooms for our scholarship committee meetings. Thanks!

Also, we must thank WPVI for working with us to put on such a wonderful college student symposium this past Saturday. Over 50 students, a sell-out crowd were there with a wonderful panel. And kudos to all the schools who worked with us to get the students there. Thanks, everyone!

We are a federally recognized, state chartered charity with a 501(c)(3) status. Contact us at (856) 365-5600 or e-mail pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com for more details. Your gift to Broadcast Pioneers will help us and may lower your federal income tax. That's win-win, isn't it?

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for the gift of Appreciated Stock: (a federal tax advantage for the giver)

Member Sylvia Kauders - $5,159.45 (used for the scholarships listed below)

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for contribution of $1,000 or more to our DAP, Digital Archival Project:

Member Jerry Del Colliano - $1,500
Member Johnny B. Hall and wife Ginny - $2,200
The Harry Hurley - Hurley in the Morning Charity (Harry is a member)- $1,000
The Shunfenthal Family (in memory of Sherri Shunfenthal's father, Les Waas) - $2,000
Member Marlin Taylor - $2,000
A member who prefers not to be identified publicly - $1,000

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for contribution of $1,000 or more into our General Fund to be used where needed:

Member Brad Seecof and Metramedia Broadcasting & Studios - $1,000
The Sylvia Kauders Foundation - $10,000
A Member who wishes to remain anonymous - $1,000

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for April 2019 Scholarships:

Member Robin & Ira Adelman - 1 scholarship in memory of Robin's dad, member Leon Love
Member Johnny B. Hall and his wife, Ginny - 4 scholarships
The Harry Hurley - Hurley in the Morning Charity - 1 scholarship (for a Stockton University student)
Member Sylvia Kauders - 1 scholarship (from a grant for 5 yearly scholarships running until 2019)
Member Kal Rudman - 5 scholarships (for Temple University students)
Member Tony Scafide - 1 scholarship
Member Marlin Taylor - 2 scholarships

Special Thanks (in alphabetical order) for a contribution of $500 or more to our DAP, Digital Archival Project:

Member Elliot Abrams - $500
Members Robin and Ira Adelman - $500
Member Priscilla Fox - $500 plus another $500 for our scholarship fund
Member Bill Kelley - $750
Member Art Moore - $500
Armitage Shanks (not their real name) - $500

Bequests in their Will:

Member Sylvia Kauders passed away recently. In her will, she bequest to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, the amount of $5,000. This funding is to be used to underwrite one scholarship per year until gone. These scholarships will start in the year 2020 and continue until 2024. From a previous gift, Sylvia has underwritten one scholarship a year starting in 2015 and continuing until 2019.

Member Dave Shayer passed away last year. In his will, he bequest to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, the amount of $5,000. This funding is to be used to underwrite our archival project which was dear to Dave's heart and soul.

If someone underwrites a complete scholarship and we'll give them credit in the electronic newsletter until the scholarship is awarded. The gift of appreciated stock of $2,000 or more) will be thanked in our "Thank You" column for two years. If someone donates $1,000 or more and we'll list them in our "Thank You" column for a year. If someone gives a donation of $500 or more and we'll list them in our "Thank You" column for six months. They can select how we use the money: for our archival project, for scholarships or for our general fund to be used as needed.

More Thanks:

A growing portion of the revenues that fund the different activities of the Broadcast Pioneers comes from donations.  This includes our archival project and our scholarship program. Now we are making it even more beneficial for our donors. Broadcast Pioneers is now able to accept gifts of appreciated stock, which provides a significant tax benefit to you. By giving appreciated stock (stock which is worth more now than what it cost when it was purchased), the giver can get a charitable contribution tax deduction based on the current market value of your stock. At the same time, they avoid the capital gains tax that would arise if they simply sold the stock. So if someone would like to support our educational mission or our archival project and save money on taxes too, they could consider making a gift of appreciated stock. We are a federally recognized, state chartered charity with a 501(c)(3) status. Contact us at (856) 365-5600 or e-mail pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com for more details.

Many of us are over 70 and a half years old. If someone is, they can donate directly to Broadcast Pioneers from their IRA Account. If they take a distribution and then donate to us, they would have to pay federal tax on the distribution. By donating directly to us, they pay no tax and we get the full amount. Remember, this donation must go directly to us in order for the giver to avoid paying income tax. This direct donation may also prevent the donor from going into a higher tax bracket. That's always good. The donor should always contact tax advisor about this and get complete details.

Thanks so much for everyone's support.Our address is Broadcast Pioneers, PO Box 2886, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, (856) 365-5600. Our e-mail is: pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com

A FINAL THOUGHT....

"We stay up all night to bring you the election returns. Meanwhile, you went to bed. Now, you’re waking to hear them and we’re too tired to read them."

Elliot Abrams
Broadcast Pioneers Luncheon
September 17, 2008

By the way, Elliot will be one of our speakers at our Wednesday, April 17th luncheon. Make plans to be there!

Please contact us by e-mail at pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com or by mail to: Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, PO Box 2886, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. Your stories are important, to you, to us, and your colleagues. Contact us today and we’ll include your story in the next newsletter!

© 2019, Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
All Rights Reserved


Newsletter Editor is Gerry Wilkinson
Newsletter proofreader is Michele Wilkinson

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com
For luncheon reservations call (856) 365-5600 or e-mail us at: rsvp@broadcastpioneers.com