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CNN 1989 - 1993
After anchoring Headline News each morning for over three years, Paul Amos, who was running CNN at the time, asked me upstairs to Anchor on CNN. It was a rare experience and gave me an opportunity to be a part of a group of very talented news people.
I anchored around the clock at CNN during the First Gulf War.
In this photo I'm seen interviewing Mrs. Norman Schwarzkopf.
My most Unforgettable Experience? Interviewing Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell and interrupting with the bulletin that they were taking down the Berlin Wall.
Senator Mitchell was as moved as I was and said, "I never expected to hear those words in my lifetime."
This image on the right shows part of a T-shirt sent to the CNN Anchors & Reporters by a New York Hotel thanking us for the incredible around-the-clock coverage of the war - when the "World Was Watching." Sadly enough this was the group referred to by then CNN boss Tom Johnson as Ted Baxters. They deserved better! Johnson liked to talk about hiring NBC's Tom Brokaw and Bill Moyers. How many times have you fallen alseep watching Moyers? And, the Brokaw reference gave us all a big laugh. It was on Johnson's watch that Murdock and Roger Ailes beat CNN so handily. Johnson had no clue how to save CNN from the FOX "Fair and Balanced" crap!
Nominated for Cable's ACE AWARD as Newscaster of the Year in 1987
WXIA-TV, Atlanta 1976 - 1985, 6 & 11 PM Newscasts
EMMY Winner
Nominated Fours In A Row!
On the left: This is my son Michael working with a crew while we anchored our news from New Orleans during Sugar Bowl week when Georgia beat Notre Dame January 1, 1981. Mike turned 16 a couple of weeks later.
On the right: My daughter Kathy in the Anchor seat during a Children's Christmas party in 1977.
I was part of the team that started Eleven Alive News in the Fall of 1976. The Press referred to our news effort as The News Zoo Review. They weren't far off the mark.
As a start-up newscast it got a bit crazy at times. In those days Ch-11 was as close to a UHF station as you could get. It was a major job trying to get the attention of news viewers away from two really fine news operations - WSB-TV and WAGA-TV.
The moment I showed up from Los Angeles I knew I had made a bad mistake, but I was stuck with it, and did the best I could under really trying conditions. I should have stayed in LA.
1973 - 1975
Reporter/Anchor
They have my name listed in an Alumni section. But, when you tapped my name it took you to an article about a guy with an acid-rock band. I'm a Benny Goodman fan myself.
The Morning Report, 7 A.M., M - F.
In those days you were a one man band. You wrote and produced your own newscasts. You made the rear projection slides, and edited film. No crew, no camerman, and no teleprompter. When you saw yourself on the monitor - start talking. It was what you might call "no-frills" news.
Early in 1958 I volunteered for the Draft and spent most of my two years of Active Duty at Third Army Headquarters, Ft. McPherson, Atlanta, in the Third Army Information Office as a TV-Radio Broadcast Specialist.
It was a choice assignment and introduced me to the great city of Atlanta.
While in service I worked nights at the ABC Radio Affiliate, WGST - then owned by Georgia Tech. When I left the Army I worked for GST writing news for ND Jack Hurst and reporting from one of the station's news wagons. I covered some of the first sit-ins during the early Civil Rights movement.
A few weeks later the Storer Station in Atlanta, WAGA-TV, called and offered me a job as a Staff Announcer. Before joining TV-5 I visited old friends at NBC in NY, and the great NBC Announcer Bill McCord told me, "Go down there and learn everybody's job." Good advice!
I did everything they asked me to do, and more - weekend sports, kids shows, movie hosting, interviews, 'live' commercials, Weekend and Morning News, and Weather. As a staff announcer in those days you did a lot of everything. Great experience!
The Navy called and asked, "Would you like to fly with the Blue Angels?" That was the fastest YES I ever gave.
There is no greater thrill! During the flight we did every maneuver they do in their shows.
I even took control of this A4 Skyhawk and did a 360 roll.
I knew then I should have signed up for Navy Flight - I'd give my eyetooth to land on one of our great Carriers!
"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-filled wings."
Tap photo for the full poem, and it's history!
(My son took this shot)
Maestro Shaw and I worked together on this Telecast three years in a row.
I wonder whatever happened to these guys!
This is the Silver Circle Award given to me in 1995.
The nicest honor I ever received!