The Big Story : The Oral History of Philadelphia TV News / David Grzybowski.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Grzybowski, David, 1991- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Television broadcasting of news--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--History.

Television broadcasting of news.

Television journalists--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Television journalists.

Reporters and reporting--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--History.

Reporters and reporting.

Philadelphia (Pa.)--History.

Philadelphia (Pa.).

Genre:

Oral histories.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (358 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Temple University Press, [2024]

Summary:

"He was much like the Walter Cronkite of Philadelphia." - Ed Rendell, former Philadelphia Mayor and Pennsylvania Governor, about Jim Gardner, the trusted voice of WPVI's Action News for 47 years "We were the only station that stayed on the air continuously. We even pre-empted the CBS evening news." - Larry Kane, anchor at WCAU, about covering the MOVE bombing" The highs of working during the pandemic were keeping people informed of this deadly virus and what they had to do to take care of themselves and each other."- Ukee Washington, KYW anchor, on the pandemic The Big Story is David Grzybowski's engrossing oral history of Philadelphia TV news from the perspective of reporters, photographers, producers, and news directors. Covering all the big stories from the late 1970s through the present, this fast-paced running commentary reflects on the uncertainty of the Three Mile Island disaster, the thrill of the Live Aid concert, the "Storm of the Century" (that wasn't), and the championship victories of the Phillies and the Eagles, among other notable events, local, national, and global. The Big Story features more than 200 interviews, including anecdotes from seasoned Philadelphia anchors Jim Gardner, Larry Kane, Lisa Thomas-Laury, Mike Jerrick, Vai Sikahema, Tamala Edwards, Pat Ciarrocchi, and Cecily Tynan, among others, about their experience on and off the job. Decision makers reflect on how to cover hot news stories such as Pennsylvania State Treasure R. Budd Dwyer's on-air suicide. (" It was a big bloody horrifying mess, " according to Chris Wagner, WPVI anchor.)Grzybowski highlights the Mummers, the launch of Good Day Philadelphia, off-the-air scandals, and how the Action News style secured a loyal following with Philadelphians while the Eyewitness News format competed hard to gain ratings. But the Big Story is how The Big Story provides compelling stories about Philadelphia's news breakers and newsmakers.

Contents:

A Brief History of Philadelphia's TV News Stations

Part I: Innovating On Air. Anchors Away: Larry Kane and Jim Gardner

Three Mile Island

Pope John Paul II Visits Philadelphia

The Passing of WPVI's Jim O'Brien

The MOVE Bombing

Live Aid

The Suicide of R. Budd Dwyer

And Finally, Tonight: Behind the Scenes Stories from the Era

Part II: Rise of the Mass-Media Era. Fire at One Meridian Plaza

Channels 3 and 10 Switch Networks

The Blizzard of 1996

The Start of Good Day Philadelphia

The Birth of Comcast SportsNet and NBC Sports Philadelphia

Hurricane Floyd

Pier 34 Collapses

The "Storm of the Century"

September 11, 2001

Part III: Philadelphia at the Center of the World. The Philadelphia Phillies Win the 2008 World Series

The Passing of WPVI's Gary Papa

Hurricane Sandy

Amtrak Train Derailment

Pope Francis Visits Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Eagles Win Super Bowl LII

COVID-19

Part IV: Only in Philadelphia: Covering the City. Building Trust with TV Viewers

The Morning Shift

The Action News Model for Success

The Philadelphia Mummers Parade

Philadelphia's Relationship with Its TV Broadcasters

Source List for Chapter Introductions and Station History.

Notes:

Includes index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781439921845

1439921849