Remember when radio news mattered enough that they actually hired a full newsroom? Here's a 710 KIRO promo from about 1982. Notables making appearances: Besides Jim French, Bob Blackburn, Andy Ludlum, Dave Stone, Chris Rose, Jim French, Terry Rose and Colleen McKay. Also: Lynn Olson, Tim Haeck, Shantelle Scott, Lisa Kinerk. The narration is by Program Director, Vic Bremer.
and this begot ron and don. I think the computer has made up stupid.
Posted by: rich, x listener | January 21, 2012 at 06:58 AM
My memory is of Paul Brendle continually crashing his chopper. I think he had 3 crashes.
Posted by: Mike Barer | January 21, 2012 at 07:08 AM
Wow, Tim used to look so young! KIRO used to have its own high-functioning newsroom. Wow, the old days. Bonneville really did used to be a leader back then, didn't it?
Posted by: Seattle Follower | January 21, 2012 at 01:29 PM
Classic post - back in the heyday of KIRO and down memory lane..
Posted by: KS | January 21, 2012 at 07:41 PM
As rich, x listener noted, the real "21st Century of Broadcasting" would be Ron & Don, and the computer WOULD replace the reporters. Sad.
Posted by: kb | January 22, 2012 at 04:28 PM
That was the era when KIRO radio had substance and a huge public following. Now they bill themselves as "New KIRO FM 97.3, a conversation." There is not one personality on the New KIRO FM a Conversation, that I would ever tune into to have a conversation with. How much longer till corporate pulls the plug on this mess?
Posted by: Ex - KIRO-FM listner | January 22, 2012 at 09:54 PM
WoW! 160mb computers with "video display tubes!" Cool video.
Posted by: LucasFoxx | January 23, 2012 at 08:04 AM
Don't forget to mention Bill Yeend hosting - cool as always in the eye of the Newsradio storm. And I was always impressed that KIRO used $5000 Sennheiser condenser microphones for an AM station. "It makes a difference" was the explanation. Indeed.
Posted by: Bruce Murdock | January 23, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Among the "notables" is myself, Phil Johnson (toward the end of the video). I ended up maintaining the computer system. We never got the grammar in one computer message corrected (it was burned into a CRC-checked EPROM chip): "No message or bulletin are waiting." For fans of computer history, the system used a slightly modified S-100 bus and a two-card SMC hard disk controller in an actual S-100 bus. In the big box were cards, each of which had a Z-80 processor, employed dip switches to set the board's purpose and its 6-bit bus address, and carried either 64K or 128K of RAM. A 6-bit arbitrator card decided which I/O card could use the bus at any given time. Terminals communicated with their cards via serial port at the blinding speed of 19.2K Baud! Although resets were frequently necessary, computers made working in the newsroom faster and easier. And whatever you think of the duo, computers did not lead to Ron and Don.
Posted by: Phil Johnson | January 23, 2012 at 02:56 PM
Thanks Phil for adding the last touch to remembering a very different time in news and radio. It's great to see Dad (Jim French) in his heyday. Vic kept me on the night shift to prevent any familial conflict. We must also mention others in the video not listed above. Aside from you and Bill, there's Christine Rose, Dan Tritle, George Lin and Sara Cram-Johnson. Boy this sure seems like just a few short years ago...at a time broadcasting was creative and enjoyable, unlike today.
Jeff French
Posted by: SeattleJeff | January 23, 2012 at 07:21 PM
Also in the background of some of the French shots is Dave Dolacky, looking ready to do his "noon-news" segment with Mr. Ross.
Posted by: The Glenn Beck Comedy Tour is cancalled | January 24, 2012 at 09:39 AM
A couple of things that made me feel old (rather than nostalgic): Dave Stone smoking in the news-booth, and ...carts!
Posted by: The Glenn Beck Comedy Tour is cancalled | January 24, 2012 at 09:48 AM
I think KIRO had access to some of the headline stagers and sounders used by the CBS owned stations and network.
Posted by: Coiler | January 24, 2012 at 06:53 PM
Was it KIRO that had a broadcast booth up on the Space Needle's observation level back in the 70's? I have vague memory of seeing this on a trip up there once. I'm not sure, but i think Wayne Cody was in that booth doing a show the day we visited the Needle. Or have I imagined this whole thing?
Posted by: Mysterion | January 26, 2012 at 03:49 PM
Those were great days for being an advertiser on KIRO, the 80's. Having a remote with Cody or Yeend drew in customers that were loyal to "thier" radio station.
Just being recomended by those guys carried a lot of weight with the public.
Posted by: Chucks | January 26, 2012 at 04:20 PM
Dori Monson couldn't carry Jim French'es jock strap. What the Hell kind of name is Yeend?
Posted by: Tommy008 | January 26, 2012 at 10:56 PM
Like the blog, appreciate the share!
Posted by: Pearl | February 24, 2012 at 05:38 AM
Great video, a real trip down memory lane! Chris taught me how to run that audio console with the big pots for Wanye's show, before we got that POS board from the UK. I can still hear that cart label printer on the DA's desk. We used to have to change out the paper rolls on the teletype's,rip and sort the copy, pull spots on carts. George looks so young! It was also great to see Bob and Terry!
Posted by: John Gholson | March 02, 2012 at 06:06 PM
you twits you forgot about sportsline and Wayne Cody.
Posted by: Allen | March 06, 2012 at 02:39 PM