WELCOME TO JIM ROSE REMEMBERS RADIO
February 11, 2008 [Monday] 
Issue #463

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ALL THE NEWS THAT IS NEWS

NEWS CORRESPONDENT EXPIRES
ABC News reporter John McWethy meets his maker in a skiing accident at only 61 on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 in Keystone, CO, near Denver. We remember as he flees the Pentagon after the 9/11 attacks, John keeps on reporting live. ABC News President David Westin says in his statement, McWethy and his wife, Laurie, moved to Boulder after he retired to be closer to ski slopes and golf courses. He was one of those very rare reporters who knew his beat better than anyone, and had developed more sources than anyone, and yet, kept his objectivity. Summit County Coroner Joanne L. Richardson says McWethy died of blunt force injuries,,,was skiing fast on an intermediate trail when he missed a turn and slid chest-first into a tree. DePauw University, his alma mater, awards John McWethy an honorary doctorate, plus he has a master's degree from the journalism school at Columbia University.

DELL COMPUTER SHUTS DOORS
Texas-based PC maker, Dell Canada, permanently closes its Edmonton call center this spring that costs 900 jobs. This is less than 4 years after it opens. The world's #2 PC maker says on Thursday, January 31, 2008 that the closing of the Edmonton center is part of its global plan to increase its efficiency & performance. Dell's revenue declines 26% for the 6 months ended August 3, 2007 compared with 2006. Originally, Edmonton lands the call center after it offers Dell a $6-million incentive package that includes a 1 dollar-per-year lease on city land plus a 5-year property tax break. Stephen Mandel, Edmonton Mayor, says he is disappointed by the closure.

DAN MCCURDY (Sherman, TX) Jim...I was 22 at the time (November 22, 1963), doing the midnight 'til dawn gig on KLIF...that day, I was at the Federal Building taking my Army physical...22 at the time (I would be 23 on Nov. 25) I was sitting in a classroom taking the written portion of the Induction Exam (I knew I was headed for Vietnam) when a BIG, black Marine officer walked in the classroom and said, tears running down his cheeks, "Some summb***** just shot the President." THAT got our attention! The room froze. We ended the test and I ran down Jackson Street toward KLIF, leaving my car parked at the Federal Building, only two blocks away from the shooting (no telling how many tickets I got that day). I got to the studio (at that time on Jackson Street across the street from the later famous KLIF 'Triangle Point' at Commerce, Jackson and Central/Pearl.) I ran inside the station and Joe Long told me to go to an office and be the news contact for the CBC in Canada...the next four or five hours, everybody in Canada got their news feeds from the midnight jock, reading reports written by Joe Long, Gordon McLendon, Gary DeLaune, Glenn Duncan, national reporter Ike Pappas, wire reports and a h***uva lot of ad-libbing from the wet-behind-the-ears night jock, the 'Official Voice of the CBC'...ME. It was absolute bedlam at the station, most of the national reporters flying to Dallas from all over the country got their pilots to hone in on 1190 for the latest details as they made their way to Dallas. It was the voices of news director Joe Long (the legendary 'Voice of God') and Gordon McLendon who supplied actualities and background information (Gordon, early-on in the confusion, ad-libbed, "Lyndon Johnson will be the second Johnson to succeed an assassinated president in US history.") - referring to Vice-President Andrew Johnson's succession upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 - I have no idea if Gordon said that off the top of his head or had a handy copy of The World Book nearby. I suspect it was the former...and so it went, with KLIF being the latest-news beacon for not only Dallasites, but for journalists, radio and TV anchors, national news editors, analysts and commentators from around the nation as they winged their way toward the scene of the national tragedy. No network or news agency spared dime in 'getting to the scene' of the earth-shattering event. And KLIF was 'Information Central' for all of them. From the sliver of information above from a green-horn DJ at KLIF during those 'Fateful Hours' I can only imagine the encyclopedic amount of information and perspective that could be supplied by those of us who "were there" in the eye of that horrible hurricane. Let's see if we can pull together those of us who saw the event from 'the inside out' - I think it would make for an eye-opening, actuality-filled documentary of a moment-in-time that still cries out for clarity, context, objectivity and perspective. Sincerely. Dan McCurdy

NOVEMBER 22, 1963!
Oh what a day to remember! That's just 6 days past my 20th birthday on November 16th. Dan spins records on KLIF-1190 and I twirl the platters at home. Always have a deep love of music and my record collection is already over 10 years old. Never dream that I, too, get to play music on the radio. Before I go to KLIF-1190 in 1972, decide to try news under the legendary Joe Long at Wonderful KBOX-1480 in 1971. One of the most sad times in my life is when Dick Moore quietly enters the newsroom, types a news bulletin, hands it to me, tells me to interrupt a record and inform Dallasites that Joe Long is dead. Joe teaches me more in a few months about news reporting than I ever learn in decades all over Texas. Joe's voice definitely is the Voice of GOD as many describe him. One of my news shifts is Sunday afternoon & evenings. All alone in the KBOX studios because recorded programs cover KBOX's airwaves as I prepare the next morning's voicers and tape the all night news for KBOX-1480 and KTLC FM. But one Sunday night, the all night DJ does not show up. Call Ron Rice and tell him that I am already a DJ all over Texas prior to KBOX and love to do the all night DJ show. Ron says OK. It becomes a 14 hour day but boy do I have fun! Those were the days, my friend. Real radio.

FRANK HALEY (Albuquerque, NM) Jim, Didn't you like my definition of a consultant???? Frank (The Old Texan) Haley cjf Isa. 9:6 "When the sunshine of God's love meets the showers of our sorrow, the rainbow of promise appears."

GLEN ASHWORTH (Lebanon, OR) Jim, I Googled KENR Radio history also airchecks and came with your website. I lived in Houston for a short time and used to listen to Dr. Bruce and others. I can't find anything except KENR history in Wikipedia. Anyway; I'm also a jingle freak. KENR had the same Sound America package as a station in Albany Ore which I went on later to work for. And yes I would love get your newsletter!! Take care. Glen

RAY WHITWORTH (Arlington-Ft. Worth, TX) Yep those were the great "romantic era of radio". In 1975 atop of the Tower of Life bldg in San Antonio was KEEZ-FM CC's first station. My shift on Sundays was 12a-9a...music until 3:30...then Psa programs, a 15 min rip and read cast at 5:30a and 8:15a. NO AC it was turned off at midnight...no water chiiler either for the cooler. You open a window for a breeze due to the hot studio and a bat would fly in at times. Mornings were great when the sun rose and you could see the river below. I then had to come back in at 5p until 1am that evening and had straight music. 1am they did their weekly maintaince. Dave Micheals was my first PD for three weeks then it was Johnny Shannon.

CHARLES DICKENS (1812-1870) Spring is the time of the year, when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.

Jim Rose and Tejas
Houston, Texas
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