• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Philadelphia News Anchor Ken Matz passes

Q

qtpieislit

Ken Matz started his broadcasting career at 1340/WRAW Reading in 1964. After a couple of years, Ken moved up to Harrisburg, PA and 1400/WFEC (now WHGB).

Using the air name of Gary Smith, Ken was with the station from 1966 to 1969 when he returned to his hometown of Philadelphia and WIBG, Radio 99. Ken e-mailed: "in Harrisburg, I only used 'Gary Smith' for a couple of months, because there was already a guy there named Ken Meese. After Meese left for WBT in Charlotte, I resumed using my own name."

Matz landed at WIBG as a newsman from 1969 to 1976. Then it was on to 1060/KYW.

After that Ken went to several other stations before ending up at Channel 6 in Miami, Florida, which was WCIX-TV at that time. Ken was at WCIX from September of 1990 to December of 1992. WCIX-TV is now WFOR and operates on Channel 4.

When Broadcast Pioneers member Larry Kane jumped ship from WCAU-TV Channel 10 to KYW-TV, he was replaced by Ken Matz. Ken stayed at Channel 10 until 1998.

In 1995, Ken Matz was co-anchoring the 6 pm and 11 pm Channel 10 news (still owned by CBS at that time) with Jane Robelot. Jane’s last day was March 17th 1995 and a few days later, on Monday, March 20th, she premiered as co-anchor of the CBS Morning News, along with Troy Roberts. Renee Chenault replaced Robelot on Channel 10.

Ken would then leave Philadelphia for Southern Florida where he would anchor until his retirement.

I was aware of Ken's ill health and battle with throat cancer. I am deeply saddened to see him loose that battle.
 
Sam, you failed to mention that Matz was an anchor at WMAR-2 Baltimore in the second half of the 1980s, partnering with Sally Thorner who is now at WJZ-13.

RIP, Ken.

ixnay
 
i am very saddened to hear of ken's passing. i knew him during his WRAW days when i used to answer phones on weekend all request shows.....
i recall one night ( i believe it was saturday) he and his opposite number at then 1240/WHUM cooked up a battle of the radio stations to see who could play more music,,,,
ken and the guy on 'hum talked it up all night on air....it was great....can't remember who won...but as 'raw was top 40 and 'hum was m.o.r. i'm guessin it was ken.....

what a loss.....
 
I remember Ken Matz very well from his days jocking at WFEC in Harrisburg. I was in high school then and even within the Drake-style more music/less personality format they had adopted at the time, he was a standout. Years later I saw him anchoring at WMAR in Baltimore. His ability to make the shift from Top 40 jock to respected news anchor, seemingly so easily, was indicative of his talent and versatility. Sorry to hear he's gone.
 
ixnay said:
Sam, you failed to mention that Matz was an anchor at WMAR-2 Baltimore in the second half of the 1980s, partnering with Sally Thorner who is now at WJZ-13.

RIP, Ken.

ixnay
Click to expand...
Sally Thorner retired a few weeks ago.
 
johnnyu said:
ixnay said:
Sam, you failed to mention that Matz was an anchor at WMAR-2 Baltimore in the second half of the 1980s, partnering with Sally Thorner who is now at WJZ-13.

RIP, Ken.

ixnay
Click to expand...
Sally Thorner retired a few weeks ago.
Click to expand...

That's right, I remember the retirement rumors. Of course, I now live in the Balt. market (moved here from the Philly market in 1985 when Matz and Thorner were at WMAR) and my Baltimore TV news viewing priority is as follows (when I watch local news at all)...

WMAR on weeknights (something musta been fishy for Terry Owens, Mary Beth Marsden and Norm Lewis to jump ship all at once...)
WBAL on weekend nights
WJZ - hardly
WBFF - less than hardly

When was Sally's farewell at WJZ?

ixnay
 
Yes, Ken worked for WIBG when Buckley Broadcasting owned it. He started out as a disc jockey and moved to doing the news, which was his first love. He ultimately also became the News Director at WIBG before moving on to KYW radio to anchor morning drive. Ken loves the journalism side of news as much as he loved anchoring. He cherished the relationships from WIBG - Don Cannon, Joey Reynolds, and Bob Hamilton just to name a few from the Buckley days. He loved riding around in the newscar - a Ford mustang painted like a flag wearing a shirt which also had the American flag motif. And he was one to laugh at himself and tell stories like the first night he was on the air, Hy Lit gave him a stiff drink and when he opened the mick the first words out of this mouth was 'this is Ken Matz on Wiladelphia's Phibbage'.
 
i worked with ken at wmar tv in baltimore as an editor live truck operator and photographer. he was from the reading area (shillington). what a great guy and funny too. i thought he had class on the air and off the air and pipes for a tv anchor. i always liked the air talent that started in radio and transitioned to tv. ken...you will be missed and may god bless your family and survivors. you and sally were the team at wmar.
 
I always enjoyed Ken Matz. I preferred him to Larry Mendte, and was sad when ch10 decided to bring on Mendte, and basically push Matz out.

My favorite Matz Quote "How bout that, were on the same station as Seinfeld & Kramer" -From NBC10 cbs/nbc onair swap broadcast.

BTW, for this next question, I apologize for getting all Julius like, but does anyone know if nbc10 mentioned his passing onair? ch10's website mentions it, but only has video of him from youtube. Did Renee Chenault mention it?
 
ixnay said:
johnnyu said:
ixnay said:
Sam, you failed to mention that Matz was an anchor at WMAR-2 Baltimore in the second half of the 1980s, partnering with Sally Thorner who is now at WJZ-13.

RIP, Ken.

ixnay
Click to expand...
Sally Thorner retired a few weeks ago.
Click to expand...
If I remember correctly, about the within the last month.

That's right, I remember the retirement rumors. Of course, I now live in the Balt. market (moved here from the Philly market in 1985 when Matz and Thorner were at WMAR) and my Baltimore TV news viewing priority is as follows (when I watch local news at all)...

WMAR on weeknights (something musta been fishy for Terry Owens, Mary Beth Marsden and Norm Lewis to jump ship all at once...)
WBAL on weekend nights
WJZ - hardly
WBFF - less than hardly

When was Sally's farewell at WJZ?

ixnay
Click to expand...
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom