Instead of continuing the hijack of another thread on behalf of the old Richfield Reporter, I thought I’d continue the discussion here.
Background: Officially the Richfield Reporter, the west coast’s first network news program, was the creation of a team at Earle C. Anthony’s KFI circa 1929. It was coordinated by news director Jose Rodriguez with the aid of two staff writers and voiced by Sam Hayes for 10:00 late evening release. It was a hit, many times scooping the morning newspaper headlines.
Within a couple of years KFI was feeding the program to selected NBC Pacific Coast affiliates – the so-called “NBC Gold Network.” This continued until NBC built its own Hollywood studios, whereupon broadcasting duties were taken over by John Wald, who stayed with the program until at least 1955. Except for a two year break in 1948-49 (when it shifted to ABC) the program was an NBC staple on the west coast.
This the usual story – but what do you do with artifacts like the one linked to below – a March 23,1931 ad for Richfield having the Reporter air on KGA in Spokane at 6:45 in the evening (not 10:00). In 1933 according to a QSL postcard available online, it was a 5000 watt NBC affiliate, so it likely also was in 1931 as well. On a different frequency it eventually became a 50,000 watt Class A station, a status voluntarily and irrevocably lost in 2008 to allow an increase for a lower power sister station in San Francisco, according to Wikipedia.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...dBXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0fQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3070,4694966
Another couple of unverified (to my satisfaction) assertions: Chet Huntley allegedly served as the Richfield Reporter from 1955-1960 – even though he was doing the Huntley/Brinkley report for NBC television out of New York at the time. Alan Ladd also as reported to have been the Richfield Reporter – on another Los Angeles station as was famed channel 4 news anchor Jack Latham. There are indeed references to all three online – but no documentation of their being connected with the 10:00 pm Richfield Reporter.
Pacific Pioneer broadcasters has selected discs of the Richfield Reporter as heard on KFI – but the only hosts I have been able to confirm are Sam Hayes and John Wald, the latter assisted on air in the early forties by Don Forbes with writing by news editor Wayne Miller.
It appears there may have been other Richfield Reporter newscasts than the 15 minute late evening edition on NBC. We do know that after the demise of the network version circa 1960 KFI briefly had an 8:30 am 5 minute version for Los Angeles. During WW2 the program may have been a half hour.
Mutual had a early forties Richfield Oil of New York sponsored program hosted by newsman Arthur Hale called “Confidentially Yours” which was also called “the Richfield Report.” This company may or may not have been connected to the California based Richfield. In any event the program was distinct from the Reporter.
These are nuances I hope others can help me explore.
Background: Officially the Richfield Reporter, the west coast’s first network news program, was the creation of a team at Earle C. Anthony’s KFI circa 1929. It was coordinated by news director Jose Rodriguez with the aid of two staff writers and voiced by Sam Hayes for 10:00 late evening release. It was a hit, many times scooping the morning newspaper headlines.
Within a couple of years KFI was feeding the program to selected NBC Pacific Coast affiliates – the so-called “NBC Gold Network.” This continued until NBC built its own Hollywood studios, whereupon broadcasting duties were taken over by John Wald, who stayed with the program until at least 1955. Except for a two year break in 1948-49 (when it shifted to ABC) the program was an NBC staple on the west coast.
This the usual story – but what do you do with artifacts like the one linked to below – a March 23,1931 ad for Richfield having the Reporter air on KGA in Spokane at 6:45 in the evening (not 10:00). In 1933 according to a QSL postcard available online, it was a 5000 watt NBC affiliate, so it likely also was in 1931 as well. On a different frequency it eventually became a 50,000 watt Class A station, a status voluntarily and irrevocably lost in 2008 to allow an increase for a lower power sister station in San Francisco, according to Wikipedia.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...dBXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0fQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3070,4694966
Another couple of unverified (to my satisfaction) assertions: Chet Huntley allegedly served as the Richfield Reporter from 1955-1960 – even though he was doing the Huntley/Brinkley report for NBC television out of New York at the time. Alan Ladd also as reported to have been the Richfield Reporter – on another Los Angeles station as was famed channel 4 news anchor Jack Latham. There are indeed references to all three online – but no documentation of their being connected with the 10:00 pm Richfield Reporter.
Pacific Pioneer broadcasters has selected discs of the Richfield Reporter as heard on KFI – but the only hosts I have been able to confirm are Sam Hayes and John Wald, the latter assisted on air in the early forties by Don Forbes with writing by news editor Wayne Miller.
It appears there may have been other Richfield Reporter newscasts than the 15 minute late evening edition on NBC. We do know that after the demise of the network version circa 1960 KFI briefly had an 8:30 am 5 minute version for Los Angeles. During WW2 the program may have been a half hour.
Mutual had a early forties Richfield Oil of New York sponsored program hosted by newsman Arthur Hale called “Confidentially Yours” which was also called “the Richfield Report.” This company may or may not have been connected to the California based Richfield. In any event the program was distinct from the Reporter.
These are nuances I hope others can help me explore.
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