I was remembering a memory from my past.
In the 1980s there was a very popular weatherman on a local channel (channel 6) who died in a parachuting accident.
I think he was a well liked local celebrity, his death caused more waves then the death of an average weatherman would.
But, the thing I remember most is the reaction his coworkers gave.
The day it happened, everyone on the telecast had red eyes. And obvious lumps in their throats.
One newscaster (Lisa Thomas Laurie, I believe that is her name) even broke down.
It was probably bad journalism, but it was pure unhindered emotion.
I think it touched alot of people, and the fact that these people allowed this side of themselves to be shown to the public is probably a big reason that channel had the highest news ratings for many years running.
(I left the area, does anyone know if they are still numer one?)
Has anyone else seen similar reactions on television?
-pat
ps:
I was rather young, so my memories of the telecast might be a little bit off, thats how it seemed to me at the time.
Wow, I remember that (I grew up outside of Philly)…
Washington, DC had something similar happen when WUSA (CBS-9) sportscaster Glen Brenner died about 8-9 years ago. He was revered around here.
And, I’ll never forget the newscasters in South Florida watching the live footage of the Hurricane Andrew ravaged Dade County the morning after in August 92.
Well, he isn’t exactly a newscaster, but last season in the middle of a Monday Night Football game, Boomer Esaison announced that Mark Rypien’s four-year-old son had died from cancer. Boomer has a son with a handicap or illness of some sort (I can’t remember what it is–perhaps cystic fibrosis?), and even though you couldn’t see him when he made the announcement, you could tell that he was doing his very best to fight back tears. And so was I, by the time it was over.
Well, this isn’t news related, but on the Monday Night Raw after Owen Hart fell to his death, there were various segments where the wrestlers who knew him told stories about Owen, read poetry they had written about him, etc. I don’t think there was a dry eye among them. Similar reactions happened during the matches, with a lot of the wrestlers paying tribute to Owen in their own way. The show was the most emotional piece of television I’ve ever seen, and probably ever will see.
Mr. Armageddon
“Just when you thought you had all the answers, I went and changed the questions!”–Roddy Piper
I was in a hotel room the morning of the …whatever the name of it was… the CA earthquake that was so bad back in like '94? Anyway, watching the news people trying to give the news WHILE THE PLACE WAS SHAKING was a trip. They were scared… you could see stuff falling over in the background, they all had shaky voices, etc… there was some real, tangible fear there.
Some time ago,a local anchor,Robin Swoboda was reporting on some sicko had done to their child. All I heard was the part about putting out cigarettes on the poor kid,she started crying,but finished the report.She apologized! I felt,well,at least they Do have feelings,though I wondered if she’d gotten bawled out.
I’ve seen video of the news broadcasts concerning JFK’s death and the moon landing. In both instances, Walter Klondike took his glasses off and wiped his eyes. Of course, I didn’t see daily broadcasts in the 60s, so I don’t know if that was a wholly unprecedented display, but they’re both good visuals. In fact, that’s how my dad tells about JFK: “We all (coworkers) went across the street to a diner where there was a TV, and the first thing I saw was Cronkite taking off his glasses.”
Remember, I’m pulling for you; we’re all in this together.
—Red Green
I think it was veteran KNBC reporter David Garcia covering the horrific McDonald’s massacre in San Ysidro back in '84. He was reporting live from the scene when the anchor asked him to describe what was going on. Garcia stammered and choked up a bit, then managed to sputter out, “In all my years of reporting this is the most horrible thing I have ever seen.”