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Buffalo Broadcasting
Pioneer Dies
 BUFFALO,
N.Y. - Western New York's broadcasting community has lost one of its
last true pioneers. Alfred E. Anscombe died this morning. One of the
rare "triple pioneers, he had almost 70 years of experience in the
radio, television and cable industries as an on-air talent, manager and
owner-operator.
Anscombe was born
in Buffalo, New York. While still in high school he became the Junior
Sports Announcer for Buffalo Broadcasting Corporation, which operated
two Buffalo radio stations, WKBW-AM and WGR-AM.
After World War II,
Mr. Anscombe rejoined WKBW-AM as Public Relations Director and in 1947.
He became a major player in that company, eventually rising to vice
president and station manager of WKBW Radio. In that post, he presided
over such widely diverse talents as Bill Mazur, Foster Brooks, Stan
Jasinski, Jack Mahl and George "Hound Dog" Lorenz. He later was
prominent in the management team that transformed KB into one of
America's great rock radio stations.
Anscombe's
commercial and political efforts were paramount in securing the FCC
license for WKBW-TV (Channel 7) in 1958. After serving as Vice
President of WKBW-TV, he sold his ownership interest when the radio and
television stations were sold to Capital Cities Broadcasting.
Mr. Anscombe then
joined John Kluge Enterprises (later known as Metromedia) as Executive
Vice President. After years of playing an integral role as executive
vice president in the growth, development and success of John Kluge's
multi-billion dollar broadcasting empire, Anscombe ventured in the
ownership world himself, owning or being a partner in more than 40
radio, broadcast television and cable television companies, and cable
networks throughout the United States.
During this time,
Mr. Anscombe received construction permits and successfully built WBJA-TV
in Binghamton, New York and WEPA-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania.
He formed a
Community Antenna Company known as Frontier Television, Inc., Amherst
Cablevision, Inc., and Ken-Ton Cablevision, Inc. After selling these
cable television entities to International Cable, he formed First
Columbia, Inc., a media investment group with radio and television
stations throughout the country.
Anscombe has been
active in many business organizations. He is a founding member and
Chairman Emeritus of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association. He is past
chairman of the Amherst Industrial Development Corporation and past
president of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce.
Anscombe also
served on the Board of Directors of: The Empire State Chamber of
Commerce, Millard Fillmore Hospital, Daemen College, West Seneca State
Hospital (a division of the New York State Department of Mental
Hygiene), the National Board of the Episcopal Foundation for Radio and
Television. He has served as Chairman of the State University of New
York at Buffalo Advisory Council, the Search Committee of Daemen College
and the Canisius College Religious Studies Council.
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