Buffalo Broadcasters Association September Newsletter

Volume IV, Issue III

September 2011

In This Issue

Industry News

Broadcasters in the News

Class of 2011

Broadcast Journalism Awards

Successful 5K Run

Tenth Anniversary of 9/11

INDUSTRY NEWS

Here are the Spring 2011 ratings of Buffalo radio stations as compiled by the Arbitron company for the 12+ audience.  WYRK contiues at number one with an 11.3 share.  WBEN and WBLK are now tied for second place with a 7.8.  The rest of the top ten:  WGRF, 6.6; WKSE, 6.4; WHTT, 6.2; WJYE, 6.0; WTSS, 4.4; WBUF, 4.1 and WGR, 3.7.  Here's how the remaining stations ranked:  WEDG, 3.6; WBFO, 2.3; CKEY, 2.0; WNED-FM, 1.9; WWWS, 1.7; WHLD, 1.4; WNED-AM, 1.3; WLKK, 1.2; WXRL, 1.1; CHTZ, 0.9; WWKB and CFZM, 0.8; WDCX, 0.6; WECK, WUFO, WLOF and CFNY, 0.5; and WLVL and CILQ, 0.4. 

The race for news supremacy in the Buffalo television market tightened in the July sweeps.  WGRZ's "Channel 2 News," already number one at 5am and 6am, came out on top in the 5pm newscasts Monday through Friday and the 11pm newscasts Monday through Sunday.  According to Alan Pergament's blog, "Still Talkin' TV," WIVB's "News 4" ranks as the top 11pm newscast Monday through Friday, but WGRZ edges out WIVB when the weekend newscasts are included.  WIVB wins the 12noon, 5:30pm, 6pm and 10pm local newcast time slots.  WKBW's "Eyewitness News" remains in third place.

The University at Buffalo is selling its NPR affiliated station, WBFO, to the Western New York Public Broadcasting Association.  The sale price is $4 million.  WNYPBA owns classical music WNED-FM and WNED-AM, also an NPR affiliate, as well as WNED Television.  According to a news release announcing the sale, WNYPBA will maintain WBFO's schedule of NPR programs, such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered.  The sale is subject to FCC approval.  Because WBFO is licensed to SUNY, the sale must also be approved by state officials.  There is no word on how the sale will affect employees of both broadcasting entities or what other programming changes outside of the NPR flagship shows may be made. 

WKBW, Channel 7 is now broadcasting its local newscasts in HD, the first Buffalo TV station to do so.  The station launched its HD newscasts on August 15th.  WKBW has also laid off ten employees in its engineering department after outsourcing its master control room operations to an Atlanta company. 

Buffalo television station WNGS has re-branded itself as WBBZ, "Buffalo's Buzz."  Owner Phil Arno is touting the fact that his is the only locally-owned commercial television station in the Buffalo market.  WBBZ dropped its "This TV" affiliation featuring a mix of old TV shows and movies for "Memorable Entertaintment TV," which offers such popular sitcoms as "Mary Tyler Moore," "M*A*S*H," and "I Love Lucy," plus old westerns such as "Gunsmoke" and the original "Hawaii 5-0."  Arno has built new studios at the station's headquarters at the Eastern Hills Mall.  His plans for local programming include a morning show, a local version of "The Tonight Show" hosted by a local comic and a local discussion program similar to ABC's "The View." 

The arrival of WBBZ is leading to a change at WGRZ, Channel 2.  WGRZ is dropping its 12noon broadcast of classic TV shows in favor of a one-hour talk show hosted by Bill O'Loughlin.  The new O'Loughlin show debuts on Tuesday, September 6th.  O'Loughlin is a well-known radio host who spent time at WBEN and WECK.  After leaving WECK in May, he launched his "radio talk on TV" concept at 11:30pm on Sundays, garnering respectable ratings.  O'Loughlin will touch on local and national issues, responsing to viewer calls, emails and texts.  Lydia Dominick, a WGRZ personality who hosted "Lunchtime with the Classics," will serve as a co-host. 

WECK has changed its format from news-talk to music.  WECK tried to compete with talk competitors WGR and WBEN but failed to achieve any ratings success after three years.  Former WECK program director Tom Schuh is consulting on the new music format, called "The Breeze."  It was launched in mid-July.  The playlist includes a mix of songs from the 1960s through the present time.  WECK is continuing as the flagship station for University at Buffalo football and basketball and remains as the local affiliate of New York Yankees radio play-by-play. 

WIVB, Channel 4 is moving "Dr. Oz" into the old "Oprah" time slot at 4pm.  TV journalist Anderson Cooper's new syndicated show will air at 3pm.  The changes will take effect with this month's start of the new TV season.

WNED's "Think Bright and Well TV" is merging with the WORLD content service, effective today.  WORLD is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  According to a WNED news release, WORLD features science, history, nature, investigative journalism and other non-fiction programming.  The shows will air throughout the broadcast day.  "Think Bright and Well TV" is on one of WNED's digital over-the-air stations (Channel 17.3) and is available on Time Warner Cable. 

Bridges TV, the Orchard Park cable television service that specializes in lifestyles programming for Muslims, has moved its operations to the New York City area under new management.  Bridges was founded by Muzzammil and Aasiya Hassan in 2004.  The network has struggled since the February 2009 murder of Aasiya inside the Orchard Park studios.  Muzzammil Hassan was convicted in her death and is serving a life sentence. 

CFLZ at 105.1 in Niagara Falls, Ontario has re-branded itself as "Ed," playing hits from the 1980s and '90s.  The station has been known as "The River" for many years. 

Buffalo and Rochester have a long tradition of sharing announcers.  Recognizing that many Buffalo broadcasters have worked in the Flower City, we want to make sure you're aware that there will be a Rochester radio reunion on Saturday, September 17th, at the Diplomat Banquet Center and Hotel in Rochester.  If you ever worked in Rochester radio, you're invited.  Registration information is available at www.rochesterradioreunion.com. 

I try to do a comprehensive search for news from the Buffalo TV and radio market.  But I need your help!  If you have industry news you would like to see included in our quarterly newsletter, please send your news releases to Editor Mark Scott at bfoscott@buffalo.edu.   

Broadcasters in the News

Veteran WGRZ sports director Ed Kilgore is cutting back on his anchoring duties on

Channel 2.  Kilgore will continue anchoring the 6pm sportscast but has turned over the 11pm duties to Adam Benigni.  Kilgore was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2010. 

Michele McClintick has left WIVB's "News 4" to spend more time with her young family.  She had served as an anchor and reporter during her nine years with the station.  Meanwhile, WIVB has hired Bryan Shaw as its newest meteorologist.  The Cleveland native comes to Buffalo from West Virginia, where he worked at a couple of TV stations. 

There were a number of staff changes at WECK-AM 1230, related to the station's format change from talk to music.  Loraine O'Donnell was let go in May after three years as host of the morning show.  Then, in early July, Program Director Brad Riter, host of an afternoon drive talk show, was fired while Nick Mendola, the 12noon to 3pm host, resigned.   Also, WGRZ's Kevin O'Connell is now hosting an afternoon music show from 3 to 6pm as part of the new Breeze music format.  It marks a return of O'Connell to the medium where he first gained notoriety in the late 1960s and '70s. 

WGR Sportsradio 550 is beefing up its weekend sports coverage with Buffalo native Sal Capaccio, who is returning to his hometown from Florida. "Coach Sal" will host weekend talk shows on WGR. He'll also be appearing on a weekly sports show on Time Warner Cable.

Andy Roth has resigned as WGR program director. Roth is now in Cleveland where he will head up a new FM sports station, "92.3 The Fan," that was launched in late August.

WEDG evening host Josh Potter has left the station to join Roth at Cleveland's "92.3 The Fan," where he'll be a show producer. Potter had been with the Edge since 2002 and also produced segments for Shredd and Ragan.

WBLK's "Magic Man" is out after 16 years at the station. He has held down afternoon drive the past several years but also did morning drive and nights at the station during his tenure. WBLK is advertising in radio trade publications for his successor.

Jeff Silver, general manager of WBLK's parent company, Townsquare (which also owns WYRK, WJYE and WBUF), has been named regional vice president of the company's other New York State radio stations in Utica, Albany and Oneonta.  Silver has been with Townsquare (previously Regent) -- and before that CBS/Infinity -- for 15 years. Director of Sales Rich Chiaino takes over as GM of the Buffalo cluster.

In other behind the scenes moves in Buffalo radio and television, Robert Wawrzyniec was promoted from local sales manager to general sales manager of Citadel Broadcasting.  Sandy Polus is now local sales manager at Viamedia, the selling arm of Verizon's FIOS. 

Russ Burton, longtime producer of the 97 Rock morning show, has left the station to accept a sale position at Townsquare. 

Eric Reinhardt has joined WBEN for 3-11p news duties. He was formerly a news anchor at WSYR, Syracuse. 

Brian Meyer, who was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame last year,

has accepted a buyout from the Buffalo News.  He has served as the News' City Hall reporter.  Before that, Meyer covered city government during his 15-year tenure as a street reporter for WBEN.  He will continue in a part-time reporting role at the News, and is also expected to stay on as a news analyst on WBFO's Monday morning "Press Pass" segment. 

Former WGR disc jockey Randy Michaels is back in the radio business.  Michaels is part of an investment group that has purchased two Chicago radio stations as well as a station in New York City.  He was fired as head of Chicago's Tribune Company last year following allegations of personal misconduct.  Michaels was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2009.

Chuck McCoy, who worked at several Buffalo radio stations in the 1970s and '80s, is now the evening host on WLGZ, "Legend 102.7, in Rochester.  The station has a classic hits format.

The Buffalo Sabres announced in June that pre- and post-game host Kevin Sylvester and former Sabres great Danny Gare will serve as play-by-play announcer and color analyst respectively for selected road games this season.  Veteran Sabres announcer Rick Jeanneret is cutting back on his duties because of the stress of travel. 

Former Buffalo Sabres player Matthew Barnaby will return to his role as ESPN hockey analyst this fall.  Barnaby was temporarily removed from the air during last spring's hockey playoffs in the wake of a domestic incident involving his ex-wife and another man.  An ESPN spokeswoman told Alan Pergament's "Still Talkin' TV" that Barnaby will be back. 

Former Buffalo Sabres Goalie Patrick LaLime has signed on as a color analyst for television broadcasts of the NHL's Ottawa Senators. 

In memoriam... 

Don Lancer, former WKBW Radio News Director

Richard Teetsel, former writer, editor and producer, WGR-TV

Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame:  Class of 2011

The 2011 Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) Hall of Fame class features a broad diversity of impressive inductees, who made their mark both in front of and behind the scenes on a national and local level. Heading the class of 2011 is long-time WIVB-TV News Anchor Jacquie Walker. She's joined by a powerhouse of Buffalo radio legends including the Cosmic Cowboy Shane Gibson; newsman, the late Jim McLaughlin and former WKBW deejay Dick Biondi. They'll be joined by WIVB-TV News Producer Vic Baker and former WGRZ-TV Sales Manager Don Angelo. In addition to the induction ceremony, the BBA will present the Tim Russert Medal of Merit to a recently-graduated broadcast journalism student from St. Bonaventure. The Hall of Fame ceremonies will also recognize WUFO-AM's 50th anniversary of broadcasting.

The Hall of Fame dinner is Thursday, September 22nd with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. and the program starting at 7:00 p.m. in the studios of WNED-TV. WGRZ-TV's John Beard and Greater Media's Heidi Raphael will be the MCs for the evening.

The following are brief biographies of this year's inductees.

Jacquie Walker

Jacquie Walker is the only woman in Buffalo broadcasting history who has achieved the milestone of anchoring at one television station for 28 years. Working as a church organist throughout college, Jacquie graduated from Michigan State University in Advertising Management and completed additional communications coursework at Columbia College. She anchored in both Rochester, NY and Springfield, IL before coming to "News 4" in 1983. Jacquie's award-winning coverage and anchoring of the 5, 6, and 11pm newscasts has won her two national Edward R. Murrow awards for the coverage of the Continental Connection Flight 3407 crash. She also earned ten Emmy nominations, the Governor's Award for Excellence in Communications, and numerous journalism awards from the Associated Press, NYS Broadcasters Association, United Press International, and many other groups.

Deeply involved in the community, Jacquie donates her time to countless charitable organizations including Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Hospice Buffalo, March of Dimes, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Multiple Sclerosis Society and the National Conference for Community and Justice. The American Association of University Women donated two $5,000 scholarships in her name to honor her community work.

Jacquie has truly done it all, from reporting at the scene of the bombing at the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, to interviewing State Supreme Court Justice Christopher Burns after sentencing the Bike Path Killer, to covering fans at four Buffalo Bills' Super Bowls. When Jacquie is not working, she is a very proud wife and a mother of two sons, a senior at the University of Rochester and junior at Georgetown University Law Center.

Shane Gibson

A Buffalo radio legend, Shane Gibson, also known as "The Cosmic Cowboy" and "Shane

Brother Shane," spent more than 30 years dedicating his life in roles as both a deejay and program director all across the United States.

Gibson began his radio career in 1962 at KFWB in Los Angeles. A year later he moved to Montana working at several stations across the state. In 1967, he traveled cross country to WCOG in Greensboro, NC replacing Jack Armstrong as deejay and program director. Shortly after that, he headed back west to KGA in Spokane, WA and then KMAK in Salt Lake City, UT in 1969. Gibson finally came to Buffalo in 1973, where he came in second place after doing a one show audition at WKBW for the "Great American Talent Hunt."Several months later he replaced the winner as the KB night man. He continued to work in Buffalo at WYSL in 1974, then WGR until 1985, leaving as PD. He was brought back by the Rich family as program director again until 1989.

Shane has received many honors, including being rated the number one jock in America by Billboard Magazine in 1965 while working at KUDI in Great Falls, Montana. Gibson moved back to Richmond, VA to once again work at WLEE until finally leaving radio and joining the PGA in 2002. He currently serves as a golf instructor in Richmond.

Jim McLaughlin

Born in New York City in 1934, Jim McLaughlin knew his love for the limelight as a teenager. After moving to Rochester, NY in 1946, he found his spotlight. Jim began playing the drums for a local band, acting in school plays and playing high school basketball. He attended

Alfred University in 1953 for Liberal Arts, then Parks College of St. Louis University in 1955 for Aeronautical Administration. He got a job at American Airlines where he received his pilot's license at the early age of 19. In the late 1950s, Jim took his quick-witted personality and drove west to San Francisco with his brother to start a new life. He landed a job at Las Vegas Hacienda Airlines and when not working played the drums for a Dixieland band, and acted in Sausalito Playhouse, where he met his first wife.

After taking a three-week crash course in radio broadcasting at the Chris Borden School of Modern Radio Technique, Jim changed career paths in the early 1960s. He worked as a deejay for KNBA in Vallejo, California taking the air name "Lucky Jim" because he didn't have to study and always knew instinctively what to say. He began delivering the news at KFOG-FM in San Francisco. In 1963, he married his fiancée Norma and they moved back east. Jim became the news director at WRVM in Rochester in 1964. Jim, a veteran of the U.S. Army, continued his career working in Buffalo as the news director of WYSL in the late 1960s, WKBW from 1970 to 1978 and then at WBEN until he was forced to retire due to health issues in 1987.

Jim will be remembered not only for his "throwaway good looks" and flirtatious personality, but for being the first news director to hire a full-time street reporter, a female news staff member, to use co-anchors and to use short wave radio to cover international stories. In 1979, he won the New York State Associated Press Award for WBEN's "Newsday," being the best radio news program. Jim was also the only radio reporter allowed to cover the 1971 Attica Prison riot from inside the prison. Jim died November 21, 1993 after a lengthy illness at the age of 59.

Dick Biondi

While Dick Biondi may play oldies, he has always been young at heart throughout his 50-year radio career. Born in Endicott, NY, he began at an early age after reading a commercial on WMBO in Auburn, NY, and learning about broadcasting at WINR in Binghamton. His on-air radio career began at WCBA 1350 AM in Corning and doing music shows at KYSL in Alexandria, Louisiana. Career moves took him to stations in Pennsylvania and Ohio, before signing on with Buffalo WKBW in 1958, one of KB's long line of legendary night-time jocks. In 1960, while working at Chicago's WLS, Biondi made parodies and recorded an album Dick Biondi's Favorites-the Teenagers. He then moved to KRLA, Los Angeles' #1 Top 40 station, where he created The Dick Biondi Road Show. He also hosted the nationally syndicated Dick Biondi's Young America in 1964. He returned to Chicago's WCFL in 1967 to do specialty shows Pop Goes the Music, In the Beginning, This Is Elvis, Dick Biondi Labels the Blues, Dick Biondi and Friend and a weekly "Vietnam Show." In 1972, Biondi worked at WBZ Boston, WSAI Cincinnati and WNMB Myrtle Beach, where in 1976, Dick produced Dick Biondi's Super Gold Rock and Roll, which was rebroadcast in 2010. Biondi was "rediscovered" while working for WNMB when featured on a "Where are they now?" type of TV program aired in Chicago.

Back in Chicago in 1984, Dick worked for WBBM-FM and WJMK-FM. In 2006 he moved to WLS-FM, where he currently hosts True Oldies. Last year, Columbia College presented Inside the Radio Studio with Dick Biondi & Herb Kent-100 Years On the Air. The legendary DJ received recognition for introducing the Rolling Stones at their Hollywood Bowl concerts, the Gavin Top 40 Disc Jockey of the Year Award in 1961, being the first DJ in America to play the Beatles in 1963, Billboard's most popular late evening DJ in 1966. The Chicago City Council named a street in his honor, called "Dick Biondi Way," for his longevity in Chicago radio. He was honored in an exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1998.

Vic Baker

Working more than 42 years in the industry and currently as news producer at Channel 4, Vic Baker's career dates back to high school. There he learned every aspect of the operation by working as a news writer, reporter and disc jockey for WLEA in his hometown of Hornell, NY. He also did a reporting stint for the Elmira Star Gazette.

Fresh from graduating from Fredonia State College in 1969, Vic landed a job at WBUZ in Fredonia. He later became the news director and assistant general manager at WCVF in Fredonia, as well as the managing editor of the campus paper "The Leader." He took on assignments in 1974 as a newscaster for WKSN-WHUG in Jamestown, news director for WDOE in Dunkirk, before joining WBEN as a Saturday news writer for Clint Buehlman's show and a weekday reporter. He was hired at Channel 4 as a full-time reporter in 1975 and became a producer in 1976. Vic left in 1979 to produce for WKBW-TV's Don Postles and Irv Weinstein at Eyewitness News and 14 months later, returned to WIVB.

Vic had many accomplishments during those years, such as producing a one-hour film documentary on Chautauqua Lake, covering the Hallett triple murder trial and Ebersole kidnap murder trial in Mayville, and driving 3,000 miles in six days during Tropical Storm Agnes floods in 1972. He also produced the 11pm newscast on Channel 4 on the night of the Blizzard of '77.

Away from broadcasting, Vic was a co-founder of Habitat for Humanity in Lockport, led a development effort with his church that brought Town Homes at Shawnee Landing into Wheatfield, worked on an anti-litter campaign as an Eagle Scout project, was editor of the Presbyterian Progress, and was a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit seeking environmental safety and justice in his community.

Vic's successful career could be attributed to his love for philosophy and the legacy built on old-fashioned values instilled by his grandparents. Vic is proud of his wife, Judi, and their five children and three grandchildren.

Don Angelo

Don enjoyed a 44-year career in broadcasting with both on and off-air positions in news, programming, production, sales, management and ownership positions at eight radio stations and four TV stations in four northeastern markets. He began his career in news at WMNS in Olean as "Don Michaels" in 1963. He became news director in 1964 at WHDL-AM/FM in Olean and went on to WRIE in Erie, PA in 1970, where he became "Del Manning," doubling in news and deejay work while also being the voice of WQLN-TV. He moved on to WIDG in Michigan in 1972 as vice president/ general manager and later became president and part-owner.

Don shifted his career to positions in sales and marketing by returning to his hometown of Buffalo in 1977 and joining WWOL-AM/FM as general sales manager. One year later, Don worked as general sales manager at WYSL/WPHD and then WBUF, where he worked as GSM helping to implement the station's format and call letter change to WFXZ. In 1980, he moved on to TV as local sales manager at WUTV, Channel 29 and joined Sherwin Greenberg Film/Video Productions in 1984 as director of sales and marketing. Don joined TVX Corporation in 1987 as general sales manager to build a new TV station in Buffalo, WNYB, Channel 49.

The Buffalo Sabres bought the station and moved Don to the Sabres' corporate offices to head all their media sales including broadcast and cable advertising, Aud signage and Goal magazine. Don's responsibilities grew to head of media sales for Niagara Frontier Sports Network across New York State, which later became Empire Sports Network. In 1992, he joined the nation's largest cable company, TCI, as director of ad sales for the Buffalo region and later helped negotiate the merger with Adelphia, where he became director of sales, to create the ad sales cable interconnect for the eight counties of WNY. In 1995, he joined WNED-TV to start up the station's first PBS underwriting sales department. He joined the Gannett Corporation in 1997 as local sales manager at WGRZ-TV.

Don finished his career in management at WGRZ-TV, retiring in 2007. He formed Angelo

Media Services and now works independently on projects from film, music and political advertising along with serving on the boards of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association and Buffalo Cultural Coalition.

Newsletter Editor Mark Scott produced an audio report on this year's honorees that aired on WBFO Radio. 

In addition to the inductees, the Buffalo Broadcasters Association is also celebrating the Golden anniversary of WUFO-AM, which is celebrating 50 years of broadcasting in Western New York.

In another award, the Tim Russert Medal of Merit will be given to Lauren Adams, who just graduated from St. Bonaventure University. Miss Adams will receive a $1,000 scholarship from Greater Media, Inc. and the Buffalo Broadcasters Association. As a graduate of the Jandoli School of Mass Communication and Journalism, Miss Adams was the co-recipient of the Bob Koop Award, which honors an outstanding student journalist in the St. Bonaventure broadcast program. She also interned for her hometown WJET-TV in Erie, PA for two years.

The Buffalo Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Thursday, September 22nd at the studios of WNED-TV in Buffalo. Cocktails and dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the ceremony starts at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for members are $50 and non-members are $60 and can be purchased in advance by calling 716-873-2233.

WGRZ, WIVB, WBEN, WBFO and WNED Honored for Excellence in Journalism  

Buffalo's television and radio stations were well represented at this year's awards ceremony sponsored by the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association.  

WGRZ, Channel 2, was awarded the grand prize for television news at the NYSAPBA's annual banquet in Saratoga Springs in early June.  WGRZ won six first place awards.  Reporter Pete Gallivan was honored in the best news series category for "Unknown Stories."  Anchor Maryalice Demler and photographer Dooley O'Roarke were judged as having the best news interview for "Finally Innocent."  Reporter Scott Brown and photographer Dave Harrington were part of a tie for first place in best continuing news coverage for "The Death of Laura Cummings."  They also tied for first place in the best enterprise reporting category for the same story.  Photographer Scott May was part of a first place tie for general excellence in photo journalism.  And wgrz.com won first place for best website.  WGRZ also received four special mentions from the AP.

WIVB's "News 4" was close behind with four first place awards from the NYSAPBA.  The station's news staff won for best regularly scheduled local news program.  The entire "News 4" staff also received first place in the spot news category for the December 2010 storm that stranded motorists on the Thruway.  Senior correspondent Rich Newberg was part of a first place tie for best continuing news coverage for his reporting on the City Grill shootings.  Investigative reporter Luke Moretti also tied for first place in the best enterprise reporting category for his report, "Train Security."  Three special mentions were also awarded to WIVB.

On the radio side, WBEN received four first place awards for its news coverage.  Morning anchors Susan Rose and John Zak and producer Randy Bushover were honored in the best interview category for their conversation with Albany reporter Fred Dicker during the Carl Paladino campaign for governor.  News staffers Steve Cichon, Rachel Kingston, Neil McManus, Tom Connolly and Dave Debo were awarded first place in best spot news for their coverage of the City Grill murders.  Cichon was honored in general excellence in the use of the medium for a feature he produced on the late hockey writer Jim Kelley.  And wben.com won first place for best website.  WBEN also received four special mentions. 

WBFO captured three first place AP awards.  News Director Eileen Buckley and reporter Joyce Kryszak won for continuing news coverage for their reporting on the aftermath of the City Grill murders.  Buckley was awarded the Art Athens award for general excellence in individual reporting.  Kryszak won first place for best feature for her nationally-broadcast story on the death of a local soldier in Afghanistan.  Three special mentions were also awarded to WBFO.

WNED-AM won two first place awards from AP.  Reporter Daniel Robison was honored for best enterprise reporting for a piece on nuclear waste at West Valley.  Reporter Chris Caya received first place in the best news special/documentary category for his special on the first anniversary of the crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence.  WNED also won four special mention awards. 

WGRZ continued a banner year in terms of awards received after learning in June that the station is being honored with three national Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association.  Channel 2 won the overall exellence award for small markets (markets 51 and above).  Scott Brown and Dave Harrington were honored for continuing news for their stories on the death of Laura Cummings.  Brown and photographer Ben Read received the award for "Feature: Hard News" for their story on a fallen Marine whose name was placed on a new Navy destroyer. 

The WBFO news department also received national honors in the only awards competition for public radio journalism.  The news staff received the first place award in breaking news for their coverage of the City Grill shootings.  The station was awarded second place in the spot news category, also for City Grill coverage. 

We have one more envelope to open, this time the awards from the New York State Broadcasters Association, which held its annual ceremony in June at the Sagamore Resort Hotel.  WGRZ, Channel 2 won three awards for outstanding news feature, "Vet Bracelet," outstanding locally originated broadcast for its 5pm newscast and outstanding local sporting event for its coverage of the Section VI high school basketball championships.  WNED-TV was honored for outstanding documentary program for its special, "Buffalo's Voices of Steel."

Congratulations to all the award winners!  It's an indication of the quality and excellence we see and hear everyday when we turn on the TV and radio.

BBA's Celebrity 5K Run Big Success

The Buffalo Broadcasters Association staged its most successful Celebrity 5K Run on June

29th, taking runners and walkers along a scenic course that stretched from Canal Side to the Erie Basin Marina.  

This year's run was moved from a Saturday morning to a Wednesday evening, with the starting and finishing lines at the Central Wharf.  About 370 runners registered for the run, which was double last year's figure.  The official scoresheet shows 312 completing the run.  Alex Farrell was the top male runner with a finishing time of 16:07.  Kathryn McMahon was the first female finisher at 18:31.

Several Buffalo broadcasters joined in for the fun -- John DiSiullo and Jason Gruenauer of WKBW-TV, Channel 7, Barry Lillis of WGRZ, Channel 2 (retired), Budd Bailey, running columnist for the Buffalo News and a former radio sportscaster, Russ Burton of 97 Rock and Mark Scott of WBFO.  The Buffalo Broadcasters Association sincerely thanks major sponsors Univera, O'Brien Boyd, Russell's Steaks, Chops and More and Folonari Winery, plus all the participating television and radio stations in Buffalo.  We also thank Budwey's Supermarket and Sahlen's for their food donations and Certo Brothers and Mayer Brothers for beverages and water.  And we wish to cite the hard work of 5K chair Ron Rice, BBA President Dave Gillen, BBA Secretary/Treasurer Herb Flemming and all the volunteers.

Proceeds from the race are going toward the BBA's major project to digitize the thousands of reels of TV news film footage from the late 1960s.  Because of the success of this year's race, the BBA board was able to increase its donation to the Homeless Veterans Association to $1,250. 

The date of next year's race is already set.  So, mark June 28, 2012 on your calendar at the Central Wharf for the BBA Celebrity 5K run. 

Remembering 9/11

by Mark Scott, Newsletter Editor

This month marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.  It's hard to believe it's been a decade!  It seems like it was just yesterday that we learned a beautiful late summer morning was transformed into a national nightmare.  And the repercussions of that tragic day continue to be felt.

We all have our memories of where we were when we learned of the unfolding drama in New York City.  I was just wrapping up my morning workout at the Northeast YMCA when another member told me a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.  It was primary day, which meant my day wouldn't be wrapping up until the early hours of the next morning.  Not yet knowing it was a terrorist attack, I stopped quickly to vote before heading to the radio station.  But then, the second plane hit.  My pager started going off as I rushed down Main Street to our studios on UB's South Campus.  By then, NPR's Bob Edwards was launching what would be ten days of non-stop coverage on WBFO. 

With our program director out of town, our general manager and I made the decision that we would stick with NPR's coverage past the end of Morning Edition at 10am.  Obviously, that was a "no-brainer" because I doubt listeners would be tuning in for their daily jazz fix.  But like so many, we were glued to the newsroom television.  We watched in stunned disbelief as the twin towers burned.  Then came word of the attack on the Pentagon.  But I couldn't watch TV all day.  There was work to do -- stories with local angles to cover.

Unfortunately, we were down a person in the newsroom.  Longtime radio journalist Mike McKay had decided to continue his career as an underwriting sales representative at WBFO.  So, the first thing I did was ask the GM if I could "borrow" Mike for a couple of days.  Our reporters were sent to Buffalo Niagara International Airport and a command center in downtown Buffalo.  Remember, no one knew what the hell was happening that morning or when or where the next attack could occur.  We eventually found out about the crash of United 93 in rural Pennsylvania.  But the presence of the power generating facilities in our region had me thinking an attack here was not outside of the realm of possibility. 

Of course, there were no attacks here.  But I do remember that a day later there was a large industrial fire off the 190 with thick, black smoke that created some concerns locally.  We were all on edge!  And it took a toll on our emotions.  I rarely mis-fire news cuts.  But I did so that day when I was doing some afternoon newscasts.  But we came together as a team.  Even our GM, Jennifer Roth, offered to help out by covering a memorial service on UB's North Campus.  Gabe DiMaio, who is now program director of WNED-FM, was able to reach a friend who worked in the North Tower for an eyewitness interview that was pretty powerful.

I'm sure that you, my colleagues, in radio and TV news have your own stories and memories.  Because of the extra hours I worked that week, I didn't see much, if any, local TV newscasts.  I do recall that WBEN sent Barbara Burns to ground zero.  It had to be challenging for Barb, entering what was essentially a war zone, not knowing what she'd encounter or even where she'd stay.  I'll have to ask her about that some day.  But 9/11 was a chance for news stations like WBEN, WBFO and WNED-AM to shine.

For music stations, it had to be difficult.  I had a chance to have a beer with Jim Pastrick the weekend after the attack.  He told me no one wanted to hear an oldie from the Supremes at a time when the nation was under attack.  Jim was filling in for Danny Neaverth on WHTT on 9/11.  He said his experience as program director of the old WGR, Newsradio 55, helped him that morning and in the days that followed.  He asked his then college-age sons for the names of professors who could join him on the telephone for on-air analysis.  Other music stations presented audio from CNN.  All stations tried to find a way to be relevant. 

So now, it's ten years later.  NPR News will be providing daylong coverage of the anniversary which you can hear (I know, shameless plug) on WBFO and WNED-AM.  No doubt, the cable networks will be there with non-stop coverage.  I'm looking forward to watching the follow-up to that excellent post 9/11 CBS documentary by two filmmakers who happened to be following a New York City fire department when the attacks occurred, which offered them unparalleled access.  But the anniversary is also occuring on the opening weekend of the NFL, too, so I'll be watching our Bills that afternoon. 

I'll never forget waking up the morning after the attacks.  It was another gorgeous day as I put up our US flag on the porch, thinking how things had changed forever.  Yet, life goes on.  And most of us returned to our daily routines.  But this anniversary offers us a time to reflect back on what happened, saying a prayer for the 3,000 people who died and the first responders who went above and beyond to help.  9/11 is a day we'll never forget.