Remembering Paul Harvey By Ryan Robinson
Today is a sad day in America and American culture as we know it. Paul Harvey, a famous news/media commentator has died yesterday (2/28/09). He was 90. I personally remember Paul Harvey from when I was, (and still) growing up. My mom and I would always listen to him when Rush was on WABC. He would always start of with the song “Spirit in the Sky” and then he’d interject with, “Hello Americans, I’m Paul Harvey. You know what the news is, in a minute, you’re going to hear … the rest of the story,” And at the end say, “Paul Harvey … Good day.” His funny stories and parts of the news we’d never hear will still go on with his younger son taking over tomorrow, but the broadcast will never again be the same. These are a few quotes from people who have mentioned about Paul Harvey’s death.
“My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news. So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend.”
-Paul Harvey Jr.
“Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation’s history. As he delivered the news each day with his own unique style and commentary, his voice became a trusted friend in American households. His career in radio spanned more than seven decades, during which time countless millions of listeners were both informed and entertained by his “News & Comment” and “Rest of the Story” features. Even after the passing of his loving wife Angel in May 2008, Paul would not slip quietly into retirement as he continued to take the microphone and reach out to his audience. We will miss our dear friend tremendously and are grateful for the many years we were so fortunate to have known him. Our thoughts and prayers are now with his son Paul Jr. and the rest of the Harvey family. ”
-ABC Radio Networks President Jim Robinson
“Laura and I are saddened by the death of Paul Harvey,” former President George W. Bush said Saturday night. “Paul was a friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans. His commentary entertained, enlightened and informed. Laura and I are pleased to have known this fine man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
-Former President George W. Bush
To conclude, here is a little bit of Paul Harvey history and his life from Wikipedia since the regular Paul Harvey site is being changed:
Paul Harvey, born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, made radio receivers as a boy. In 1933, at a high school teacher’s suggestion, he started working at KVOO in Tulsa, where he helped clean up and eventually was allowed to fill in on the air, reading commercials and news.
Later, while attending the University of Tulsa, he continued working at KVOO as an announcer, and later as a program director. Harvey spent three years as a station manager for a local station in Salina, Kansas. From there, he moved to a newscasting job at KOMA in Oklahoma City, then moved on to KXOK, in St. Louis, where he was Director of Special Events and also worked as a roving reporter.
In 1940, Harvey moved to Hawaii to cover the United States Navy as it concentrated its fleet in the Pacific. He was returning to the mainland from assignment in Hawaii when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Harvey served briefly as an enlisted man in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II from December 1943 until March 1944.
After leaving military service, Harvey moved to Chicago, where in June 1944, he began broadcasting from the ABC affiliate WENR. He quickly became the most popular newscaster in Chicago. In 1945, he began hosting the postwar employment program Jobs for G.I. Joe on WENR. Harvey added The Rest of the Story as a tagline to in-depth feature stories in 1946. The spots became their own series in 1976. On April 1, 1951 the ABC Radio Network debuted Paul Harvey News and Comment “Commentary and analysis of Paul Harvey each weekday at 12 Noon”. Paul Harvey was also heard originally on Sundays; the first Sunday program was Harvey’s introduction. Later, the Sunday program would move to Saturdays. The program has continued ever since.
From the late 1960s through the early 1980s, there was a televised, five-minute editorial by Paul Harvey that local stations could insert into their local news programs, or show separately. On May 10, 1976, ABC Radio Networks premiered The Rest of the Story as a separate series which provided endless surprises as Harvey dug into stories behind the stories of famous events and people. Harvey’s son, a concert pianist, created and produced the series. He remains the show’s only writer.
In late 2000, Harvey signed a 10-year, $100 million contract with ABC Radio Networks. A few months later, he was off the air after damaging his vocal cords. He returned in late August 2001.
Harvey’s News and Commentary is streamed on the World Wide Web twice a day. Paul Harvey News has been called the “largest one-man network in the world,” as it is carried on 1,200 radio stations, 400 Armed Forces Network stations around the world and 300 newspapers. His broadcasts and newspaper columns have been reprinted in the Congressional Record more than those of any other commentator.
So, remember, “Now you know, the REST of the story!”