It was around this time that they had the motto, "If you missed WBAL Action News, you missed A LOT of News."
WFBR's morning man Johnny Walker used to have fun with that motto, and make fun of the local newscasters. As well, his "Litttle News of The Morning" was a scream: "From Around the World, Across the nation, and up your alley, it's time for the little news of the morning!" He'd make fun of Mimi DiPietro, Hyman Pressman (snicker), W.D. Schafer, and Babs Mikulski, among others.
When it comes to 1970s television news, one thing pops into my head...
RON BURGUNDY
I'm a journalism student in college, and a hugh TV news junkie.
I only love the old school television news goodies - Cronkite, Chancellor/Brinkley, chroma-keyed sets, groovy news themes, jobs as "on-camera field reporter" starting to flourish, etc.
@eyeontv KPNX (then known as KTAR-TV) was owned by Combined Communications Corporation, which Gannett acquired in 1979. (Gannett still owns KPNX.) KPNX's "Action News" used "Classical Gas" from approximately 1978-79.
yeah looks like either a JVC or Sony 1600 camera. A single tube color camera that was designed to work with a portable 3/4" deck. Remember, 3/4" tape was not originally designed for broadcast. It required a time base corrector and the resolution was only about 250 lines. We definitely pushed the technology to the limits back then.
@NWcopter Yes, It does definitely look like a Sony DXC-1600, which was the camera that was introduced simultaneously with Sony's first portable 3/4" deck they released in '74 (the VO-3800), according to its page at the "LabGuy's World" website. Definitely a industrial, rather than broadcast, grade of video gear, but portable and good enough to usher in the ENG era.
What kind of small ENG video camera is in that opening? Certainly does not look like any ENG camera I've seen before(The 70's one I'm familiar with is RCA's TK-76).
Thank you for posting. This was an excellent opening of a well-produced series of newscasts for WBAL-TV... So successful that they used this opening and their impressive "NewsCenter-like" set for about five years, unchanged. As a news junkie and a fan, I have fond memories.
It was around this time that they had the motto, "If you missed WBAL Action News, you missed A LOT of News."
WFBR's morning man Johnny Walker used to have fun with that motto, and make fun of the local newscasters. As well, his "Litttle News of The Morning" was a scream: "From Around the World, Across the nation, and up your alley, it's time for the little news of the morning!" He'd make fun of Mimi DiPietro, Hyman Pressman (snicker), W.D. Schafer, and Babs Mikulski, among others.
RadioFreeSpike 1 year ago
Did Mason Williams get paid for that? It sounds like Classical Gas.
thatmuse76 1 year ago 2
When it comes to 1970s television news, one thing pops into my head...
RON BURGUNDY
I'm a journalism student in college, and a hugh TV news junkie.
I only love the old school television news goodies - Cronkite, Chancellor/Brinkley, chroma-keyed sets, groovy news themes, jobs as "on-camera field reporter" starting to flourish, etc.
newscaster13 2 years ago 2
Pause at 0:17 - Isn't that suppose to be the WJZ-TV studios in the upper middle next to it's television transmitter?
WordUp4Life 2 years ago
WJZ and WBAL (as well as WBFF and WNUV) are in the same area called "Television Hill" here in Baltimore.
It's funny that in all my years living here, I'm so damn nervous to visit one of the stations!!
THEsquirrel3d 2 years ago
I'm Ron Burgundy.
You stay classy, Baltimore.
dodgerdodgerbubodger 3 years ago
WBAL isn't by chance owned by Gannett is it?
Sounds like the intro KPNX in PHoenix used in 1981 or so?
Davidingilbert 3 years ago
WBAL is owned by Hearst, KPNX did use the same theme though.
eyeontv 3 years ago
@eyeontv KPNX (then known as KTAR-TV) was owned by Combined Communications Corporation, which Gannett acquired in 1979. (Gannett still owns KPNX.) KPNX's "Action News" used "Classical Gas" from approximately 1978-79.
RJSchex 1 month ago
yeah looks like either a JVC or Sony 1600 camera. A single tube color camera that was designed to work with a portable 3/4" deck. Remember, 3/4" tape was not originally designed for broadcast. It required a time base corrector and the resolution was only about 250 lines. We definitely pushed the technology to the limits back then.
NWcopter 3 years ago
@NWcopter Yes, It does definitely look like a Sony DXC-1600, which was the camera that was introduced simultaneously with Sony's first portable 3/4" deck they released in '74 (the VO-3800), according to its page at the "LabGuy's World" website. Definitely a industrial, rather than broadcast, grade of video gear, but portable and good enough to usher in the ENG era.
pvx 1 year ago
It was an early Sony camera, before 3/4" ENG really got underway.
eyeontv 3 years ago
What kind of small ENG video camera is in that opening? Certainly does not look like any ENG camera I've seen before(The 70's one I'm familiar with is RCA's TK-76).
kimberlyKfnOphiEAGLE 3 years ago
Who did the station identifications for WBAL-TV back in the 1980s? And to this day does someone say "this is WBAL-TV 11"
Nadav34 3 years ago
I believe it was Royal Parker
bubbaflavel 3 years ago
Damn I can't say I remember this being that I was only 3yrs old at the time damn I miss the good ole days.
:(
kingbmore73 4 years ago
I remember that opening tune; very catchy.
rldavis1959 4 years ago
Very 70s
robkb1fjr 4 years ago
omg! that was wonderful, i remember that so much... sniffs....
springloadedchicken 4 years ago
Channel 11 should bring this music back.
Squirrel3D 4 years ago 2
By using London Philharmonic Orchestra?
angelapleasant2007 3 years ago
Thank you for posting. This was an excellent opening of a well-produced series of newscasts for WBAL-TV... So successful that they used this opening and their impressive "NewsCenter-like" set for about five years, unchanged. As a news junkie and a fan, I have fond memories.
bdlyles 4 years ago 4
I love those "Classical Gas" based themes! I wonder if Mason Williams ever collected a royalty on them?
DCMemories 4 years ago 3