WBAL Action News Open 1976

From WBAL Baltimore Maryland's Leading News Station, its Action News! One of my favorite all-time opens with the high energy Classical Gas theme.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• WBAL
• Action
• News
• Open

[Davidingilbert]

WBAL isn't by chance owned by Gannett is it?

Sounds like the intro KPNX in PHoenix used in 1981 or so?

[eyeontv]

WBAL is owned by Hearst, KPNX did use the same theme though.

[eyeontv]

It was an early Sony camera, before 3/4" ENG really got underway.

[bdlyles]

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.

[DCMemories]

I love those "Classical Gas" based themes! I wonder if Mason Williams ever collected a royalty on them?

[RJSchex]

@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.

[pvx]

@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.

[RadioFreeSpike]

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.

[thatmuse76]

Did Mason Williams get paid for that? It sounds like Classical Gas.

[THEsquirrel3d]

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!!

[newscaster13]

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.

[WordUp4Life]

Pause at 0:17 - Isn't that suppose to be the WJZ-TV studios in the upper middle next to it's television transmitter?

[bubbaflavel]

I believe it was Royal Parker

[dodgerdodgerbubodger]

I'm Ron Burgundy.

You stay classy, Baltimore.