WCOV NEWS MONTAGE - 1985

WCOV was the CBS affiliate for Montgomery from 1953-86. Though always #2, WCOV was the first in Montgomery with a 5 and 6pm news as well as dual anchor teams. In 1985, WSLA, the CBS affiliate for Western Alabama, increased its coverage area into Montgomery and changed call letters to WAKA . At this time, it launched a much upgraded news product. WAKA's affiliation caused longtime CBS affiliate WCOV to go independent and eventually shutter its news department. For a short time, this tiny market actually had 4 local news departments. Today, WSFA remains dominant with WAKA the only other station in the market producing local news. Note, the anchor's use of no teleprompter in this clip. Anchor Kim Wanous was also the station's news director. The weatherman sold insurance and was the station's announcer.

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• WCOV
• WAKA
• WSLA
• WSFA
• WNCF
• WKAB
• WHOA
• MONTGOMERY
• ALABAMA
• LOCAL
• TV
• NEWS
• KIM
• WANOUS
• BOB
• HOWELL

[swknuckles]

Did anyone notice that the Dow Jones 30 Industrial average closed at 1,315? What a difference 26 years makes!

[rebafan19]

KECY-TV in El Centro, California/Yuma, Arizona had the same music package with cut-ins from 1985-1986 but did not use the CBS News Ticker, they used the And You package from 1979-1987 but used the WCOV 1985 News Theme from 1985-1986

[rebafan19]

KECY-TV in El Centro, California/Yuma, Arizona is another FOX affiliate that also had a local newscast it was called "News 9" as a CBS affiliate

[joebradio]

and the CBS Evening News bumper music

[barneyb3]

The news opening music was from an Ian Anderson solo album (Jethro Tull lead singer) The song was called Fly by night. That was my contribution to the news opening. I am so glad I wasn't doing the sports on this night. I never, ever want to see visual evidence that I used to work in television.

[XB70Valk]

What I'd give to have some of the recordings of his many gaffes on WCOV newscasts. He regularly would blow his stack and curse on the air when things were going badly - not aware that his mic was live. Other times he'd get giggly and couldn't hold it together. It was surreal sometimes. There were a lot of heated exchanges between him and the director, other news staff and others.  It was unsettling then, but would be hilarious to watch today. Definitely "Broadcast News" material.

[XB70Valk]

Oops! Meant to say the Grass Valley 1600 that the Death Star used to activate it's destructo-ray to blow up Alderan. In 1977, only people who worked in TV would have caught that. It looked cool at the time, but would be pretty cheesey today.

[XB70Valk]

Pretty good! You're absolutely right. There was a lot of pirated music and elements that they used back then. Couldn't do that today. I provided one of the sports anchors with a collection of songs from my album collection for him to use as sports beds - music from Rush, Buck Dharma (from BOC), Saga, etc. The production guy used a fast Yngwie Malmsteen instrumental for a Charles Bronson movie week promo. Back then, that was unheard of.

[XB70Valk]

The technology was new for WCOV then, but still sub-standard for the day. An Apple IIe ran an old Chyron - using lengthy, complex command chains to create graphics; 1960s studio cameras; 4 old 2-inch quad VTRs for breaks and production - two had been used to post-produce "Barney Miller," an old walk-in transmitter with tubes and hard-to-find Klystrons, an old Harris audio board with huge dials, and Grass 1600 switcher - like the one that blew up the Death Star in the original Star Wars movie..

[XB70Valk]

Man, it's scary seeing this. I think I actually remember this newscast. I was working that night. I know because my name is in the closing credits. Who posted this? Must've been a former `COV-er. The only ones I can think of who might have a copy of this are Mickey, Lance, Jimmy ... or maybe Kim . I think we recorded it on 3/4" back then.