Buck, Carney, Murrow and Harvey

I listened on-line this week to a discussion of the greatest broadcasters of all time. It forced me to think about my list which is greatly influenced by where I grew up and my early love affair with radio.

Understand, I grew up listening to The Voice of St. Louis, KMOX Radio. So I’ve got a number of personal influences who probably would not make a national list.

I thought Jack Buck was the consummate communicator. Whether it was doing sports play-by-play, hosting a talk show or emceeing a banquet…Buck was the best. I also grew up listening to Jack Carney, the mid-day guy at KMOX. He was a master communicator and could sell a snowball to an Eskimo. Carney had a profound impact on me.

In historical terms, one of the greatest broadcasters of all-time, in my view, was Edward R. Murrow. I studied his life and career as a part of my graduate studies. Murrow’s rooftop broadcasts during the Battle of Britain are legendary. His courageous denunciations of the tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy were heroic.

On the commentary front, I had a fascination for Paul Harvey. I think his commentaries were precisely written and distinctively delivered. When he left, nobody filled his shoes. Not even close.

Buck, Carney, Murrow and Harvey are worthy of study and have personally influenced me.

You didn’t ask----but now you have my thoughts on the giants of broadcasting---at least in my life.