Even without Elvis, those first shows created overnight sensations. Many figured TV was just an experimenta flash in the pan. WBTV weekend meteorologist Leigh Brock announced on Saturday that she is leaving the station. Towards the end of the '60s, color brightened television screens, providing a whole new dimension to WBTV's coverage of world and local affairs. Clipping provided by Jim Scancarelli. Feb 10, 2009. "The first time we did the show live, I hit 'em and nothin' happened. They were married in 1970.Michael McKay (labor leader)Michael McKaySpouse (s)Carol1 more row. Adler began looking for old television series and serials available for his show. The trio also hit upon contests as a way to keep viewers entertained and involved. No. For the first time, Charlotte was the city that was on the map every day." Giant plate glass windows were blown out of Uptown Charlotte. "I've been here most all the time, except the three maternity leaves when my children were born," Betty commented then. UNCC's Jack Clairborne covered the movement for the Charlotte Observer in the '60s. In 1992, he was selected along with Julie Payette, Dave Williams and Chris Hadfield as one of four new Canadian astronauts.He resigned as an astronaut in 1995, but remained active in the program until 1997 working on projects such as the Space Vision System and the . So many of my co-workers have offered much more eloquent tributes to Mike than I possibly could, so Ill share a personal nugget that I know delighted him. Vous rencontrez des problmes de plomberie votre domicile Paris 12 ? ", What WBTV started, other stations quickly copied. His record "Guitar Boogey" was the first song ever to cross from the country charts to rhythm & blues and pop. ". McKay's tall, dark looks and carefully modulated voice are the essence of a television "personality." "The Citadel of everything that I have done was the TV show." His record "Guitar Boogey" was the first song ever to cross from the country charts to rhythm & blues and pop. This month (July 2009) was the 60th anniversary of WBTV, and many of you saw the one-hour special that WBTV ran to commemorate the event. "We got an incredible response to that," he said. 07-23-2019, 11:11 PM tylerSC : Location: Mauldin/Greenville. that old sinking feeling" during the skit. One is shown each Friday night. By Nellie Andreeva. Occasionally a crew member waved a large hook as if to pull Adler-Daisy off the air. WBTV's sports director Jim Thacker was behind the mic. During those years, Arthur was an undisputed starenough of a star to weather controversy. What other two military branches fall under the US Navy? His glasses seemed thick as soft-drink bottles. "You never can tell, really, how you're doing," he said. And then three months later, they're all critics, writing letters complaining about the programming.". We are sad to share the news of the passing of our longtime friend and colleague - Mike McKay. The show also had a cooking segment; hosted by a young home economist named Barbara Stuttstoday she's known as Barbara McKay. I took a 20% pay cut to come. When WBT radio staffers were offered jobs in TV, most refused to make the jump. "We're live, which is most unusual these days," said Adler. It reminded us that, in our files, was the script of the show produced in July 1969 for our 20th anniversary. And the best part of all, documents in their CrowdSourced Library are FREE. Mike McKay on KZMQ. Unlike Strader and Adler, he has been with the show since its inception. Brooke Zauner joined the FOX 5 Atlanta team as a multimedia journalist in June 2020. 30th - 1979. ..Many on houses. Sara James is also in New York, as a correspondent for a national news magazine. Bob Inman, former WBTV anchor, says, "Channel three has always had a regional feelwe were not just a Charlotte stationwe're a Carolinas' station. Previously his show has been carried by WSB (AM) Atlanta, WLS (AM) Chicago, the I.E. He's just started a new record label in Nashville. Adler was wearing a dilapidated pork-pie hat. Barbara Ann McKay Barbara, 42, of Charlotte, NC, died January 11, 2012 at her home. In many waysthe future is now. We also debuted the first news show at noon with Ty Boyd and Clyde McLeana show where Clyde and Ty could have a little fun. Television news was starting to mature. Was it Barbara Stutts that married Mike McKay? Barbara adds, "One of the best parts of "Top of the Day" is that it was all live, and no matter what happened, it was out there. WBTV reporter Steve Crump was on the scene, "There was a flotilla of satellite trucks that (were) out at the Heritage Grand Hotel. He admits he follows the adventures of Flash Gordon as avidly as any regular viewer. The colonel called and wanted to put Elvis on the show and Norman Said "I'm sorryhe's not a jazz performer."" Moira says, "Bob and I were supposed to have gotten theses bonuses for doing national storieswe didn'twe put them in a fund and we traveled on it. The program is called "Mike McKay's Newscope." NOVEMBER 9, 1983. . There are still only about 30 HDTV stations on the air in the United States. "I've been here most all the time, except the three maternity leaves when my children were born," Betty commented then. Doug continues, "We had all learned television togetherand the audience watched us growing with it and learning with it, and they learned with it.". Twenty year-old Mike McKay arrived at WBTV towards the end of the '60s. Sometimes they took riskslike the time Bob agreed to be part of a trick shot with a champion horseshoe thrower in Statesville. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Mike McKay is a famous Australian basketball player. by | Apr 2, 2023 | how old was linda cardellini in freaks and geeks | dameron's independent . Clipping provided by Jim Scancarelli. It didn't match his dismal brown shirt and tie anyway. We're celebrating our anniversary by sharing our memories with you. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. "The magic of television brings you a light bulb stuck in a piece of cardboard," Strader grinned and pushed his glasses higher on his nose. The most recent contest involves amateur movies. Arthur says, "I had one group that tried to get us off TV several times by writing to the sponsorsand said as long as we were doing that sort of thing on the show, they're gonna boycott our products. So says Dr. John Crane who teaches about the media at UNC Charlotte. Who married Mike McKay? When the decade began, we still held to the innocence of the 50's and country music ruled the morning. WBTV was ready to take the next giant step. Sometimesthe entire show hit the road. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Some folks have stayed close to home. By continuing to use this website, you agree to UniCourts General Disclaimer, Terms of Service, It didn't match his dismal brown shirt and tie anyway. Sometimes people you care about leave for big city lights. Jazz musician Loonis McGlohon says, "I'm afraid those of us in the business in the early years were nave. still need them, especially when severe weather breaks out and is headed our way, whether it be a hurricane or snow storm. McKay has no script for this either. And so I, a little tongue in cheek, did a little piece where we started out on the smoldering flames and I saidthat, ladies and gentlemen, is a forest fire. A recent offering named "Attack of the Giant Falcon" - featuring a toy bird that looked like a cross between Donald Duck and a penguin as it terrorized a toy city - was a typical entry, said Adler. We never went out to eat, grandpa bought the groceries, and I truly was the happiest kid alive. This sounds fantastic! Thank you for inviting us into your home. Home; About. The show also had a cooking segment; hosted by a young home economist named Barbara Stuttstoday she's known as Barbara McKay. By does park mgm have a buffet. She says, "It was a period of time you had to prove yourself to the public and also in the newsroom." Public Records Policy. Mike also hosted a daring Friday night show called "Those Were The years". "I just like to have fun.". When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. "I just like to have fun.". Sixty years ago, WBTV signed on the air as the very first television station in the Carolinas. Articles OTHER. I've been here for 21 years now and I was so excited." Local folks became household names hereweatherman Clye "Cloudy" McLeananchorman Doug Mayessinging cowboy Fred Kirby and loyal sidekick "Uncle Jim" Pattersoneditorial philosopher Alan Newcomb and homemaker Betty Feezor. Phillips says this opens up whole new opportunities for two-way TV. Bill Quinn was the second employee hired at WBTV. Mike McKay was the first weatherman I remember. We enjoy listening to you each morning as the host for the music. There were many moans from the crew, which could be heard on the air. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Bill Hess, Program Director for 105.9FM & AM630 WMAL, Please note: If you would like to help McKays family, the family asks for flowers to be sent to: Gaschs funeral home, 4739 Baltimore Ave. Hyattsville, MD 20781. Request Your City Info & Get Answers Today. 20th - 1969. Then came the story in the mid-50's from a young reporter named Nelson Bentonabout an elephant that lived at Charlotte's Airport amusement park. A 30+ year member of the WMAL family, Mike was a kind and generous friend. No Record, No Fee, 100% Guarantee. He always encouraged me to try beer can chicken, but I never did. CJ says, "We did people in obscure places, and we did people who were fairly prominentas long as they were great stories about how people came to be what they are. As the decade of the '80s begana kid from Jacksonville, Florida named Paul Cameronhe and his "loud" sports jackettook over for Thacker. Satellite technology of the '80s made it possible to cover local teams form far away. He also wrote "Dueling Banjos" from the movie "Deliverance. "I remember getting a letter not long after I joined the show," said Adler. Barbara knows that lack of perfection was part of the appeal. About a month ago, Mike was late to work. I did not lose my leg, and Im still alive. It's not structured except for a continuing thing, like 'Flash Gordon,' people have no idea what they're going to see,", From "Flash Gordon," McKay sent the show right into an episode of "The Millionaire." So, WBTV traveled to a frigid Super Bowl in Detroit and to the Final Four in Albuquerque. Even without Elvis, those first shows created overnight sensations. Are you ready to take over? Unlike Strader and Adler, he has been with the show since its inception. Doug adds, "Ours was the only camera there.". He worked as an engineer payload specialist on ground, but did not eventually fly into space. "The basest and lowest common denominator of them all.". Mike was one of the sweetest people I ever worked with. Dee Dee was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and is a proud alumna of the College of William and Mary. Jun 18, 2013 - WBTV is the CBS TV station in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Charlotte news, Charlotte weather, sports, traffic, North Carolina and South Carolina news, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, NASCAR 07-23-2019, 10:11 PM tylerSC : Location: Mauldin/Greenville. CHARLOTTE, N.C., October 18, 2021 (Newswire.com) - Barbara McKay, former WBTV personality, released her first food memoir, Coming Home: Recipes and Reflections from a Life in the Spotlight, on Oct. 13, published by SPARK Publications. He is also ranked in the richest person list from Canada. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Alexis Ken Koontz jointed himfresh from Johnson C. smith University. Charlotte News Staff Writer, "This is definitely TV humor," said giggling television producer Alan Adler, dressed to the hilt as Mr. Whoops E. Daisy, world-famous light bulb collector. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. WBTV's Mike McKay begins hosting a local news magazine program weekdays at 5:30pm. There was unexpected devastation from Hurricane Hugo in September 1989. These daysJohn Carter is our morning anchorbut in the '70s, John did Carolina Camera. McKay and his wife, Carol, have five children and seven grandchildren. Instead of having computers that generate the maps, and bring in satellite shots and things of that sort, we would take a black pen and squirt some ink on it and draw the lows and the highs and fronts and thing like that. But finally, it was finished at 1:03, a.m. McKay urged everybody to tune in next week. By far, THE most significant news story of the '80s, as reported by Sara James, "The eye of the hurricane is expected to pass nearby in the next hour." 58years (July 14, 1963) Moira adds, "Yeahthe seafood festival and all that sort of thing." The falcon devastated the city. Facebook page opens in new window. ", A big part of what Arthur did was live commercials. Moira ends, "We never lost our enthusiasm for what we did." 1 Is Barbara McKay still married to Mike McKay? ", For more than 20 years, Bob Inman was the face and voice of WBTV News. They were all first-class musician, including two brothers, Sonny and Ralph. Today WBTV's newsroom uses satellites, digital cameras and banks of computersits technology that helps us bring you the news fastand technology that's changing by the hour. Walter Cronkite was the Esso reporter in Washington. Todaywe look back at the '80swhen Madonna was the "Material Girl"President Reagan was in the White Houseand on TVmagazine shows were king. ", It was a decade of social changeand not just for women. . There was no such word as "anchorman" in those days. McKay botched one try with an unintentional (and unprintable) bit of sexual double entendre that left him, the crew, Adler and Strader howling. Some folks have stayed close to home. "That's one of the attractions about live TV and about this show. that old sinking feeling" during the skit. Although he was best known for doing weather, Mike did what ever needed doing when he first started. McKay and his wife, Carol, have five children and seven grandchildren. The eye of the storm was clearly defined on weather equipment. The hour-long local news cut its teeth on a disasterthe crash of Eastern Airlines flight #212 on a foggy morning in September 1974. Jack says, "I think the civil rights revolution is, in large part, a product of television news reporting, and television should take great pride in that.". Lawsons path to broadcast journalism started at age 5 when her mother and biggest supporter spied her practicing intros and outros with a hairbrush and a mirror (This is Sharon Lawson with the 6 oclock news.). Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The years changedso did weand so did you. Adler was going on the air this way. Tonight, the show would lead with the outraged falcon. Mike's real last name is also McLean. Some referred to the light bulb collector's appearances on such shows as "Lamp Unto My Feet," "Watts My Line" and "Curse Of The Neanderthal Man.". Jazz musician Loonis McGlohon says, "I'm afraid those of us in the business in the early years were nave. "That got management to thinking. Adler is just one member of the trio who has responsibility to keep the show running smoothly. In 1974another made-for-TV momentthe ACC tournament finalsas NC State defeated Maryland in overtime. That to me is the best story you can tell in this worldis that a person who's known for a given thingand show how they got to that point. He was on WBTV in Charlotte, the CBS affiliate in town. The background was a light bulb stuck in a piece of cardboard that would be projected behind Adler and McKay. You know, you dont go standing up, running. It had never been done, and we were new in the business. Then McKay flashed on screen, welcomed viewers to "Those Were the Years" and moved directly into a segment of "Have Gun Will Travel." ", Covering news in the '70s meant keeping up with the times. Tom Clark turned 93 years old in October. johnny cashville real name; 15452737eba5e65ca705b42cf575f40ac is mike mckay of wbtv still alive He's still writing and performing, but says things now take a little longer. 10th - 1959. I worked in the news department during the early 1970's. Rick & Sherrill All but ten of the 82 people on board lost their lives. Another is Jim Strader, 25, the pale chain-smoking director whose wire-rimmed glasses keep slipping down his nose. Spouse (s) Carol. And you respond. So WBTV was my window to the world til I was 8 yrs. ", The 60'sa decade when many say we lost our innocence. "We knew we had to have a news organization together to do that." 50 hundredths equals how many thousandths,
