This recording is completely UNEDITED and direct from the KLIF logger tape. The audio is fair to good, and at times and you will hear an occasional ‘ghosting’ effect from the original analog tape.The Rex Jones show is underway in normal format when the first bulletin is reported by newsman Gary DeLaune at 12:39 pm. The song “I Had A Boyfriend” by The Chiffons is interrupted. Amazingly, the initial coverage is sporadic and without many details as KLIF was somewhat caught with their pants down. The attitude seemed to be that of reporting on something that probably was nothing, and then you can tell when the attitude changes as they obviously realize the nature of what they were dealing with.

A second bulletin interrupts at 12:44 and again with Joe Long on his mobile unit at 12:47. They are very careful NOT to say the President is dead as is being widely reported elsewhere! At 12:51, a fourth bulletin is heard, and then at 12:54 begins non-stop news coverage with Gary DeLaune and Joe Long in the mobile unit.
At 12:51 Gordon McLendon phones in a report from the Trade Mart and at 1:00 Joe Long arrives at the downtown KLIF studios and does a quick report before racing into the studios to anchor. Roy Nichols takes over in the mobile unit and reports at 1:08. Non-stop coverage continues with Joe Long and Gary DeLaune.

At 1:38 an erroneous report of a secret service agent is aired and at 1:38, Gordon McLendon arrives in the studio and begins co-anchoring with news director Joe Long. Gordon reports “strong rumors” that the President is dead”. Long is quick to add that this is an unconfirmed report.

At 1:48pm Long and McLendon officially report that the President is dead.

The entire story of the coverage is included in my KLIF History Website…. [NOTE: An EDITED version of the actual aircheck of this day was issued on Capitol records in 1964. Titled “The Fateful Hours”, much of the misreporting and errors were understandably taken out.]

On November 22 and 23, 2003, REELRADIO was proud to present an expanded eight hour replay of KLIF news coverage from November 22, 1963. A description for that anniversary-only special presentation is available here.