KXOK Essential News, 1963 (0:05:14)

… . . . Get the facts, first, always from . . . …

[From Uncle Ricky: We originally believed this one to be from 1963, but a COMMENT (from a dedicated baseball fan) presents a serious case for August 23, 1962.]

[Description by Bob Green]

A discussion on where TV news is headed had me think of this KXOK newscast from 1963. You have to have at least a smile on your face listening to this. The carefree abundance of the use of banks of Mackenzies and the overall approach has many people in stitches. This is how it was done at many of the Storz stations in the early sixties.

But, hey – wait a minute! Is this really so different than some local TV news in 1997? Instead of electronic and musical separators and purely showbizzy copy lines for each item covered – now it’s wild GRAPHICS – along with electronic and musical separators along with questionable showbizzy copy. We have it here with the NBC affiliate. BIG BOLD GRAPHIC for the BIG STORY: FIRE ANTS ATTACK DEFROCKED NUN!

It gives creedence to the old .. “What goes around, comes around.”

Welcome to the new ReelRadio!

This site is now operated by the North Carolina Broadcast History Museum. 

We want to thank the board of ReelRadio, Inc. for their stewardship since the passing of the founder Richard Irwin in 2018.  It has not been easy and they have maintained the exhibits for future generations to enjoy.

I met Richard Irwin, aka Uncle Ricky, when we were freshmen at East Carolina University.  We both had worked at local stations in our hometowns.  No one was more passionate about radio, especially Top 40 radio, than my friend Richard. 

Our goals with this site are to preserve the exhibits and make them available free of charge for people to enjoy.  Over time, we hope to add some airchecks to the site.  This will not happen immediately.  Time and resources will determine the future of new exhibits. 

Many thanks to the web folks at the Beasley Media Group for countless hours of work.  Again thanks to the board members of ReelRadio, Inc. for their faith in us. 

Richard Irwin’s hope was that his site would live on long after his passing. He said, “I hope REELRADIO will survive as my contribution to the ‘radio business’. The business is allowed to forget me, but the business should never forget the great era of radio that we celebrate here”.

We remember Richard and we thank him. If you enjoy this new site, we would appreciate a contribution. We hope you enjoy the new ReelRadio!

Carl Davis
Trustee
North Carolina Broadcast History Museum