This story doesn't have much to do with WKYC, but it's a tv related item of interest which I felt is worth mentioning.Early Tuesday morning, the broadcasting industry lost a legend - KTLA Anchor Hal Fishman. His passing is important because he was the longest-running news anchor in television history. Hal died at age 75 from colon cancer that had spread to his liver - a disease only he was aware of until he collapsed last week at home. His final broadcast was Monday, July 30th.
I regularly watched Hal anchor KTLA's 10 pm "Prime" newscast through Dish Network's Superstation service. Hal was one of the most polished & articulate news anchors I have ever seen. He had a journalistic integrity you rarely see anymore. You trusted what Hal said.
Hal was a fixture on Los Angeles TV for nearly 50 years. The last several decades, he was a mainstay on the newsdesk of Channel 5, KTLA - having been hired by Gene Autry when he bought the station in 1965.
He was also seen recently in the "Spiderman 3" movie, playing himself as a TV news anchor.
Our own WKYC General Manager Brooke Spectorsky worked with Hal and the KLTA team as director of programming from 1979 to 1981 - and I am sure Brooke remembers Hal well.
So, please take a moment of your time to visit the KTLA website and pay tribute to the man who, for so long, had a tremendous impact on more than just a few of us in the industry.
To watch video of KTLA's multi-part memorial to Hal: CLICK HERE
Photo Courtesy: KTLA
