BIG Voices... Lasting Legacies
I wasn't going to write much more about George Jennings. Honestly, I've been consumed since Friday reconnecting with old radio friends, and thinking a lot about relationships, and the ratio of careers vs community.
I'm also trying to help coordinate a "George story swap" session with some of the media folks who were caught in the Jennings' whirlwind at one point or another, hoping to convince Nancy, his bride of 45 years, to join us.
I knew George Jennings was a pioneer in the industry, and an amazing broadcaster, but I never realized the length of his legacy, and sadly I suspect George didn't either.
Anyway, while emailing "my old friend" Harlan, who gently helps correct my grammatical errors, and mentioning I wasn't going to write for a few days, I tripped over to a blog which I've been checking lately that is devoted to the Little Rock station which Jennings help put on the air, and where he became a "star." The blog is authored by a longtime friend of the Jennings family.
It contains a lot more stuff about George from people who knew him years and years ago.
I pirated the photo below from that blog site, and then found a link to one of GEORGE J. JENNINGS' newscasts from January of 1964 which is so priceless that I couldn't resist downloading the audio and putting it up on my server for anyone interested to hear. You'll find a link to the newscast below the photo.
Be forewarned it's a four minute newscast, complete with commercials, weather, and almost anything else imaginable...so it's a large file. If you don't have high-speed access, you'll have to be very patient.
Also bear in mind, it was 1964 so there is a word or two used that has long since been replaced in the American vernacular. No one will ever be able to replace George though...of that I am certain.
Take a BIG step back in time and hear a BIG voice by clicking here.Enjoy.
posted by Michael
©The Main Point by Michael Main
2 Comments
2 Comments:
I do know after spending long hours in the control room with George, he was a consumate news man, and you've depicted the image I have of him quite well.
I still recall the Saturday Night Live skit during the 1990 Gulf War, where reporters repeated asked inane questions. While I roared with laughter over this seeming idiocy, George corrected me. "We do that. You keep stating the obvious until they get flustered, then they say something stupid and truthful!", he told me. He then embarked on a story I've long forgotten about some politician who fell for the same trick by admitted an indiscretion after chastisting the reporters to quit asking him the same questions, and George scored his copy for the day.
Don't forget the cigars he smoked in the control room.
I was very saddened to hear about George's death.
George Jennings had a voice which immediately drew the listener's attention. From those youngsters who waited breathlessly for his announcements of school closures due to bad weather, to the larger news which seeminly impacted the community deeply as a whole. He cannot/should not ever be forgotten as a tower of radio news.
To the Jennings family, friends, coworkers and listeners...he will be missed.
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