The Mutual/NBC Radio Reunion--Or, Cash Bar At Its Finest...

In a couple of weeks; broadcasters from near and far will gather at a hotel to eat, drink, mingle, talk about old times and listen to some audio memories from days gone by. Certainly not the first time that's happened in my career...and it probably won't be the last.

But major bashes like the upcoming NBC Radio/Mutual Broadcasting System reunion are special--not just because of the camaraderie, but because we'll have a chance to remember how things were "back in the day." And, for me, at least (although I'm sure others will feel similar); the rememberances will go back a long time. I'll explain, albeit in a roundabout way.

Broadcasting has changed little on the outside in the last ten years. Radio stations and formats come and go. People come and go. But it's changed exponentially on the inside. The purge of NBC/Mutual in August of 1998 was a grand example of how things were about to change industry-wide. In a nutshell; Mel Karmazin, whom you may know now runs Sirius/XM; took over NBC/Mutual and CBS Radio. Mel eventually decided he didn't need NBC/Mutual, or its staff, payroll and general overhead. So, in July of 1998; we were told, en masse, we were being let go and NBC/Mutual's operations would move to NYC, down the hall from CBS. Once those network's contractual obligations to affiliates were fulfilled; NBC and Mutual would be killed off, although that would take a while. CNNRadio would eventually pick up most of those affiliates.

A few of the NBC/MBS crew went to NYC. But literally dozens lost jobs here. Fortunately; all but a few "stragglers" landed on their feet, found other work and moved on. Interesting that, had the networks not folded; most of us might still be there today, working on double-digit anniversaries and calculating our severance.

The NBC/Mutual complex in Crystal City (near National Airport) was old by anyone's standards. While other networks had converted--or were converting--to digital media; NBC/Mutual was still all reel-to-reel and all-cart. For the uninitated, that means we were still recording on and playing back tape. Ironically; Mutual was a pioneer in computer-controlled newscasts, having gone to an automated mic and time gate decades ago. The system is common now, but was way ahead of its time then. The computer fired the theme, turned your mic on and "clipped" you if you ran over. Problem was, by the time I got there in 1995 as an anchor; they were using the same system they used in the early 80s. And it was being held together with chewing gum. And, sadly--that's the way most of the 12th floor was until the end. Hell; if it hadn't been for Norm Pattiz buying NBC Radio; we might have still been using manual typewriters and carbon paper! By the time I got there; the BASYS system hadn't been in the building all that long.

But it was a thrill to work there; a thrill to be on-the-air there; a thrill to contribute. Why?

I grew up with broadcasting. My dad, Jim Hall, was a long-time Mutual anchor and correspondent in the 60s and 70s. For his day, he was considered one of the best in the business. Not only was he a top-notch newsman, but made significant money as a voice talent. I don't say that because he was my father; that's what everyone else said about him. I grew up with that level of the business. When I was growing up; it was glamorous. And, because of who my dad "was;" I knew a lot of the heavies of the time. And, in my various stops in my career; I would run into some of them time and again.

When Jim passed away in 1990; a good deal of the "old-school" MBS people attended his memorial service. It was touching.

Mutual was a big part of my family's life. Thus, when I was hired on to anchor in 1995; I considered that a huge thrill. In the end; I made many friends there. And when we all gather in a couple of weeks; it'll be nice to see them again.

There will be some who will be missing. One who immediately comes to mind is Fred Lowery. One of the most talented radio newspeople ever. Simply the best. And one of the nicest people you would ever know. Fred held down the overnight anchor slot for 20+ years. He liked doing overnights. First; it kept him away from management. Second; it left his days free for golf. We played a lot of golf together.

Every year; Fred would take his five weeks vacation in one big lump. Fred and Ann would drive up to their little "summer place" in Norway, Maine. You can't get there from here. Every year I was at NBC/MBS; I would cover that five weeks of overnights. We wouldn't hear from Fred for five weeks. No phone, no nothing.

In July of 1998; Fred and Ann went to Maine, as they usually did. But this time, it was different. Not long into their stay; Fred became ill. The nearest hospital was nothing more than a "community hospital," with limited medical facilities. It is said Fred walked in the emergency room under his own power. But he never left. His body failed rapidly and he died of a massive infection July 26, 1998. He was only 55. He died much the same way Jim Henson of The Muppets died--a raging staph infection that, by the time doctors got to it--was uncontrollable.

When we got the call the next day--Monday morning; we were, individually and collectively, in shock. I had just gone to bed after working Fred's shift, when anchor Barbara Porter called me to tell me. I wasn't the only one who dropped what they were doing to go in and hang out after hearing the news. It was that kind of place.

Kurt Henschen is another one. Kurt was a familiar news voice on WMAL in the 70s before going to MBS. He died of ALS two years ago. We had a wake for him in May of 2006.

Ironically; I did the last-ever Mutual newscast from Crystal City. It was the 5 AM show on Sunday morning, 8/30/98. It was nothing more than luck of the schedule. Otherwise; someone else might have done it. But for me; it was apt. 35 years of family history with the network...and I'm the one who gets to shut it down.

The 6 AM newscast came out of NYC. Jim Chenevey anchored it. But I had to have a newscast ready and be in the booth, just in case.

On Monday, 8/31, we all went in for one last day to clean out our boxes and get our severance checks.

You can listen to the last MBS newscast from Crystal City here.

I'm hoping the NBC/MBS reunion is a great blowout. I hope we all have great fun. A big thank-you to Jill Nado, Judy Thomas and Rita Rich for putting this together.

I'll always remember the great time I had working there--both in high school as a tape editor and as an anchor as an adult. I know many others will feel the same way. That's because despite the problems inherent to a big broadcast news operation--translation: all the bullshit we went through; we were all made better for the experience.