All: This Is My Last Day - Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

UPI Radio started in 1958 as UPI Audio and became the UPI Radio Network in 1983. In my early years, I worked what was called the deep onite – the deep overnight, usually 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next morning. During that shift I was often called upon to record a spot for the hourly broadcast. I would get a call from New York, which was our headquarters at the time, and asked to give them a bit for the day’s Nixon story. The story was usually around 600 words long and my task was to boil it down into a 25- to 30-second summation.

Once I had my paragraph ready, I went into a sound-proof booth, called New York and told them I was ready. I would turn on the microphone, give a voice level and start reading.
“Not bad, Dave. A bit long, can you shorten it some?” I’d take it back and shave a few words and back into the booth.
Then it wasn’t the length that was the problem; it was me. My voice was good. My enthusiasm needed a kick.
“Uh, not bad, Dave, can you try again and get a little excitement into it?”
After about the fifth time, I’d get, “OK, Dave, we’ll be able to work with it.” I was not broadcast material.

I learned early on to admire broadcast people. Once, while covering a court-martial of a blind Navy heart surgeon – really – I had to use a break in the proceedings to call in a fresh lead to my story. I went into the media room, sat in front of a telephone and started poring through my notes. While immersed in my scribbling, a man with one of the networks came in, sat down next to me, picked up a phone and started dictating, “On the third day of Commander Billig’s court-martial …” And on he went, without a pause. I sat with my mouth open and thought, “How the hell did he do that?”
In 1996, I found myself working closely with the radio folks – literally. The news desk was placed in the same room and right behind the main broadcast station.
Shortly after the news side moved in, I was not paying attention to the radio guys and was reading a rather bad lead to a story and let out a loud, “God dammit!”
Rod Bower was at the helm in front of me and when he finished talking, he turned to me and said, “Congratulations, Dave, you just made your first live broadcast.”
I learned to watch the clock.
I also learned how the radio folks worked. They let me interview people while taping. Typical print guy, I was, interjecting with my own, “oh, really,” “Yeah, I understand,” “uh, huh.” When the interview was over, I learned another broadcast lesson: Shut up. Every time I said something, they had to cut it from the tape.
Peter Burns was a veteran radio man when he caused a bit of a stir at UPI on Christmas Eve 1997. I'll let the message from an irate listener tell what happened:
From: Richard Boverie
December 24, 1997
CC: Sunday School Bd-So. Bapt; catholic email exchange; catholic news service; rev billy graham; senator kennedy
RE: PC
TO: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
On the 4:00 a.m. radio news this morning, UPI’s Peter Burns, who normally is very solid, referred to “this multicultural holiday season.” My guess is that the ACLU, Senator Kennedy and others of their ilk applaud this formulation which ignores that dreaded word “Christmas,” but as for me I gagged when I heard it.
Merry Christmas
Richard Boverie
West Palm Beach, Florida

This complaint seemed laughable. However, UPI CEO James Adams took it seriously and sent this missive to the radio folks:
From: James Adams
If one of our reporters really used the words “multicultural holiday season,” he should be politely told that Christmas is Christmas, Kwanza is Kwanza and Hanakah is Hanakah. Say what you mean, be precise. Lesson one. Or do we need to send our reporters back to school??? J

Ah, yes, how to endear yourself to the staff.

While UPI managed to survive, UPI Radio was sold out of existence in 1999. But there were signs of its impending doom early on. Jim Russell, who worked in UPI audio in Washington, Saigon and New York, related his departure in February 1971.

I left UPI and UPI Audio before the end, but I distinctly remember my last day. Backing up a little, I had just spent 18 months in Vietnam and Cambodia, and was offered an extended tour in Phnom Penh. My salary was $10,000 and, as I tell my kids, even in those days that was piss poor money. Regarding Phnom Penh, I got into an argument with UPI because they didn’t want to pay me a "war differential" because there was no declared war in Cambodia! That and the fact that I had a three-month-old baby born in Saigon … led me and my wife to decline UPI’s offer and return to the States.
However, there was no room for me in the Washington, D.C., UPI Audio bureau from whence I had come before the war; the best they could do was the overnight ("lobster") shift at NXA (New York Audio). I was living in Central Jersey, the closest I could afford, and commuting three hours a day on a Greyhound bus into the Port Authority at 11 p.m. each night! I asked for a small raise and was told that "you can be replaced with a warm body." In 1971, I applied for and got a job at the brand new National Public Radio – one of their first three reporters.
On my very last day, I found myself going down in the Daily News elevator with Pete Willett (general manager of broadcast services) and an even bigger UPI big shot whose name I have forgotten. Willett introduced me as "one of our very bright young men." He didn’t add, "very bright young men on his way out."
A postscript. My replacement in Phnom Penh, the non-war zone, was Frank Frosch. He was dead a month after he replaced me, shot at close range on a road I had often traveled on.
Morale? Sometimes, there’s a reason why you gotta go. I went on to produce and later executive produce NPR’s All Things Considered and help develop Morning Edition. Yet I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the incredibly hard-working scrappy characters I knew at UPI and UPI Audio. It was the best training ground I ever had. It taught me how to write and report, and how to do so fast and accurately. And it taught me how to compete as David against Goliath. Thank you, UPI and colleagues.
Cheers all,
Jim Russell
On Aug. 19, 1999, UPI lost its radio department — the voices of UPI.
Tom Foty, a long-time veteran of UPI Radio and UPI Audio, put it well in an article for Radio World:
"A quarter century ago, Americans heard a president of the United States resign his office. ... Almost to the day, twenty-five years later, UPI resigned itself as a broadcast news service."

On the last day of this part of UPI, I started with my farewell to them with a bit of theft:
All
Good morning!
Drink with me to days gone by
To the life that used to be
At the shrine of friendship
Never say die
Let the wine of friendship
Never run dry
Here’s to you
And here’s to me
Of all the farewells I have seen over the past 30 years, this amputation stings above all. We have said goodbye to friends — members of the UPI family. But now we say goodbye to friends and a tradition, a history, a legacy, a proud chapter.
Goodbye to Rod Bower, Neal Augenstein, Jim Burns, Dennis Daily, Tom Delach, Dana Carl, Pye Chamberlayne, Warren Corbett, Don Fulsom, Sharon Gotkin, Greg Haber, John Meagley, Craig Smith, Shirley Smith, Dmitri Sotis, Andrew Stewart, Larry Webb, Dave Winslow, Myra Lopez, Peter “multi-cultural holiday” Burn, and all the others outside Washington who served well.
And we remember Bill Clough, Diane Kepley, Ed Silk, Bobbie Murphy, Carol Van Dam, Gene Gibbons, Bill Greenwood, Ted Shields, Dennis Gulino, Roger Gittines, Merrilee Cox, Vicky Barker, Bonnie Erbe, Tom Foty, and many, many more.
To all, we say goodbye, well done, good luck and, above all, THANK YOU!!
Rosso-wa

Rosso-wa
Morn. Well said. Haskell-bh (Boston)

Rosso
Nice sentiments, thanks. It’s a strange and uncomfortable feeling. I started with UPI in June 1968, but going through my files ystd I found a memo from only 5 years ago from the “UPI travel department,” reminding people that UPI “can provide employees and their families with the same discounts we receive for our corporate travel.” In hindsight, what a rapid decline it has been. Thanks for your help and your good humor. It’s been a wild ride.
Jay-sm (Cleveland)

Allpoints
(farewell) as UPI radio becomes an asterisk in the company’s history, I’d like to take a moment to personally thank everyone who cheerfully put their “real work” aside, and responded in the affirmative to the question, “can we do a little something for radio?” it was your generous contributions that made our tiny radio operation into a network. For those of you who ever answered a question when it wasn’t convenient, shared a tidbit of background on a story, or passed along a foner, thanks again for the kindness. It’s been fun, everyday. I’ll miss you all! Neal (Augenstein-Washington)

aug-
well said. Stay in touch. Kelsey-dx (Denver)

augenstein
best of luck to you, neal, and to rod, dmitri and all other radioers. I had no confidence in doing radio spots at first because of my false teeth rattling around in my mouth, but you folks helped me through it, and I thank you. Rgds. Haskell-bh

augenstein
will miss working with you, neal, and all of our radio shock troops. It was fun. If I can, will try to stop in before end of the day if you’re receiving visitors. Rgds. Kirk

augenstein
ur smooth, cool q&a voice amidst breaking stris always helped me gain fresh perspective and improve the report. Thnx, neal, and thnx for putting up w me. All the best. Chrs. Johnson-du (Detroit)

all
I’ve agonized over this message for days and rather than ply you with weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, I’ve settled on sharing with you the two things I will miss the most about UPI.
First, is the constant challenge and competition with colleagues to come up with the blackest, sickest humor anyone could imagine in any given situation (hey, it’s like UPI — if you take it seriously it will kill you).
Second, is the daily interaction with folks who over the years have become my second family. We’ve celebrated triumphs and mourned disasters together, we’ve watched our kids grow up and colleagues grow old and die. We’ve leaned on each other to conquer each new adversity UPI threw our way and now we wish each other well as we turn off the mic for the last time. And despite the promises and back-slapping, many of us know in our hearts that after today, the chances are very good that we’ll probably never see each other again, for as much as we’ve suffered together, it will seem empty.
Good luck everyone. Never forget you were part of a proud tradition. And I do want to tell you how proud I’ve been to represent you on labor issues with the company. I’ll never regret when all those years ago I resolved that I could not in good conscience criticize our working conditions and at the same time do nothing about them.
Tnx in advance and rgds, bower-waa

All
After almost 20 years of stringing for UPI radio (and the religion feed), it’s hard to believe this day has arrived. I’m proud to have played a small part in the network’s larger body of work. I would notnot have contributed as much over the years if it had not been for the professionalism, friendship and spirit of everyone at the radio desk, including those past names mentioned elsewhere this morning. I was always proud to hear the network’s cuts or newscasts in far-flung and/or remote places and was particularly pleased when technology finally permitted filing audio by e-mail. Despite all the vagaries of this business, I really never thought that the radio network would disappear. My worn-out UPI mic flag symbolizes a heck of a good product churned out by the network 24/7 year after year after year. All the best to everyone. Please stay in touch. Time for the outcue, lest this become a V-F instead of a V.
“Mike Cooper, Atlanta.”

Rosso-wa. Well said, indeed. Let’s not forget Bill Small, Tom Gauger, Howard Dicus, Barbara Campbell, Jim Ludwin, Ken Robbins.
Nason-hc (Los Angeles)

Neal (who’s that tall guy asking the embarrassingly germaine question?) augenstein, et all. It’s bin a pleasure with you folks. U are pros. Bennett-hc

All-waa. It’s been a blast. Being part of the upi radio network has been one of the great pleasures of my life. You may know that the company has decided to keep me, to write and edit entertainment features. It’s a lucky break for me, but it doesn’t change the fact that, as of 12:50 today, I’m out of radio. I’ll miss it, and I’ll miss working with the fine group of pros who made UPI radio what it was. Chrs. Nason-hca

All-waa
Unfortunately, because of the bodily stiffness eye’m going thru after my car accident Tuesday, eye will be unable to make the party this afternoon. However, please know that eye will be there in spirit.
As rosso sed earlier, this is a cut that hurts deeply. In the past, when cutbacks have been made, we all got angry and upset because good people were put out of work and we didn’t understand why. This situation is especially personal for me because eye’ve worked with and known many of you for a very long time. Eye really shudnt single anyone out, but, of the current lot, Rod, Larry, Shirley and Pye know more about what we’ve been thru in the 14 years eye’ve been with UPI more than anyone else and eye believe they can recall episodes that make me say that.
(btw, mr. Bower—how is it that we will no longer utter our special hello greeting that only you and eye could do? You know how we do — that name calling thing? Even now, eye have a smile on my face because we did it for so long that eye still get a kick out of it.)
at any rate, in the current and next reorg plan, my days may also be numbered. Eye’ve been out of work b4, once when eye had no choice and the other time when eye didn’t. even tho eye didn’t worry then and eye’m not worried now about it, it can be a daunting thing for some. All eye can tell you is have faith, trust in God and he’ll work it out.
All of u have talent that makes you employable, even if it is not in this business. Remember and have confidence in that as you search for and then move on to your next endeavour (MYRA, did you get that?) the absolute best of luck to all of you.
Colbert-was

Foty recalled many historic moments -- Pye Chamberlain on Nixon, Alan Dawson in his last broadcast from Saigon, Carole Van Dam in Washington, Bill Small at the White House.

Shirley Smith was on the air:
Hello affiliates, it’s time for a newscast, possibly the very last one we have here at UPI Radio, the last full one …. On a personal note now, this is the final day of operations at UPI Radio. The UPI Radio network will cease to exist and service will be transferred to AP. I know that I speak for all of us in the broadcast division when I say that it has been an honor to be associated with such a professional and historic organization.

Rod Bower:
This is the UPI Radio network in Washington with the 12:10 p.m. eastern time network hourly news feed. The final news feed. New materials on the feed, cuts 63 through 66.

The last actual news cut:
Cut 65. Close friends, including Vernon Jordan, are awaiting the president’s arrival on Martha’s Vineyard to celebrate his 53rd birthday. Before leaving, White House staffers are expected to give Clinton a gift at a private low-keyed gathering. The president’s wife and daughter are accompanying him to the vineyards. The family will spend a week on the island, their favorite vacation spot, then make a brief trip to the Hamptons on Long Island before going on to their final vacation spot, the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. The president will be taking along his golf clubs and a half dozen or so books.
Don Fulsom, the White House.

Fulsom had started with UPI in 1967.
Craig Smith, who began in 1971, “effectively put out the lights,” as Foty put it.

One final story. This is the last broadcast from UPI Radio. United Press International is getting out of the radio business and has sold its contracts to Associated Press Radio. For those of us suddenly out of work, it has been fun. We feel UPI Radio has done its job well over all, even as we struggled with fewer and fewer resources. So, we sign off now with smiles, memories, a few tears, but no regrets. I’m Craig Smith.

After a few sound bites from radio archives, Foty strung together sign offs from familiar Unipressers:
Ed Kerins, New York; Tom Foty at the White House; Merrilee Cox, Washington; This is Bill Greenwood in Washington; Gene Gibbons at the White House; this is Brian McFadden in New York; I’m Camile Bohannon; Greg Haber, New York; I’m Paul Westpheling on business;
Good morning, everybody, I’m Bob Berger; I’m Andy Pollin, and that’s my side; Howard Dicus, UPI Radio News; I’m Sofia Manos on business; This is David Oziel at the editor’s desk with Daybook; This is Roger Gittines; I’m Nick Charles; Charles Van Dyke, UPI Radio News;
This is Ben Dudley; This is Ed Ingles; This is Bill Rozinski; This is Art McAloon in New York; I’m Ron Amadon; This is Jack Anderson in Washington; This is Mike Aulabaugh talking about your money; This is Sonja Hillgren with Farm Focus; this is Michael O’Neil; this is Vernon Scott in Hollywood; I’m John Tautges, that’s my side; this is Ken Robinson at the editor’s desk;
Bill Small at the White House; Bob Fuss, Los Angeles; Carol Brooks, London; Ginny Kosola, Chicago; Bonnie Erbe, Capitol Hill; Bob Brill, Los Angeles; Rob Navias at the Kennedy Space Center; Kate Murphy, Washington; Vicki Barker with the Bush campaign in Rockford, Illinois; Tom Rivers, London; this is Bob Keel’s Almanac; I’m Mike Freedman; Don Rollins, UPI Radio News;
this is Don McKay, London; I’m Diane Burr; I’m Ken Herrera; this is Gerry Scott; Craig Smith, UPI Radio News; this is Barbara Campbell; I’m Larry Webb; Al Rossiter Junior, Washington; this is Bob Hewitt; I’m Lou Giserman; I’m Jim Ludwin; I’m Barbara Porter; I’m Dennis Daily; I’m Jay Sapir; This is Carol Van Dam; Rod Bower, Washington; Sharon Gotkin, UPI Radio News;
Hi, this is Ron Colbert; I’m Bob Jones; this is Herbert Gordon speaking for United Press International; this is Scott Peters, United Press International at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston; this is Bill Reilly, United Press International, in Chicago; this is Dick Growald in Moscow; this is Chuck Langston, United Press International with a look at Washington today;
This is Stan Harold; technical director is Frank Sciortino, this is Morrie Trumble; Roger Norum, United Press International at the United Nations; Don Fulsom, United Press International, Washington;
Milt Fullerton, Washington; from the World Desk of United Press International this is Jim Lounsbury; Helen Thomas at the White House; this is Pye Chamberlain and that’s news.