December 23, 2010

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Lowell Thomas -- widely respected newsman who was also prone to fits of laughter on the air.


Not all news in the post-War years was grim, or presented in a grim way. Take this newscast from December 19, 1946, presented by broadcast pioneer and well-respected journalist Lowell Thomas. Thomas had a long and colorful career and was something of a Walter Cronkite of his day. However, Thomas did have this one habit -- he would occasionally break up while reading a piece of copy on the air. And since it was live, the laughter spilled over the air and usually caught his announcer in a fit of hysterics as well.

So on this day in 1946, the news was concerned with price gouging of G.I.'s looking to buy a home. The elections in Iran the threatened civil war in Palestine. The infamous Senator Bilbo and hearings regarding his somewhat nefarious dealings. The problem of government Public Relations firms and the amount of propaganda associated with them. The immigration wave coming from Europe.

But that didn't stop Thomas from staging a complete breakup at the end.

Sometimes news is just funny.

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