The Rest of the Story

" On the line with us from his offices here in New York Michael Harrison the founder and editor of talkers magazine the Bible of of talk radio Michael. I mean Dodgers though there's no there's nobody like Paul Harvey I'm thinking back theirs in -- some there some legends of me to go back. There might be a few of them along maligned but they only come along about once every other generation it seemed."

" Oh yeah please come -- he's in the class -- the phone he might be one of if not the biggest of all time look how long he was on the radio and not true on the radio for a long time but on the radio has. A major player. In his own category somebody asked me today 41 of the reporters said. What did -- mean to talk radio because that says it's my Bailiwick. And that has really really was more than talk radio he was radio that he was hurt not only on talk stations he was heard on music stations. And he really was the talk show host but he was a talker. With a personality but it wasn't a disc jockey he was a newsman David a lot more than matched. He was an entity unto himself."

" Yeah but but but the thing about it -- Michael which it which ties him with with again talk radio is that his his. His national poll. Report that he started with was Paul Harvey news and comment comment. Because that's what we do on talk radio is weak our man on the lose and Paul was the first."

" Really cute and he was doing it for the Fairness Doctrine. Or during the Fairness -- I should tell you he was doing at that time when it was difficult to get away. With commenting on the radio you could comment and editorial pages of newspapers but the government. Really kept watch a -- that radio station didn't give too many opinions when it came to anything. Controversial in the where politics or public policy. And he did it he got away with it. And basically -- correctly set the stage. In that regard for what today of course is a free flowing. Open marketplace of ideas that that you know is this part of the rest on the radio and of course -- can talk radio that we're seeing."

" I'll tell -- story one of the L 11 of the the editors that worked at a station and I were -- have for years. Would what would take the he'd be open mean. Of this Dougherty. He would say news and comment and he would edit out the news -- that he thought that he was. Commenting more than news the program director heard about this in the course upset with him about it but. Adam but it in news and comment as he did provide boat than it was. With with. Slight conservative bent to it."

" Oh no doubt about it he was also was he was conservative was more than slight it was just different kind of conservative bent. They would like. Shall be easy even though he had a unique style he had a sound that was. Really quite distinctive distinctive. Like down two and again I think that is most marvelous about looking at all Harvey's career is that he's the only one. And now his son has been carrying on with a similar sound and that's okay but it's not it's not Paul Harvey and he. Continue to be. -- theory unique which in radio is rare because radios and medium that's known for invitation. New format still gets started unless they work someplace self. People don't get hired and what they sound like somebody else. We had entire genre of radio we couldn't tell the difference between one disc jockey in another. Built for him to have that found that the as you described it very nicely put forward the little. Little hiccup in the middle yeah word or or is putting the emphasis on the wrong syllable good -- back."

" Yeah he delivered his delivery was so unique it was distinctive everybody knew his voice."

" Right right and that it is what they it was one of those icon. The word that we hear a lot lately -- one of those icons of our American popular culture. That people all across the country -- and that fulfill. Is before the current era of syndication. The -- was everywhere. At a time when very few people were everywhere."

" And wasn't he just disloyal to the ABC radio network as they were to him."

" I think -- evidenced by a long he's been there. How much money they've made -- each other yes and that of course considering personable good old media today is facing tough times economically as is everybody. That leaves them with the problem because he's not a system he's not a Paul Harvey is not a format. It's not an 88 shipped during opening or show that we replaced with a new host. Although it talked about it and that's been a lot of talk about who will be the successor I don't think that's possible he was a one man industry for them."

" Really was and I know that they've they've tried Fred Thompson and others to try to find somebody but -- it never worked for me I'll tell another story I was so. Met -- a few times but there was there was couple of three or four years ago I says something. He had been out -- quite a bit that one particular year and his voice was effective and he was off and he came back he didn't sound the same. And I says something on the air over -- Michael Harrison the founder and editor of talkers magazine I said Michael I said the audience I said. You know I mean these sky she's made millions and millions Healy doesn't need the money I don't know one of -- you know he's not. Being an all that well obviously I don't know war. Maybe it's time for Paul Harvey to retire."

" So why go for a hate mail. -- mark do you think you'll are. You really regret Compaq's. Your beer and I know I I thought I mean I -- called somebody's mother or worsening and I wonder of heads of many I Barbara people came out of their shoes about how dare I say it but I mean I thought at the time. He really -- I mean he'd been a lot of money did not need the money. He was -- he wasn't being and that will want to do that but but he told. An interviewer one time he says. I would love to change the pace and have more family time if I could just find something I would rather do I cannot find."

" Well you'll it was a great inspiration. As that people are working longer and longer and finding that working careers and a sense of purpose. He can help he keeps you alive. A lot of people -- course of course are going to work longer than they had Clinton how could they can't afford to retire -- and that that the whole other story. But yeah I I think that one that they one of the aspects of the times that people -- reconsidering what retirement age really mean. And that is the school -- the first popular and I subscribe to it to a certain degree myself that if you work and if you have that identity and you feel that you're. Part of something it keeps you getting up in the morning and going out there and continuing on. The way I think that from that standpoint the fact that the court non elderly or not. He worked basically. Through it all into -- nine years old I think that that's an inspiration and a Marco we're we're heading to the society."

" He also from talk lovingly about the fact that he heap on the wrong the right girl yeah his wife Angel who. I was said the here had died men may have of -- so just those less than a year ago insists. So many of these love stories go with the with the people that he as to get older one goes in the other one cup balls and -- atoms exactly what happened here."

" Yeah of course include the two reasons for that one is because the other one doesn't want to live on or they both lived so long that eventually. You know they both would go I mean people were -- quite advanced in years but from what I understand they had quite a relationship they worked together. And obviously after he was with her belief for rose 67 years something like. Amazingly long time. And I can't imagine you know what it would be like for him to be without her."

" Well it's of its passage of a true legend everybody in the in the country knows Paul -- the end here."

" And the testing of an era I think we're seeing I think the thing that we're all witnessing in our lifetime at this present juncture. Is."

" Everything is changing so quickly that -- the -- in the radio business."

" That is another you know in terms of our own culture our own industry this is a major. Milestone of nature I think."

" But it's part of everything going on today that you see that then you you must feel that things are changing so rapidly right now but every day we get up we --"

" It's a different world."

" Yes all of dramatic mood of the country is is that a major intersection right down I don't know what is going to look like down the road but we are changing direction and Michael Harrison talkers magazine thank you Michael thank and appreciate your your insight into this."