Radio Legend Dead At 90

Radio legend Paul Harvey died Saturday morning (Feb. 28) at his winter home in Phoenix surrounded by family. No cause of death was immediately available. He was 90."Paul Harvey News and Comment" and the feature "The Rest of the Story," were syndicated by Citadel Broadcasting-owned ABC Radio Networks across 1,200 radio stations and 400 stations of the Armed Forces Networks, reaching more 22 million weekly. Havey's signature delivery and ability to integrate his sponsors' messages into his program made him indispensable to both radio audiences and advertisers alike."My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news. So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend," said Paul Harvey, Jr., in a statement.Born Paul Harvey Aurandt on Sept. 4, 1918 and raised in Tulsa, Okla., Harvey began his radio career in 1933 at KVOO-AM/Tulsa, while he was still in high school. In 1940 he moved to Hawaii and began covering the U.S. Navy as it began to build up its fleet in the Pacific Ocean. He was returning to the U.S. from that assignment when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Harvey enlisted into the Army Air Corps, where he served until 1944.After leaving the corps, Harvey moved to Chicago, where in June 1944, he began broadcasting from the ABC affiliate WENR-AM. He quickly became the most listened-to newscaster in Chicago. Harvey reached audiences way beyond Chicago in 1951, when he began his coast-to-coast "News and Comment" on the ABC Radio Networks. On May 10, 1976, he began another series of programs on the ABC Radio Networks entitled "The Rest of the Story," which delved into the forgotten or little known facts behind stories of famous people and events.Among the dozens of professional honors Harvey received, he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and, in 1992, received the Paul White Award, the highest honor presented by the Radio-Television News Directors Association. President George W. Bush bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Harvey in 2005."Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation’s history. As he delivered the news each day with his own unique style and commentary, his voice became a trusted friend in American households. His career in radio spanned more than seven decades, during which time countless millions of listeners were both informed and entertained by his 'News & Comment' and 'Rest of the Story' features. Even after the passing of his loving wife Angel in May 2008, Paul would not slip quietly into retirement as he continued to take the microphone and reach out to his audience. We will miss our dear friend tremendously and are grateful for the many years we were so fortunate to have known him. Our thoughts and prayers are now with his son Paul, Jr. and the rest of the Harvey family," said Jim Robinson, president of ABC Radio Networks.ABC Radio Networks posted this simple tribute: www.abcrn.com/harvey.—with additional reporting by Katy Bachman

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Radio Legend Dead At 90

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