Hall Of Fame

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Hall Of Fame

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HUNTINGTON — Nine people are set to be inducted into the West Virginia Broadcasters Hall of Fame including several Huntington veterans.


Veteran TV reporter and anchor, Jack Kane, who spent 19 years as a reporter and anchor at WCHS-TV, before moving in 1999 to WOWK where he is the co-anchor of the morning and noon newscasts. Kane has covered four presidential visits, six gubernatorial inaugurations and has interviewed many notables from the entertainment world. He also has worked at stations in Ohio, including Cleveland, and spent two years in production at NBC Radio in New York.


Charles Bailey has been at the helm of WMUL-FM as faculty manager since 1985. During the past 27 years, WMUL’s student broadcasters have more than 1,000 awards. Dr. Bailey has received the Lifetime Achievement Award (2007) from the West Virginia AP Broadcasters Association and The John Marshall Award for Extraordinary Service to West Virginia Higher Education (2000). He is a Radio-TV production and management professor at Marshall University's W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.


An induction ceremony will be held Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Museum of Radio and Technology in Huntington. The event is invitation-only.

The other inductees are:

Emil Varney — As a news cinematographer and videographer, Varney covered just about every major news story in the state during his 39-year career. He worked for WSAZ-TV from 1958 through 1979, where he received awards for best news film story for 1964 and '65. From 1979 until his retirement in 1997, he was a news videographer for WOWK-TV.

George Woody — The Mason County native began as a staff engineer at WSAZ-TV, Huntington, WV, in 1949, as one of the station's pioneers. He was involved with the installation of the transmitter, two studio complexes and maintained the microwave system that allowed WSAZ to have a two-city newscast. In 1965, he worked for the Illinois superintendent of public instruction and later moved to Duluth, MN, where he built two television stations and an FM radio station. He retired in 1992.

Ralph Allen (Allenbaugh) — Allen began his career in radio at WWNR in Beckley while still in high school. During college, he worked at radio stations in Charleston, earning a degree from the University of Charleston. He has been program director, operations manager and general manager of several group operators of radio stations. In 1973, while working at WKYG Radio in Parkersburg, he was inducted into the Mister Deejay USA Hall of Fame in Nashville. He later went back to graduate school to become a psychologist. Today, he is president of Ralph Allen Media, providing a variety of media production services from Parkersburg.

Shirley "Kitty" Bocock —Bocock has worked in radio sales and management for 54 years. She started as an account executive at WNXT Radio in Portsmouth, OH, and was the only woman in radio sales in the region in 1956. She has worked as sales manager and general manager at radio stations in Huntington, Binghamton, NY, Buffalo, NY, and Hilton Head, SC. She retired but moved back into sales and promotions at the six Kindred Communications stations in Huntington.

Tom Hicks —Hicks began his career in radio while still in high school at WBRW in Welch. For nearly five decades, he worked at radio stations in Welch, Narrows, VA, Princeton, Beckley and Mount Hope. His duties ranged from disc jockey to sports play-by-play announcer, sales, and general manager. Hicks died in 1991.

ay Murray — Host of WAJR’s Morgantown-AM program, heard each day from 9-10 a.m. for over 34 years, Murray first began as a receptionist at West Virginia Radio Corporation. She also has served as Hoppy Kercheval’s producer for Metronews Talkline since it began in 1992. She has made appearances for WAJR and helped produce more than 8,000 Morgantown radio talk shows in her 35-year broadcast career. Murray has done years of charity work for the station and the community.

Frank Stowers — Stowers' first job in radio was after World War II as an announcer at WHIS Radio, Bluefield. A graduate of Duke University, he later worked in Human Resources with Union Carbide in Charleston from 1956 until his retirement in 1985. He was one of Carbide's media relations contacts and did narrations for company film and TV productions. After retirement, he has spent the past 27 years doing what he loves to do — work at West Virginia Public Radio as a staff announcer.

You can find out more about the non-profit organization at https://www.facebook.com/WvBroadcastingHallOfFame
"Everyone Should be aware that you're just a screen grab away from infamy."
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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Two thumbs up for Ralph Allen.

Ross Hunter
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Re: Hall Of Fame

Post by Greg Goodfellow »

We're fortunate that he shares his wisdom with us from time to time. Ditto on the congratulations, Mr. Allen!
"Television is a medium because anything well done is rare."
~ Fred Allen ~

“Radio is the theater of the mind; television is the theater of the mindless”-Steve Allen
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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And megaprops to Kay Murray on her induction. She is a true gem.
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Re: Hall Of Fame

Post by ralphallen »

What?!!??? Do you get a hat?

They said you get a hat!

Thank you Ross..

Jack Kane used to work at Parkersburg's WQAW-FM with Mary Sue Jackson. They did the morning show and they were very good on radio!
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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Many congratulations Ralph! Well deserved!
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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Mayo! Nice to hear from ya! Thanks buddy.
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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I know my old buddy Bob Miller will be happy for me. I keep reminding him of the time we spent at The Big V in Altoona.
He has not forgiven me after all these years for getting him up there. We spent a lot of time trying to hire each other, through the years, neither of us had quite enough money to hire the other one. I guess we both did ok. He is one of the best damned talents I ever heard...scary good...also the guy that was on me in Charleston, Mike Wingfield when I was at WXIT, and he was at WCAW was so scary...Let me say this: West Virginia has produced and continues to produce the best talent of anywhere I have ever lived. Phoenix, Washington, DC, Wilkes Barre and Altoona, PA and Columbus, Ohio.

WE know how to do radio. The best of the best worked here at some time in their careers. Tom Hicks joins us in this year's HOF class. I worked with him at WWNR in the old days, Phil Vogel too, and others...Rod O'Dell...Tony Gonzales...special people that helped me along the way. I never saw Tom Hicks without a smile on his face. Phil Vogel was a living legend when I first met him at WWNR.

Some of us get our names on the placques and get to be caretakers of these awards, but they are shared awards in every sense of that word. Friends, mentors, listeners, clients, families, all share in these kinds of recognitions. people we worked with are our families. We are brothers and sisters of a very special guild...and I love every one of you...truly do!

Be well, prosper, live your dreams! Rock on!
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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By the way, you do NOT have to be in the Hall of Fame to be excellent at this craft. AND you are a member in good standing in this family because of your love of broadcasting. It takes time to hone that talent, do your best every day to serve the listeners and you will be fine. It is a very high calling...to do what we do...serve the listeners and the rest will be ok!

Much love

Ralphie
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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A magical night, me speechless trying to hold back the emotions...eyes tearing up at times, remembering Tom Hicks who passed in 1991. Rod O'Dell, the absolute legend was there. Rod trained me on the board at WWNR when I was still in high school. He was there from the beginning of my career, and he was there at the end of my radio career, celebrating that career that night and me receiving my placque from the beautiful Michelle Christ. No I couldn't talk very good...short remarks, and I sat down before the emotions overtook me. From the beginning, that WWNR staff treated me like I was a star just like they were, never like a newby or intern, but a valued staff member. Of the ten in the picture on my website, six are in the WV BHF. That is pretty strong! Ponder that one!

So others had a hard time too,controlling emotions of that night as it is an incredible honor.

These things are very much bittersweet. What a rocket ride of a career I've had, and because of radio, I've been able to live most of my dreams, got a quality education along the way, and have an extended wonderful radio family.

The WMOA ownership and staff sent me a nice card, and a USB turntable to convert my extreme vinyl collection to digital during my retirement years. How thoughtful is that? That rocks! Now in my pockets were memorbilia from all the stations I worked for, everybody in a spiritual sense went with me. These honors are very much shared honors, nobody gets there without help. So it was my way of saying, "I get it!" I will never forget that broadcasting is very much a team sport...we are a family!

Thanks for the memories! What a rocket ride it has been! www.ralphallen.net
Huge night! and I was glad to see a college professor, an engineer, and a videographer be honored as well. What a great selection of professionals recognized. Awesome night!
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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Congratulations Ralph on a great honor, and a tremendous career! Radio needs 10 more like you, not one less. :-)
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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Well deserved ralph. Enjoy the USB TT!
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Re: Hall Of Fame

Post by ralphallen »

OOPS! I spelled Michelle's name wrong it's CRIST... No H in it. I can't believe I did that.
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Re: Hall Of Fame

Post by ralphallen »

Lester, YOU are the man! Radio is in good hands with you and this group in charge. Never give up! Rock on!
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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I was just re-reading these entries today. I remember when Mike Buxser called me. I thought it was about some business or something and he said, "You have been selected for entrance into the WVBHOF..." and I was stunned...I said, "There must be some kind of mistake, nobody likes me, I'm difficult to work with, and have no talent". He assured me that he had the right guy, and then it began to hit me...and it is intense that the body of work that you have done was evaluated by some well qualified people and found to be noteworthy.

That night Jack Kane and I looked at each other and almost in unison said to each other, "What are we doing here?" And we laughed. We are CARETAKERS of these black placques that hang on our walls, and we keep them dusted and cleaned...but we do NOT own them...these are shared with the greater family of broadcasters that shared their knowledge with us, mentored us, prayed for us when we were sick, loaned us money to feed the kids sometimes...THOSE are the ones that share...and OWN these awards. To THOSE people, I salute you!

The halls of fames that matter are the ones in the hearts of the listeners who loved us, and our workmates that all own a huge chunk of who we were, who we became, and who we are! I am eternally grateful to so many. Absolutely!
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Re: Hall Of Fame

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You're one of those guys, Ralph. Eventually people, and time, come to understand that "difficult to work with" fades if it was fueled by a legitimate passion, and excellence in what you do.

Congratulations on a well deserved honor.
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