Ward Quaal

Executive


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Ward Quaal (1919-2010) describes his lifelong association with Chicago television station WGN, where he began as an announcer and worked his way up to station manager and later president of the WGN Continental Broadcasting Company.  Quaal describes the programming on WGN through the years as well as the evolution of television technology. He outlines WGN's conversion to a "superstation" and the station's subsequent financial success. He speaks about working closely with government agencies in matters regarding the broadcast industry (allocation of stations, the Fairness Doctrine, etc.) as well as the government's role in regulating the industry. Quaal passionately advocates the need for local stations to provide their communities with relevant programming. He also talks about writing the textbook "Broadcast Management", and its usefulness to aspiring station managers. Karen Herman conducted the interview in Chicago, IL on October 12, 2004.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"We had a slogan for the Tribune properties: 'Quality, Integrity, Responsibility, Performance.' And for WGN we added- 'the most respected call letters in broadcasting.' To this day no one has ever questioned that. I'm proud of that."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
On his duties at WGN and getting WGN on the air; on the first day of programming at WGN, and on the eventual switch over to color; on going to work for Crossley Broadcasting Corporation
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on his style as an announcer, and on studying broadcasting in college;
On how he came to work at WGN, and on his early duties there; on the country entering Word War II and on announcing the attack on Pearl Harbor; on getting into management at WGN

Chapter 2

On his duties at WGN and getting WGN on the air; on the first day of programming at WGN, and on the eventual switch over to color; on going to work for Crossley Broadcasting Corporation
On Louis Caldwell, and on the Hoover Commission Executive Broadcasting Task Force; on his responsibilities at Crossley Broadcasting Corporation; on religious programming and on news programming at WGN

Chapter 3

On early sports programming at WGN; on talk shows and programming for women at WGN and programming for minorities; on the Hollywood Blacklist
On the demographics and audience of WGN; on being appointed the head of WGN Continental Broadcasting in 1960, and on his management style in broadcasting
On his relationship with John F. Kennedy; on the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and how it was covered by WGN; on Newton N. Minow

Chapter 4

On his book "Broadcast Management"; on how television programming had evolved by the '70s and '80s, and programming national shows; on Bozo's Circus, which originated in Chicago
On the establishment of The Ward L. Quaal Company; on his relationship with President Ronald Reagan

Chapter 5

On his relationship with Ronald Reagan, and on Reagan's attitude toward broadcasting; on working on the initial advisory panel on HDTV in 1987, and on the deadline for analog to digital conversion; on WGN becoming a superstation
On the then current state of Tribune; on the impact of cable and new media on the industry

Chapter 6

On advertising clutter; on how the internet has impacted television; on role he feels government should play in broadcasting
On media consolidation; on his most important decisions as an executive; on the importance of the NAB and on career regrets
On his family; on advice to aspiring television executives
Shows

Bozo's Circus

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Ward Quaal on Bozo's Circus, which originated in Chicago
01:52
Topics

Advertising and Sponsorship

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Ward Quaal on advertising clutter
02:15

Historic Events and Social Change

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Ward Quaal on the country entering Word War II and on announcing the attack on Pearl Harbor
06:37
Ward Quaal on the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and how it was covered by WGN
02:26

Hollywood Blacklist

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Ward Quaal on the Hollywood Blacklist
01:31

Industry Crossroads

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Ward Quaal on the Hollywood Blacklist
01:31

JFK Assassination and Funeral

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Ward Quaal on the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and how it was covered by WGN
02:26

John F. Kennedy

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Ward Quaal on his relationship with John F. Kennedy
04:58
Ward Quaal on the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and how it was covered by WGN
02:26

Media Consolidation

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Ward Quaal on media consolidation
06:28

Network Creation

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Ward Quaal on WGN becoming a superstation
02:06

New Media

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Ward Quaal on the impact of cable and new media on the industry
02:54
Ward Quaal on how the internet has impacted television
02:20

Ronald Reagan

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Ward Quaal on his relationship with President Ronald Reagan
06:42
Ward Quaal on his relationship with Ronald Reagan, and on Reagan's attitude toward broadcasting
02:31
Ward Quaal on his lobbying President Ronald Reagan against the Fairness Doctrine
01:48

Technological Innovation

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Ward Quaal on working on the initial advisory panel on HDTV in 1987, and on the deadline for analog to digital conversion
09:27

Television Industry

View Topic
Ward Quaal on getting into management at WGN
02:12
Ward Quaal on his duties at WGN and getting WGN on the air
06:10
Ward Quaal on the first day of programming at WGN, and on the eventual switch over to color
03:39
Ward Quaal on going to work for Crossley Broadcasting Corporation
02:25
Ward Quaal on Louis Caldwell, and on the Hoover Commission Executive Broadcasting Task Force
03:08
Ward Quaal on his responsibilities at Crossley Broadcasting Corporation
06:21
Ward Quaal on the Hollywood Blacklist
01:31
Ward Quaal on being appointed the head of WGN Continental Broadcasting in 1960, and on his management style in broadcasting
06:26
Ward Quaal on how television programming had evolved by the '70s and '80s, and programming national shows
03:52
Ward Quaal on WGN becoming a superstation
02:06
Ward Quaal on the then current state of Tribune
02:43
Ward Quaal on the impact of cable and new media on the industry
02:54
Ward Quaal on advertising clutter
02:07
Ward Quaal on how the internet has impacted television
02:19
Ward Quaal on role he feels government should play in broadcasting
02:45
Ward Quaal on media consolidation
06:28

Television and the Presidency

View Topic
Ward Quaal on his relationship with John F. Kennedy
04:58
Ward Quaal on the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and how it was covered by WGN
02:26
Ward Quaal on his relationship with President Ronald Reagan
06:42
Ward Quaal on his relationship with Ronald Reagan, and on Reagan's attitude toward broadcasting
02:31
Ward Quaal on his lobbying President Ronald Reagan against the Fairness Doctrine
01:48

War

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Ward Quaal on the country entering Word War II and on announcing the attack on Pearl Harbor
06:37

World War II

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Ward Quaal on the country entering Word War II and on announcing the attack on Pearl Harbor
06:37
Professions

Executives

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Ward Quaal on the demographics and audience of WGN
01:48
Ward Quaal on being appointed the head of WGN Continental Broadcasting in 1960, and on his management style in broadcasting
06:26
Ward Quaal on his book "Broadcast Management"
08:18
Ward Quaal on the establishment of The Ward L. Quaal Company
05:52
Ward Quaal on continuing to work, and on his great success at a television executive
04:31
Ward Quaal on what makes a good program and on the then-future of broadcasting
02:28
Ward Quaal on his most important decisions as an executive
07:57
Ward Quaal on the importance of the NAB and on career regrets
01:44
Ward Quaal on advice to aspiring television executives
01:03

Station Manager

View Profession
Ward Quaal on the demographics and audience of WGN
01:48
Ward Quaal on being appointed the head of WGN Continental Broadcasting in 1960, and on his management style in broadcasting
06:26
Ward Quaal on his book "Broadcast Management"
08:18
Ward Quaal on the establishment of The Ward L. Quaal Company
05:52
Ward Quaal on continuing to work, and on his great success at a television executive
04:31
Ward Quaal on what makes a good program and on the then-future of broadcasting
02:28
Ward Quaal on his most important decisions as an executive
07:57
Ward Quaal on the importance of the NAB and on career regrets
01:44
Ward Quaal on advice to aspiring television executives
01:03
Genres

News and Documentary

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Ward Quaal on WGN's news programming, and on the station being part of Tribune
05:00

Religious Programming

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Ward Quaal on religious programming
01:46

Sports

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Ward Quaal on early sports programming at WGN
04:50

Talk Shows

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Ward Quaal on talk shows and programming for women at WGN and programming for minorities
03:53
People

Newton N. Minow

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Ward Quaal on Newton N. Minow
03:39

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