Paul Harvey is one of the most famous names in radio broadcasting to this day. And the story of his beginnings on the radio is not as well known but fascinating!
Before his debut as a national radio broadcaster, a career that would last for almost 60 years, he started working at a local radio station at age 14 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, cleaning up and learning about the business.
He started at the radio station on the recommendation of his teacher, who thought he had a good voice. And, of course, she was quite right, and Harvey started filling in for broadcasters for commercials and news snippets when he was still a teenager.
When he attended Tulsa University, he continued at local stations as both an announcer and a producer, gaining even more experience in his field.
And although he took time off when he served in the military during World War II, he was right back at it when he moved to Chicago after the war.
From 1945 to 1950, he started to make a name for himself on the radio with Jobs for G.I. Joe on WENR and other topics of interest. But most fans agree that his big break came when he first aired Paul Harvey News and Comment on April 1, 1951.
With the noon slot on weekdays, the national radio broadcast was top-rated for its informative and exciting themes spoken by such an incredible voice.
Amazingly, over 1,200 radio stations and 400 American Forces Network stations were airing Paul Harvey News and Comment. And at its peak, more than 24 million people were listening in to hear what Paul Harvey had to say about the current world happenings.
And his fantastic career only took off from there! For the next 50 years, Paul Harvey continued to be one of the biggest names in radio and broadcasting, as well as on television.
Paul Harvey News and Comment aired in one form or another, with a variety of names, until he died in 2009. And although the topics changed over time, his voice and charisma were always the same.
People loved his down-to-earth commentary, informative programs, and insight into some of the most significant events on the planet, including the Vietnam War, 9/11, nuclear research, famous people, and so much more.
The truth is that while his voice and stories were wonderful to listen to, what most people liked most about Paul Harvey was that he spoke his mind and what he truly believed.
His honest reporting and enigmatic energy made him the biggest name in broadcasting for decades, and although Paul Harvey News and Comment was canceled after his death in 2009, he will not soon be forgotten.
