From: Craig Prosser
Dated: January 26, 2015
Subject: Question on Live Broadcasts
Rick, In 1963-64 we had a limited ability to air a live broadcast from the U-S. The source was short wave radio and it was highly dependent on atmospheric conditions. If I'm not mistaken we counted on one live five minute newscast daily from AFRTS Los Angeles at 2000 hours Vietnam time. I worked the night shift for the first four months I was in Saigon and remember not being able to run it one or two nights in the M-F schedule. Sometimes you couldn't hear it at all. As a result, I had to prepare a five minute newscast for that hour every night.
No longer programs including sports events were available to us live. However, Steve Southerland re-created two Muhammad Ali fights (maybe he was still Cassius Clay then) using a blow by blow summary from the AP and UPI wire services. That was over 50 years ago, but I remember he did a decent job even though the wire copy was also transmitted by radio and likewise subject to atmospheric interference. We didn't try to deceive our audience but some actually thought the Army flew him to the States for the broadcast.
There were some other AFRTS broadcasts that we recorded when conditions permitted and retrieved soundbites from them. But there were no sports events available to us either on air or recorded for shipment to us. Our listeners got the scores and an occasional interview but that's all.
From: Steve Sevits
Dated: January 26, 2015
Subject: Question on Live Broadcasts
During the summer of ’63 another fight was recreated in the studio, from wire copy, and it was so realistic the general belief was that it was live. I remember staying beyond my shift which ended at noon to witness the recreation of ball games as well. Although I’d been in commercial broadcasting prior to the Army, I still witnessed sports broadcast recreations as nothing short of black magic.
I never saw Steve Southerland do recreations, but he was a good talent and I’m sure he did a great job. Sports recreations were far beyond my ability.
Steve Sevits
AFRS News Saigon 1963
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: January 26, 2015
Subject: Question on Live Broadcasts
Some doubters have questioned the reality of Apollo, or even the holocaust. Wouldn't it have been nice if the whole Vietnam war was fiction too?
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From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: January 26, 2015
Subject: Question on Live Broadcasts
This helps clear things up Craig. I think it is safe to say the '65 World Series broadcast was the first sporting event broadcast live in Vietnam, but not the first live broadcast from the states. Perhaps the altitude of the Blue Eagle is what gave it reliable short wave reception, and maybe some specialized gear. I'm glad you responded.
Question on Live Broadcasts
January 2015
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: January 26, 2015
Subject: Question on Live Broadcasts
Was AFVN, actually AFRS at the time, capable of broadcasting any LIVE radio broadcasts from the States in 1965?? A Blue Eagle aircraft broadcast the 1965 World Series on radio in Oct. '65 (a short wave link), and I wonder if that was the first LIVE radio broadcast from the States. Our undersea cable to AFRTS in LA was not yet activated.