Floyd Kalber
Encyclopedia
Floyd Kalber was a noted American
television
journalist
and anchorman, nicknamed "The Big Tuna."
Born in Omaha, Nebraska
, he spent two years in the army during World War II
and began his television career as KMTV
-Omaha's first newscaster. It was at KMTV that he mentored his most famous protege, Tom Brokaw
.
Having attracted national attention for his coverage of the manhunt for mass-murderers Charles Starkweather
and Caril Ann Fugate
, in 1962 he became a popular anchorman for WNBQ-TV (later known as WMAQ
), NBC
's owned-and-operated station
in Chicago
. The broadcast quickly became Chicago's top-rated news program and remained so until WLS
' introduction of the so-called "happy talk" news format in 1968. In the late 1960s, Kalber also began doing five-minute news digests in early and late afternoon timeslots on NBC, during which a national audience became familiar with his work. At various points in the 1970s, he anchored weekend broadcasts of NBC Nightly News
. In 1975 WMAQ paired Kalber with the then unknown Jane Pauley
, who was recruited from a station in Indianapolis
; this arrangement did not succeed. Pauley left a year later to become the news anchor for NBC's Today Show.
Moving to national broadcasting for the NBC television network, Kalber was one of the most visible broadcasters in the country from 1976-1981 while anchoring the news on Today, working with hosts Brokaw and Pauley. He left the program after Brokaw went to NBC Nightly News. Kalber later was recruited again to Chicago broadcasting by station WLS
in 1984, where he anchored the popular 6 p.m. evening news broadcast until retirement in 1998.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and anchorman, nicknamed "The Big Tuna."
Born in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, he spent two years in the army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and began his television career as KMTV
KMTV
KMTV-TV is the CBS television station in Omaha, Nebraska. Owned by the Journal Broadcast Group, it broadcasts a digital television signal on UHF channel 45, which remaps to former analog channel 3 via PSIP.-History:...
-Omaha's first newscaster. It was at KMTV that he mentored his most famous protege, Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
.
Having attracted national attention for his coverage of the manhunt for mass-murderers Charles Starkweather
Charles Starkweather
Charles Raymond Starkweather was an American teenaged spree killer who murdered eleven people in Nebraska and Wyoming during a two-month road trip with his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate. The couple was captured on January 29, 1958...
and Caril Ann Fugate
Caril Ann Fugate
Caril Ann Fugate was the adolescent girlfriend and accomplice of spree killer Charles Starkweather. She is the youngest female in United States history to have been tried for first-degree murder....
, in 1962 he became a popular anchorman for WNBQ-TV (later known as WMAQ
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
), NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's owned-and-operated station
Owned-and-operated station
In the broadcasting industry , an owned-and-operated station usually refers to a television station or radio station that is owned by the network with which it is associated...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The broadcast quickly became Chicago's top-rated news program and remained so until WLS
WLS-TV
WLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
' introduction of the so-called "happy talk" news format in 1968. In the late 1960s, Kalber also began doing five-minute news digests in early and late afternoon timeslots on NBC, during which a national audience became familiar with his work. At various points in the 1970s, he anchored weekend broadcasts of NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
. In 1975 WMAQ paired Kalber with the then unknown Jane Pauley
Jane Pauley
Margaret Jane Pauley is an American television journalist, and has been involved in news reporting since 1975...
, who was recruited from a station in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
; this arrangement did not succeed. Pauley left a year later to become the news anchor for NBC's Today Show.
Moving to national broadcasting for the NBC television network, Kalber was one of the most visible broadcasters in the country from 1976-1981 while anchoring the news on Today, working with hosts Brokaw and Pauley. He left the program after Brokaw went to NBC Nightly News. Kalber later was recruited again to Chicago broadcasting by station WLS
WLS-TV
WLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
in 1984, where he anchored the popular 6 p.m. evening news broadcast until retirement in 1998.