Irv Weinstein
Encyclopedia
Irwin "Irv" Weinstein is a retired local television news anchor. He hosted WKBW-TV
's Eyewitness News
in Buffalo, New York
, for 34 years, from 1964 to 1998, becoming an iconic broadcaster well known in both the Buffalo area and in Southern Ontario
, which was within WKBW's broadcast area. Weinstein was known for his powerful delivery and sense of humor. Weinstein, weatherman Tom Jolls
and sports anchor Rick Azar
are the longest running anchor team in television history, fronting the broadcast from 1965 until Azar's retirement in 1989. Weinstein was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998 and the N.Y. State Broadcasters Association in 2006.
, Weinstein's broadcast career began while he was in high school, working at WHAM Radio as an actor on several locally produced programs. After professional stops in Iowa and West Virginia, he was hired as a newscaster and news director at WKBW Radio in Buffalo in 1958. His fast-paced style featuring strong writing and alliteration
("pistol-packing punks" referring to petty criminals, or "Buffalo blaze busters" in place of firefighters) helped take the newscast ratings to #1 in the Western New York market.
In 1964, Weinstein was hired as news director and anchorman at sister station WKBW-TV, an ABC Network affiliate. At the time, the station's news programs were rated #3 in a three-station market. By 1974, after the previous leader, WGR-TV, lost its lead anchor to a station in Chicago, WKBW-TV's Eyewitness News program had an audience larger than the combined audience of the two competing Buffalo stations. It remained the top-rated newscast until Weinstein's retirement in 1998 and beyond. Weinstein's innovations would later be adapted by Mel Kampmann for the national "Action News
" franchise.
In 1968, Weinstein briefly returned to his broadcast beginnings as an actor in WKBW radio's Halloween
adaptation of Orson Welles
' War of the Worlds
. Weinstein also appeared in a 1971 remake, which was re-run in 1998. During his 40-year career in Buffalo, Weinstein appeared in numerous theater productions and operated The Playhouse, a theater in downtown Buffalo in the early 1980s.
A WKBW-TV promo for Eyewitness News included a jingle
:
The day of his retirement, December 31, 1998, was proclaimed "Irv Weinstein Day in Erie County
" by then-Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski. Five days later, Toronto columnist David Frum
penned a tribute titled "He came from Buffalo" in Canada's National Post
newspaper, writing, "The way the French feel about Jerry Lewis
, that's how we feel about Irv Weinstein". In October 2004, Weinstein's status as "an icon of television journalism in Buffalo" was discussed on the floor of the Ontario Legislature by MPP Tim Hudak
.http://hansardindex.ontla.on.ca/hansardeissue/38-1/l078b.htm
Weinstein was known for using alliteration in his reporting. He coined the phrases "Topping tonight's Eyewitness News" and "It's eleven o'clock. Do you know where your children are?
", both of which are in frequent use in other news broadcasts.
, where their daughter, Beth Krom
, served two terms as mayor and now serves on the City Council. The Weinsteins' son, Marc, is co-owner of Amoeba Music
, and their younger daughter, Rachel, is an artist and theater administrator in the Pittsburgh area. Irv Weinstein also owns a part-time residence in Ellicottville, New York
.
WKBW-TV
WKBW-TV, channel 7, is the ABC affiliate for the Buffalo, New York television market, and is one of many local Buffalo TV stations seen over-the-air and on cable in Canada. Its transmitter is located at 8909 Center Street in Colden. The station is owned by the Granite Broadcasting Corporation, who...
's Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, for 34 years, from 1964 to 1998, becoming an iconic broadcaster well known in both the Buffalo area and in Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
, which was within WKBW's broadcast area. Weinstein was known for his powerful delivery and sense of humor. Weinstein, weatherman Tom Jolls
Tom Jolls
Tom Jolls is a retired television weatherman at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York, where he worked for 34 years. He was also the star of the Commander Tom Show which had a 26-year run on WKBW....
and sports anchor Rick Azar
Rick Azar
Rick Azar is an American broadcaster who spent 31 years at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York.- WKBW-TV career :Rick Azar was the first voice heard on WKBW-TV on November 30, 1958...
are the longest running anchor team in television history, fronting the broadcast from 1965 until Azar's retirement in 1989. Weinstein was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998 and the N.Y. State Broadcasters Association in 2006.
Career
Born in Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, Weinstein's broadcast career began while he was in high school, working at WHAM Radio as an actor on several locally produced programs. After professional stops in Iowa and West Virginia, he was hired as a newscaster and news director at WKBW Radio in Buffalo in 1958. His fast-paced style featuring strong writing and alliteration
Alliteration
In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...
("pistol-packing punks" referring to petty criminals, or "Buffalo blaze busters" in place of firefighters) helped take the newscast ratings to #1 in the Western New York market.
In 1964, Weinstein was hired as news director and anchorman at sister station WKBW-TV, an ABC Network affiliate. At the time, the station's news programs were rated #3 in a three-station market. By 1974, after the previous leader, WGR-TV, lost its lead anchor to a station in Chicago, WKBW-TV's Eyewitness News program had an audience larger than the combined audience of the two competing Buffalo stations. It remained the top-rated newscast until Weinstein's retirement in 1998 and beyond. Weinstein's innovations would later be adapted by Mel Kampmann for the national "Action News
Action News
Action News is a local television newscast format in the United States. It was conceived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at WFIL-TV by then-news director Mel Kampmann in 1970 as a response to the "Eyewitness News" format used on rival station KYW-TV...
" franchise.
In 1968, Weinstein briefly returned to his broadcast beginnings as an actor in WKBW radio's Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
adaptation of Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
' War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds (radio)
The War of the Worlds was an episode of the American radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker...
. Weinstein also appeared in a 1971 remake, which was re-run in 1998. During his 40-year career in Buffalo, Weinstein appeared in numerous theater productions and operated The Playhouse, a theater in downtown Buffalo in the early 1980s.
A WKBW-TV promo for Eyewitness News included a jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
:
- "Irv Weinstein, you're really a pro!
- Ya got all the news that we wanna know.
- You tell it like it is and never throw us a curve,
- Nobody says it like Ir-r-r-r-v !
- Eye-wit-ness News (Yes-sah!)"
The day of his retirement, December 31, 1998, was proclaimed "Irv Weinstein Day in Erie County
Erie County
Erie County is the name of three counties in the United States:* Erie County, New York* Erie County, Ohio* Erie County, Pennsylvania...
" by then-Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski. Five days later, Toronto columnist David Frum
David Frum
David J. Frum is a Canadian American journalist active in both the United States and Canadian political arenas. A former economic speechwriter for President George W. Bush, he is also the author of the first "insider" book about the Bush presidency...
penned a tribute titled "He came from Buffalo" in Canada's National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
newspaper, writing, "The way the French feel about Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
, that's how we feel about Irv Weinstein". In October 2004, Weinstein's status as "an icon of television journalism in Buffalo" was discussed on the floor of the Ontario Legislature by MPP Tim Hudak
Tim Hudak
Timothy Patrick "Tim" Hudak is a politician in Ontario, Canada, and the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario . He also serves as member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the riding of Niagara West—Glanbrook.-Background:Tim Hudak was born in Fort Erie, Ontario...
.http://hansardindex.ontla.on.ca/hansardeissue/38-1/l078b.htm
Weinstein was known for using alliteration in his reporting. He coined the phrases "Topping tonight's Eyewitness News" and "It's eleven o'clock. Do you know where your children are?
Do you know where your children are?
Do you know where your children are? is a popular question used as a public service announcement for parents on American television. Its heyday was throughout the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, but has made a comeback as of late. The question is usually asked around 10:00PM or 11:00PM, depending on the...
", both of which are in frequent use in other news broadcasts.
Personal life
Weinstein and his wife, Elaine, currently reside in Irvine, CaliforniaIrvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, where their daughter, Beth Krom
Beth Krom
Beth Krom is an Irvine, California, council member and was twice mayor of the city, as a Democrat. Krom received a B.S. in education from the University of Texas, Austin....
, served two terms as mayor and now serves on the City Council. The Weinsteins' son, Marc, is co-owner of Amoeba Music
Amoeba Music
Amoeba Music is an independent music chain with stores in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Founded by former employees of nearby Rasputin Records, it opened on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley in 1990. The stores are unusually large given their independent status...
, and their younger daughter, Rachel, is an artist and theater administrator in the Pittsburgh area. Irv Weinstein also owns a part-time residence in Ellicottville, New York
Ellicottville, New York
Ellicottville, New York is the name of two places in Cattaraugus County, New York:*Ellicottville , New York*Ellicottville , New YorkBoth locations are named after Joseph Ellicott, an agent for the Holland Land Company....
.
External links
- The Irv, Rick, and Tom Page by Buffalonian Steve Cichon