Destined to be the third generation working at the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., the Cleveland born and raised boy who got kicked out of High School 5 times before graduating, became a key founder of not only Channel 8 but also the ASU Retirees Association! Bob Ellis speaks very candidly about his life growing up in Cleveland, military service and then student at Arizona State College as a secondary education major with an emphasis in speech and drama; his first job at KOY and how he married his boss, his biggest influence in his career. Bob was an on-air personality at KOY. He was lured to come to ASU to help start a new television station that would become Channel 8 (KAET). In his interview, he tells stories of the beginnings of Channel and how it grew from being a place for “tele-courses” to a member of the PBS family. He also tells of another contribution he made to ASU – one of the founders of the ASU Retirees Association!
Details
- Ellis, Robert
- Stevenson, Pam (Interviewer)
- Agave Productions (Producer)
- Pam Stevenson, Editor; Manny Garcia, Videographer; June Payne, Chair Video History Project.
1. Introduction/Childhood @ 00:00:30 2. Move to Arizona @ 00:03:32 a. Arizona State College @ 00:04:21 3. First impressions of ASC @ 00:08:40 4. After Graduation – KOY @ 00:11:35 a. Lured to help start a non-commercial television station @ 00:12:42 b. More on life at KOY @ 00:15:00 5. Move to ASU @ 00:17:00 6. Channel 8 @ 00:19:00 a. Great Society Act of 1967 @ 00:24:20 b. Role at Channel 8 @ 00:24:48 7. First programs – tele-courses @ 00:30:45 a. Challenges of doing a tele-course @ 00:33:00 8. Challenges of public television during the Nixon years @ 00:35:20 a. Problems for Channel 8 @ 00:36:05 9. Channel 8 and the 60’s @ 00:41:38 10. Growth of Channel 8 @ 00:41:38 a. Pledge Drives/Friends of Channel 8 @ 00:45:53 b. New building, new growth, new challenges change to color @ 00:47:27 11. Growth of Arizona – Impact on the growth of ASU and Channel 8 @ 00:50:35 12 Influences in his career @ 00:52:10 13. University Relations @ 00:55:35 14. Proud Moments @ 00:58:00 a. ASU Retirees Association (ASURA) @ 00:58:09 b. Channel 8 @ 00:58:45 c. Formation of PBS @ 00:59:35 15. Challenges ahead @ 01:00:00 16. Notable/Controversial Broadcasts @ 01:04:00 a. Impeachment of Governor Meacham @ 01:04:00 b. Live medical procedures broadcast @ 01:05:00 c. Death of a Princess @ 01:06:08 17. Channel 8 and Walter Cronkite School relationship @ 01:08:00 18. His “legacy” or not! @ 01:11:40 19. Demise of locally owned stations @ 01:13:15 20. Advice to young people @ 01:19:00 21. Advantages of a small school environment @ 01:20:00 22. Closing thoughts @ 01:23:45
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Ellis, Robert. Interview. 29 July 2002. ASURA Video History Project. © Arizona Board of Regents. https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.36609