Childbirth
Blizzards--New York (State)--Buffalo
A crippling snow storm in November 2014 made driving impossible in parts of South Buffalo. Cars were literally buried in snow. The roads to Mercy Hospital were impassible. Two miles away from the hospital, Bethany Hojnacki went into labor. Her husband Jared began a desperate search for help, trudging through the snow while carrying his 19 month old son to the boy's anxious grandparents a mile away. Jared spotted a Buffalo fire crew assisting stranded motorists. Against all odds, one of them, Denise Perry, happened to be a labor nurse! Another close by was Stacey Braymiller, a maternity nurse! The firehouse was reachable and Bethany was transported there with contractions four minutes apart. With the help of the nurses, Bethany gave birth to Lucy Grace after just two pushes. Bethany explains that Lucy means "illuminated." She says her baby's name represents "grace illuminated," which she says "really does capture how she came into the world." Nurse Denise Perry believes it was divine intervention. WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg revisited the Hojnacki's for Lucy Grace's first birthday. Bethany says Lucy is "very passionate and spunky and also kind of dramatic." The parents liken her personality to her birth. In Jared's words, "very dramatic and full of life!"
Newberg, Rich
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
Root, Kim
Hill, Ahmir
Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
eng
Syrian Refugees Seek Freedom From Oppression
Refugees--Syrian--United States--2000-2020
August 11, 2015 In 2015, a media studies graduate of the University at Buffalo produced a message to the world about Syrian citizens fleeing oppression in their country. Documentary filmmaker Akrom Shipley, a Syrian American, had accompanied his father and sister on a journey to refugee camps in Jordan. These two reports by WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg deal with Shipley's plea for Americans to understand the plight of Syrian children who lost fathers in the Syrian civil war. "With losing their fathers," he said, "they lost a sense of their childhood." Rebel groups. with support from NATO, had taken up arms fighting the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad. Russia and Iran were providing arms to Assad. The death toll of the Syrian civil war is estimated to be as high as 617,910. Civilian deaths alone are believed to number more than 306,000. Shipley said the ultimate goal of the Syrian migrants "isn't just to flood our borders and take our jobs." He said their goal is to "rebuild hope and return home." Rich Newberg also presented a story of two Syrian brothers who made it to Buffalo and were able to bring their wives and children to safety in the Queen City. They said their city in Syria had been leveled by bombs and fighting.
Starting Life Over in Buffalo: A Polish Family Reunited
Refugees
Refugees--Poland
Catholic Charities of Buffalo
St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr Parish (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Saint Mary's School for the Deaf (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Casey Wrobel defected to the United States in 1981, fleeing martial law in his native Poland. He is deaf and went from being a locksmith to working in a Buffalo metal stamping plant. He immediately started saving his earning in order to bring his wife and two daughters to Buffalo as well. It took years for their visas to be granted. WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg flew with Casey to JFK Airport in New York the day he was reunited with his family. They all embraced. His wife Katrina is also deaf and worked as a tailor in Gdansk to make ends meet. Daughter Kataryna was able to speak for the family through an interpreter. She said, "Without father there is no life." In Buffalo, Catholic Charities and St. Mary's School for the Deaf were prepared to help the family start life over again. In a follow-up report almost a year-and-a half later, we see Katrina working as a seamstress. Daughters Katrina and Monica learned to speak English at St. Stanislaus School in Buffalo. Monica had become best friends with a fellow student. Katrina was having a harder time adjusting to life in America. The Catholic Church continued to play a major role in their lives. Msgr. John Gabalski of St. Stanislaus Church said of the Wrobel family, "They preach a better sermon by their behavior than I can preach orally." Monica had just celebrated her first communion.
Gabalski, John
Buffalo (N.Y.). Office of the Mayor
Griffin, Jimmy
Jimmy Griffin was a four term mayor of Buffalo, first elected in November 1977. He was a registered Democrat but conservative on social issues, once inviting the pro-life group Operation Rescue to come to Buffalo and stage major demonstrations against abortion. He won the Buffalo mayoral race in 1977, after running on the Conservative line. His followers respected the fact that he always said what was on his mind, regardless of the consequences. He was often critical of the news media when his policies were challenged. At times he got physical with his opponents, once punching a former aide in the face, yanking the tie of a Buffalo councilman and challenging another city lawmaker to a fist fight. In an interview with WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg, Griffin admitted he was "pugnacious," but added that he was always true to himself. "Remembering Mayor Jimmy Griffin" begins with his obituary on November 6, 2003. He was raised in Buffalo's rough and tumble Irish Old First Ward and scooped grain out of Great Lakes freighters as a teenager. He fought in the Korean war and entered Buffalo politics in 1961, winning a seat on the city's Common Council. He was elected to the New York State Senate in 1966. Griffin blamed the local news media for negative stories about his Parks commissioner Robert Delano, who ended up spending more than two years in federal prison for theft and extortion. During his one-on-one interview with Rich Newberg, Griffin looks back on his accomplishments as mayor. A new downtown baseball stadium and housing and commercial buildings on the Erie Basin Marina are among them.
Kemp, Jack, 1935-2009
Reagan, Ronald--Assassination attempts
Presidents--Assassination--United States
Hinckley, John W. (John Warnock), Jr.
D’Amato, Alfonse
This is WIVB-TV's coverage of the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. Rich Newberg reported from the nation's capital and got reaction and updates from Senator Alfonse D'Amato and Congressman Jack Kemp. On March 30, 1981, just after Ronald Reagan was waving to a crowd outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., shots rang out from a .22 caliber revolver fired by John Hinckley, Jr. who was only fifteen feet away. The 70 year old president, who was about two months into his first term, took a bullet that ricocheted off his limousine and lodged in his chest, just missing his heart. His press secretary James Brady was shot in the head and suffered brain damage. Police officer Thomas Delahanty was hit in the back. Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy was wounded in the chest. McCarthy had positioned himself between Hinckley and the president. President Reagan's life was saved by the medical team at George Washington University Hospital. Hinckley, who would later be found not guilty by reason of insanity, had fantasized that his attempt on the life of President Reagan would somehow impress actress Jodie Foster, who appeared in the movie Taxi Driver. In that movie the character played by Robert De Niro plots to assassinate a presidential candidate. Hinckley was committed to a psychiatric hospital and released in 2016.
Teresa, Mother, Saint, 1910-1997
Niagara University
Niagara Falls (N.Y.)
On May 30, 1982, Mother Teresa of Calcutta delivered a message of love and support for the poor and the sick to graduates of Niagara University. She was granted an honorary doctorate before speaking to the graduating class. Thousands of people attended the graduation ceremonies conducted at the Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Center. In this WIVB-TV piece by reporter Emil Jablonski, Mother Teresa says, "The poor are a gift of God to us. They are great people. They are really lovable people." She said no one should ever feel unwanted. At a news conference she decried the fact that there are children dying of hunger while superpowers pour money into the arms race. She also spoke out against abortion. In a surprise introduction, Mother Teresa met Elizabeth Collins, a child adopted from her Calcutta mission. Elizabeth, now living in Tonawanda, got a warm embrace and told Mother Teresa she loved her. Her wish was that the founder of Missionaries of Charity could live forever. Thirty four years after her visit to Niagara University, Mother Teresa was canonized by the Catholic Church. On September 4, 2016, nineteen years after her death, she became known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
Jablonski, Emil (Reporter)
Mombrea, Sr., Mike (Photographer, Editor)
Urban & municipal planning
Masiello, Anthony
Buffalo Harbor (N.Y.)
Public schools--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
Urban development--Government policy
Anthony Masiello first made a name for himself as a star basketball player for the Canisius College Golden Griffins. His first shot in politics at age twenty-four netted him a seat on Buffalo's Common Council in 1971. He worked his way up to Majority Leader in 1976. After spending ten years on the Council, Masiello was elected to the New York State Senate. Serving from 1981 to 1993, he advanced to the positions of Minority Whip and Chair of the Democratic Conference. On January 1, 1994, Masiello was sworn in as Buffalo 61st mayor. He served three terms. In an interview with WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg, Masiello looked back with pride on his accomplishments as mayor. He said his administration boosted Buffalo's image nationally by building up the city's medical corridor and changing Buffalo's "economic fabric." In particular, he mentioned cultural tourism and the attraction of the city's developing Inner Harbor. He also said developers were converting old historic buildings into attractive places to live, providing an incentive for people to rent or buy property downtown. During the Masiello years, eighty year old school buildings were renovated with state-of-the-art "learning laboratories." It was a ten year, state funded, billion dollar project. Masiello said, when it came to education, his one regret was that he was unable to appoint three members to the Buffalo School Board. Directly addressed the people of Buffalo, Masiello said, "I thoroughly enjoyed being your mayor." He added, "I know we've had some tough times but I never gave up on our city. I never gave up on its people, and I never gave up on its future." Because of his positive approach to governing, he said, "I think we're in a really good position to do great things as a city and as a people." Tony Masiello won twenty-three elections to public office during the span of his political career.
John F. Kennedy: Western New York Visits
Rej, Joe
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963
Presidential elections--1960.
John F. Kennedy: Western New York Visits During his campaign for president of the United States, Senator John F. Kennedy made a stop in North Tonawanda on September 28, 1960. WBEN-TV recorded his speech, which is now part of the JFK Library in Boston. During his address, Kennedy said, "The Soviet system and our system are on trial. The question will be, which system has the longest staying power," Speaking in North Tonawanda, he said the American people have the "power, the will, the determination and the conviction" to come out ahead. On October 14, 1962, as US president, Kennedy addressed a crowd of thousands in Buffalo's Niagara Square. It was the day Buffalo's Polish community honors the memory of General Kazimierz Pulaski, a Polish hero of the American Revolution. Kennedy said that Poland, dominated by the Soviet Union at the time, must be strengthened, but that the country "has always remained free in the hearts of the Polish people." He added that the United States must "never recognize Soviet domination of East Europe as permanent." It was on this day in Buffalo, according to Joe Rej, the president of the General Pulaski Association of Western New York, that Kennedy learned of the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. The Soviets had been building nuclear missile sites, capable of striking the United States. The news broke two days later on October 16, 1962. Kennedy initiated a blockade of Cuba. During the tense thirteen day crisis which put the world at risk of a nuclear war, an agreement was finally reached. The Soviets dismantled their missiles in Cuba. The United States removed its missiles from Turkey.
WBEN-TV, JFK Library
Many so called "Baby Boomers," born after World War II, were raised by parents who subscribed to the child rearing philosophy of Dr. Benjamin Spock. In his book "Baby and child Care," written in 1946, he advises parents to rely on their natural loving instincts as the guiding principle in bringing up their children. When their children came of age to be parents, the "natural" approach was applied to many aspects of life, including child birth and breast feeding, and the purchase of toys that promoted creativity and not violence. In his series, "It's Only Natural," WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg, a new father whose wife gave up a teaching career to become a "stay-at-home mom," explores the norms of the 1980's. Dr. Spock is featured in his reports. In the final segment, Spock defends himself against conservative critics who blame him for being overly permissive in his advice to parents. Some of his detractors advocate spanking as a form of discipline. Spock says was never a "permissivist." He says he was singled out by critics because of his opposition to the Vietnam War.
Inside a Private Audience with Pope John Paul II
John Paul II, Pope, 1920-2005
Solidarity
Daemen College
After witnessing a 1985 crackdown on Solidarity demonstrators in Poland, a delegation from Buffalo, New York met privately with Pope John Paul II at Castel Gandolfo, his summer residence in the Roman Hills of Italy. The meeting was important to the Polish pope, who is often credited for playing a major role in the eventual fall of communism in Poland. Buffalo has a large Polish population with close ties to Poland. The pope had visited Western New York when he was Cardinal Karol Wojtyla. The private audience on September 6, 1985 had been granted in advance because of an exchange program between Daemen College in Buffalo and the Catholic University in Lublin, Poland. The pope had spent twenty-five years at the Catholic University as a professor and chairman of the Faculty of Ethics. It was the only Christian university in the Soviet Bloc. The Buffalo delegation had included a visit to the university in its travels through Poland. One of the delegation leaders, Brian Rusk, who represented Daemen College president Robert Marshall, commented to the pope that the exchange program would carry on his "words and teachings for peace and brotherhood in the world." The pope openly expressed his gratitude for support the program was receiving. During their journey through Poland, the delegation had revisited Buffalo's many ties to the Polish people (see "Hearts and Minds Together" in the collection). Another delegation leader, Richard Solecki, had a special security contact within the Solidarity movement. This relationship enabled the delegates to meet with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa minutes before his demonstrators took to the streets of Gdansk. The entire private audience with Pope John Paul II was photographed by News 4 photographer Don Yearke. It can be viewed following Rich Newberg's WIVB-TV live report from outside the pope's residence. At one point, when Newberg sought comment from the pope on Solidarity's efforts to free Poland from communism, his microphone was snatched out of his hand by a papal aide. That's when the pope took Newberg by the arm and whispered, "Without Solidarity, there can be no peace!"
Rusk, Brian
Solecki, Richard
Rutkowski, Edward
Slisz, Richard
Poland, Solidarity Movement, Buffalo Polish Americans, Martial Law in Poland, Polish Americans
Martial law--Poland
Solidarity (Polish labor organization)
When martial law was imposed on the people of Poland on December 13, 1981, a vicious crackdown began against forces seeing freedom from communism. Members of the anti-communist trade union Solidarity became main targets of the military junta which seized power. Thousands were thrown in prison without trials. Western New York students studying in Poland managed to flee the country and make it safely back to Buffalo. They had many stories to tell about the abuses imposed on Polish citizens as well as an economic crisis that put Poland on the brink of bankruptcy. Buffalo, with its large Polish population, became one of the lead protest cities in the United States. They demanded that the Soviet Union loosen its grasp on Poland and allow the Polish people to choose their own destiny. President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II are often credited with helping to bring down communism in Poland. "Flight from Poland," a WIVB-TV news special hosted and co-produced by Rich Newberg, gave Buffalo viewers a comprehensive look inside Poland during this period of great turmoil. Newberg got first hand accounts from refugees and students in Buffalo who had witnessed the abuses in their homeland. In 1985, Newberg would report from Gdansk, the birthplace of Solidarity, as club wielding Zomos (paramilitary units) again arrested Solidarity demonstrators. Newberg and photojournalist Don Yearke met with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa and then with Pope John Paul II in Rome. (See "Hearts and Minds Together" and "Inside a Private Audience with Pope John Paul II.") In 1999, Newberg would again travel to Poland, this time with photojournalist Mike Mombrea, Jr., to cover Pope John Paul II's triumphant return to his homeland, now free from communist rule. The pope made a special effort to meet with a Buffalo delegation on a street in Torun, Poland. He blessed every member, showing his gratitude toward the city, whose Polish Americans never wavered in their support for a free Poland. Newberg also interviewed Lech Walesa after he had served as president of Poland. (See "The People's Pope.")
Staff involved include Karen Sacks (Producer, Writer), Mike Mombrea, Jr. (Photographer, editor), (Contributing Photographers: Joe Ader, Bill Cantwell, Don Yearke, Luis Hidalgo, Curt Louison, Jay Lauder, Micki Sellers, Mike Mombrea, Sr.), Bob Koop (Polish National Anthem Narrator), Joe Kirik (News Director), Bill Tower (Director), (Technicians: Keith Jones, Hal Case, Al Barbour, Russ Barone, Herb Steffen, Stan Nowak, Dom Zigrossi).
Daredevils--Niagara Falls (N.Y. and Ont.)
John "David" Munday of Caistor Centre, Ontario fixed diesel engines for a living and enjoyed being alone. He also enjoyed the "adrenaline rush" of being a daredevil. He was the first person to survive two plunges over Niagara Falls in self-designed steel barrels. Munday was 48 years old when he first conquered the Falls on October 5, 1985. His second journey over the Horseshoe Falls and into the international record books took place on September 27, 1993. Between these two incredible feats, Munday decided to challenge the treacherous currents of the Great Gorge Rapids which feed into dangerous spinning waters of the notorious Whirlpool. In a less sophisticated 600 pound barrel made of high pressure steel pipe, Munday and his assistants eluded Niagara Parks Police and lowered the barrel into the swift currents of the rapids. His five minute harrowing journey on October 11, 1987 brought him to the Whirlpool. The world got a little more insight into the motivations and fears of this thrill seeker during a series of reports by WIVB-TV's Rich Newberg. The most amazing revelation was Dave Munday's confession that he is terrified of the water and can't swim.
Buffalo TV News Archives: Our Portal to History
Television broadcasting of news
Television broadcasting of news--New York (State)
Television broadcasting of news--United States--History.
IN THE BEGINNING When WIVB-TV (formerly WBEN-TV) celebrated its 50th anniversary with a TV special on May 14, 1998, the use of archival news film and videotape gave viewers a window into Buffalo'ss storied history. Rich Newberg, who co-produced and co-hosted the program, wrote an article for the National Television Academy, documenting the significance of the station's successful efforts to broadcast footage dating back to the birth of television in Buffalo in 1948. Buffalo is a unique television market in that the news film and videotape archives from all three major stations have been saved. WIVB-TV (Channel 4-CBS), as well as WKBW-TV (Channel 7-ABC) and WGRZ-TV (Channel 2 - NBC), have given the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) permission to digitize their archival TV news collections and bring Western New York's moving image history back to life. Mr. Newberg, a founding member of the BBA and Hall of Fame inductee, has put together a comprehensive visual history of this extraordinary effort in Buffalo to preserve and utilize a most valuable educational resource. He served as chair of the BBA's Archive Task Force that began the process of digitizing Buffalo's TV news archives in 2011. The historical retrospective begins with excerpts from the Channel 4 documentary, "First In Western New York: 50 Golden Years on Channel 4." The featured segments are narrated by WIVB-TV former anchors Don Postles and Rich Newberg. (Runs: 8:30) LAUNCHING OF THE ARCHIVE PROJECT On March 29, 2019 the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) officially launched The Archive Project. The BBA had established written agreements with WIVB-TV (Nexstar/CBS) and WKBW-TV (Scripps/ABC) to digitize their news film and early videotape archives. WGRZ-TV (Tegna/NBC) came onboard in 2024. The moving image archive is to be used for educational use only. Through BBA fundraisers, donations, and grants from the Western New York Library Resources Council, digitized news reports and clips dating back as early as the mid-1960s began being posted on the New York Heritage website. Postings will also appear on the BBA's own website, which is currently being revamped to provide space for the archival material. These reports that aired on WIVB-TV and WKBW-TV show viewers the scope of the project and why the initiative is a valued resource for Western New York and the nation. (Runs: 5:30) ACTOR ED ASNER ENDORSES THE BBA'S ARCHIVE PROJECT On September 29, 2019, Actor Ed Asner, who played television news director Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, endorsed the BBA's Archive Project in a public service announcement. The endorsement was recorded during the time Mr. Asner was in Western New York for his performance of a one man show. Asner endorsement: "Hello. I'm Ed Asner. You may remember me as television's no-nonsense news director, Lou Grant. If you think about it, journalists provide us with our first draft of history. Right here in Buffalo, more than 50 years of TV news coverage is being brought back to life! Local stations are working with the Buffalo Broadcasters Association to bring back the stories that helped define the Niagara Frontier. It's called The Archive Project, and I support it with all my heart! So should you." (Runs: 60 seconds) THE MEMORY KEEPERS Rescuing Buffalo's Moving Image History This update on The Archive Project was presented at the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame induction ceremony on November 4, 2021. The piece was modified in 2024 to include WGRZ-TV, which also entered into contract with the BBA for the digitization of its film and videotape archive. The progress report is written and hosted by Rich Newberg and edited by Tom Vetter. The feature lays out the challenges in preserving and utilizing Buffalo's archival TV news film and videotape. (Runs: 7:20) THE ARCHIVE PROJECT Buffalo Broadcasters Association How It All Began (5 PARTS: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) The cornerstone project of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) is to digitize Buffalo television archival news film and videotape from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s. The news film had been rescued on many occasions by Buffalo broadcasting pioneers whose vision was to someday create a moving image archive of Buffalo's rich and colorful history as told through the lens of broadcast journalists. The storage of news film from all three Buffalo network affiliates began in the 1960s. Boxes were initially kept at Buffalo Historical Society. Channel 7 eventually took back its film, while Channels 4 and 2 chose not to physically reclaim their footage. This series of features, written and produced by Rich Newberg, documents the progress and objectives of The Archive Project. The five video reports were presented during most of the BBA's Hall of Fame ceremonies between 2006 and 2011. (Runs: 22:36)
Buffalo Broadcasters Association
Mombrea Jr., Mike
Vetter, Tom
Terrenova, Michael
Buffalo Broadcasting Pioneers: Behind the Scenes
Television journalists
Buffalo Broadcasting Pioneers: Behind the Scenes While the first Buffalo viewers of television in 1948 may have thought the images miraculously appeared on their small screens at home, it took a coordinated effort of technicians, directors, set designers, audio and film engineers, station support personnel, and many others who worked behind the scenes, to put programs on the air. While their expertise, for the most part, was technical in nature, some possessed incredible artistic talents worthy of the public spotlight. In this series of reports by WIVB-TV'ss Rich Newberg and Jacquie Walker, these broadcasting pioneers are recognized for their contributions to the Buffalo television industry. Order of Presentation: WIVB-TV Behind the Scenes John Novelli / Technical Director, Artist Ted Patton / TV and Stage Set Designer Frank Wald / Technician Hal Case / Technician Ann Deckop / Executive Assistant Alfred Kirchhofer / First President & General Manager Bill McKibben / Station Manager under Kirchhofer
Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Photographer, editor)
Hill, Ahmir (Title Graphic Artist)
Walker, Jacquie (Reporter)
Matt, Richard
Sweat, David
Clinton Prison (Dannemora, N.Y.)
On June 6, 2015, two convicted murderers, Richard Matt and David Sweat escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York. The carefully orchestrated jailbreak led to massive manhunt, with billboards put up in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania and along the Canada-U.S. border. On June 16, during the search, prison employee Joyce Mitchell confessed to providing Matt and Sweat with hacksaw blades, chisels, and other tools used for the escape. WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg presents a video profile of Matt and Sweat, followed by a WIVB-TV television special, "Breakout." (Background) Richard Matt, from Tonawanda, New York, had been serving a sentence of 25 years to life for beating, torturing, and ultimately killing his former boss, William Rickerson. After breaking his neck, Matt dismembered Rickerson's body, discarding the remains in the Niagara River. Matt and an accomplice had kidnapped Rickerson from his North Tonawanda home with the intent to rob him. Matt then fled to Mexico, where he stabbed a man to death after trying to rob him. Matt was arrested and convicted of the stabbing death in Mexico. He was then extradited to the U.S. to stand trial for the murder of William Dickerson. David Sweat, raised in Binghamton area of New York, shot a Broome County sheriff's deputy multiple times before running him over with a car. He and an accomplice had been spotted by Deputy Kevin Tarsia in a parking lot while in possession of stolen firearms. After Sweat ran over Deputy Tarsia, the accomplice, Jeffrey Nabinger Jr., shot the severely wounded deputy in the face, killing him. Sweat was serving a sentence of life without parole. Matt was hunted down in Malone, New York on June 26, 2015 and killed during a confrontation with a U.S border patrol agent and a former Army Ranger. Two days later, Sweat was spotted near Constable, New York by a New York State Trooper who wanted to question him. After Sweat took off running across a hay field, Trooper Jay Cook shot him in the shoulder and arm. Sweat survived.
Agent Orange
Herbicides--War use
Agent Orange--Health aspects--Vietnam
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Veterans
During the Vietnam War, the United States used a chemical herbicide to defoliate jungle terrain and expose enemy hideouts. Agent Orange contained dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals ever created. American military personnel were exposed to the defoliant which is known to cause many types of cancer and other serious health conditions. WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg reports on progress made by Agent Orange victims who have sought medical help and disability compensation from the Veterans Administration. He features the stories of two Vietnam Veterans from Western New York who suffered the consequences of Agent Orange exposure.
Spring of Life : Abortion Battleground in Buffalo
Operation Rescue (Organization)
Pro-choice movement--New York (State)--Buffalo
Pro-life movement--New York (State)--Buffalo
Terry, Randall A.
Griffin, James D. (James Donald), 1929-
Slepian, Barnett, 1946-1998
Following Easter Sunday in 1992, the pro-life group Operation Rescue staged its “Spring of Life” demonstrations in front of several Western New York abortion clinics. Anti-abortion activists had been invited by Buffalo mayor Jimmy Griffin to stage their demonstrations in Western New York. New York State abortion law had gone into effect in 1970, allowing abortions during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry and national director Rev. Keith Tucci made appearances. The campaign was modeled after a 46 day protest a year earlier in Wichita, Kansas. During those “Summer of Mercy” sit-ins and blockades, 2,600 people were arrested. Three abortion clinics were closed for a week. The Buffalo demonstrations lasted two weeks, resulting in more than 620 arrests. Many pro-choice activists showed up, locking arms in front of the clinics, preventing them from closing. During the two weeks of demonstrations, one rear driveway to the Buffalo GYN Womenservices clinic on Main Street was blocked for a few hours. The “Spring of Life” demonstrations attracted national media attention, and served as the lead news story on the nation’s major networks. The Rev. Robert Schenck, an anti-abortion activist, was arrested for disorderly conduct after carrying a 19 week old human fetus and holding it up to abortion-rights demonstrators. His brother Paul, also a minister, was arrested for trespassing after boarding the bus where his brother was being held by the police. Dr. Barnett Slepian, who provided abortions at a women’s clinic Buffalo, was one of five doctors targeted by anti-abortion demonstrators. His house was picketed and he became increasingly concerned about the safety of his family and his own vulnerability. Six years after the Spring of Life demonstrations he was assassinated in his suburban Buffalo home while preparing soup in his kitchen. James Kopp, the man convicted of his murder, had been nicknamed “Atomic Dog” by radical elements in the anti-abortion movement. Originally aired on WIVB-TV.
Newberg, Rich (Reporter)
Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)
Rice, Marie (Reporter)
Pfeiffer, Rick (Reporter)
Koop, Bob (Reporter)
The Memory Keepers : Rescuing Western New York’s Moving Image History
Broadcasters--New York (State)--Buffalo--History.
Broadcasting--New York--Buffalo--History.
The Memory Keepers (2021) This feature presents the cornerstone project of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA). It lays out the goals and challenges in preserving and utilizing Buffalo’s archival TV news film and videotape dating back to the mid-1960s. This piece is the most recent in a series of videos tracing the history of The Archive Project. “The Memory Keepers” was presented at the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame induction ceremony on November 4, 2021 (Runs: 7:12) The Archive Project History (5 Parts: 2006 - 2011) (Total running time: 22:49) The history of The Archive Project is presented here by Rich Newberg in a series of five features. They document a period of awakening to the value of archival TV news footage, and show how painstaking efforts are underway to preserve the moving images that reflect more than a half century of life on the Buffalo-Niagara Frontier. Rich Newberg is a founding member of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association and former Archive Task Force chairman for the BBA. His five video reports were presented during most of the BBA's Hall of Fame ceremonies between 2006 and 2011.] (Summary of Reports) The Archive Project (2006) Runs: 3:51 *Edison’s historic moving images of Buffalo are presented as well as a vision for The Archive Project *The first meeting with Buffalo television executives is documented *Recommendations are given for saving Buffalo’s TV news film collection The Archive Task Force (2008) Runs: 4:00 *A task force is created to seek grants for digitization of TV news film in the BBA's possession *University at Buffalo senior research scholar Michael Frisch signs on to create a system for categorizing and indexing digitized material *Highlights of major Buffalo news stories from the 1960s and ’70s are referenced (civil rights riots, Blizzard of ’77, Love Canal, Attica uprising, Jack Kemp’s political rise to power) The Journey Begins (2009) Runs: 4:39 *First boxes of TV news film are itemized from the year 1966 *A vision is presented for a museum and resource center to house the collection *First meeting is conducted with Buffalo area colleges and universities *The BBA’s Archive Project is featured at a national conference of the Institute of Museum and Library Services held in Buffalo *Conference presenter Dr. Michael Frisch calls Buffalo “one of the most important media centers in the country, of the evolution of television news.” He references Western New York natives Tim Russert, Wolf Blitzer, and political satirist Mark Russell Buffalo Moments in Time (2010) Runs: 3:52 *A database is created listing the slugs of all 15-hundred WIVB-TV (formerly WBEN-TV) news stories from the year 1966, the first full year of the BBA’s collection *Scene Savers of Covington Kentucky sends representative John Walko to advise BBA leadership on how best to preserve and utilize the archival news film *Dr. Michael Frisch illustrates how his company, Randforce Associates, is able to catalogue and index all the digitized footage for easy access *BBA president Dave Gillen says, “We’ve got all the pieces in place. We just need the money to do it.” The Scene Savers (2011) Runs: 6:00 *The step-by-step digitization process is documented by Scene Savers staffers working on the BBA’s Archive Project. *Mr. Newberg says future projects will range from documentaries, to classroom presentations, to museum exhibits *The project seeks to complete the mission of the BBA to make Buffalo’s moving image history accessible to the public, “so that future generations will know their roots and will appreciate the contributions of Buffalo’s broadcasting pioneers.” Official Launching of The Archive Project (2019) WIVB-TV Report Runs: 3:24 On March 29, 2019, the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) officially launched The Archive Project. The BBA established written agreements with WIVB-TV (Nexstar/CBS) and WKBW-TV (Scripps/ABC) to digitize their news film and early videotape archives. The moving image archive will be made available for educational use only. Through BBA fundraisers, donations, and grants from the Western New York Library Resources Council, digitized news reports and clips dating back as early as the mid-1960s began being posted on the New York Heritage website. Postings will also appear on the BBA’s own website. This WIVB-TV news report by News 4 anchor Jacquie Walker shows viewers the scope of the project and why the initiative is a valued resource for Western New York and the nation.] Official Launching of The Archive Project (2019) WKBW-TV Report Runs: 2:05 The BBA collection of archival Buffalo TV news film and video tape becomes the first of its kind on the New York Heritage website. Rich Newberg, one of the chief architects of the project, comments that the collection will document “huge stories, huge challenges that faced this community.” He says the archive holds valuable lessons for “seeking better solutions in the future.” He adds, “It’s the journalists, the reporters and photographers, who basically gave their communities the first draft of history. And that’s why we think it’s so vital to bring this back.” Actor Ed Asner Endorses The Archive Project (Recorded: September 20, 2019) Runs: :60 sec. Ed Asner, who played television’s legendary news director Lou Grant on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, endorsed the BBA’s Archive Project in a public service announcement. The endorsement was recorded while Mr. Asner was in Rochester, New York performing a one man show. Asner endorsement: “Hello. I’m Ed Asner. You may remember me as television’s no-nonsense news director, Lou Grant. If you think about it, journalists provide us with our first draft of history. Right here in Buffalo, more than 50 years of TV news coverage is being brought back to life! Local stations are working with the Buffalo Broadcasters Association to bring back the stories that helped define the Niagara Frontier. It’s called The Archive Project, and I support it with all my heart! So should you.”]
Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Host)
Vetter, Tom (Producer, Editor)
Buffalo (N.Y.)--Biography.
Women--New York (State)--Buffalo--Biography.
“Love is Stronger than Pain” is the title of Michael O’Brien’s book memorializing the legacy of his mother, Irene Corcoran O’Brien. She lived a life of daily sacrifice, tending to the critical needs of two of her children stricken with a rare, debilitating, painful disease which causes blistering of the skin and deformities. Her faith and unconditional love of John and Maureen enabled them to experience joy in life and inspire others to do the same. WIVB-TV’s Rich Newberg covered the O’Brien story for years, capturing the spirit of John, who honored the wish of his late sister and helped raise funds for a play about her life. “Hit Me Again” was in presented in Buffalo in April 1991. John died in 1992 at the age of 39. He was the oldest survivor of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Maureen was 27 when she passed away in 1984. She died as her mother was changing here dressings. Both brother and sister appeared much older than their years. At John’s funeral it was said by his brothers that “he made friends out of strangers and family out of friends.” The series of reports ends with the tribute to Irene. Newberg interviews Michael who recalls Mother Theresa giving Irene her rosary. There is a scene of the brother and sister in the audience during Mother Theresa’s presentation at Niagara University. Speaking of his mother’s spirit, Michael says, “It was genuine humility…” He added, “She just thought that she was fulfilling God’s will and purpose for her life.”
Newberg, Rich (Reporter, Archivist)
Grosvenor Room of B&ECPL (repository)
Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
PS 076 Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy
Journalism, Elementary school
Journalism and education
On September 30, 1997, WIVB-TV created a mentoring program for high school students at the Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy in Buffalo. The goal was to initially expose them to the inner workings of a television newsroom and teach them the basics of broadcast journalism and production. News 4 anchor Rich Newberg and news photographer Tom Vetter conducted workshops with the final goal of creating a TV news magazine program called “The Badillo Beat.” Fernando Correa, an 8th grade student who showed great potential in front of the camera, anchored the program, taking viewers into the heart of Buffalo’s Hispanic community. The purpose was to address important unresolved social issues. The items featured in this compilation include reports on what transpired during the course of the project and the student produced program that was presented to the school on June 23, 1998. Buffalo mayor Anthony Masiello had praised the initiative, telling students at the partnership signing ceremony that they were being given “an opportunity to grow” at a time when “communications is everything.” He said, “We live in an international marketplace. By the time you are adults, we’ll be communicating with all parts of the world every single day visa-a-vis TV and journalism, computers and telecommunications.” The Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy already had facilities and equipment used to videotape important school events. Rich Newberg told them that having entry into a television station and a professional newsroom could be a major step toward a career in broadcast journalism. However, he cautioned them that, “Unless you go for it, unless you want want it badly enough and work for it, it is not going to come to you. All we can offer you is the opportunity to see what television is all about.”
Vetter, Tom (News photographer)
Murphy, Kurt (Graphic artist)