Ed Blair Collection


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Collection Details

Scope and Content Note: 1940s-1970s
Biographical Note: "Born and reared in Chattanooga, Blair began his broadcast career there at station WDEF, then moved to Atlanta to anchor and produce a daily news report called 'Georgia Panorama' on WAGA radio. Its ratings success helped persuade station management in 1958 to offer a similar program on WAGA-TV, 45 minutes in length, with Blair as anchor and news director. "'Ed insisted that we reporters should be completely impartial in our reporting,' said Vic Lambert of Atlanta, a former WAGA-TV newsman. 'We covered all sides of a burning issue such as civil rights in the ’60s.' Lambert said while WAGA’s news report was balanced, Blair was one of the first news directors in the country to devote a regular portion of the news report to editorial opinion. 'And it was clearly labeled as such,' Lambert said. "'Ed was more a work horse than a show horse at CNN,' said Dave Walker of Mountain Brook, Ala., a retired CNN reporter and anchor. 'As a news director, Ed was bright and knowledgeable,' Walker continued, 'As a writer and as an editor of other people’s writing, he was a perfectionist, constantly striving for the best way to describe a news event. He taught classes on news writing for CNN newcomers to encourage them to develop a direct, conversational style.' "Early in his 15-year tenure during CNN’s formative years, Blair wrote 'A Guide for Writers' for CNN staffers. Former news executive Ed Turner called the 295-page book of instructions 'the CNN bible.' "Edgar Thayer Blair, 84, died March 21 at his Atlanta home of cancer." From http://www.ajc.com/news/news/edgar-thayer-blair-84-television-news-director-wri/nXFLr/ accessed 11/2/2015
Extent: 1/4" audiotape, 16mm film, 78 rpm discs

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