Pat Harper
Encyclopedia
Patricia "Pat" Harper was an American
television
news anchor
and reporter, and a fixture for nearly two decades on two New York City
television station
s. In 1975, she became the first woman to anchor a television news program in New York.
Harper, who grew up in New York, worked at TV stations in Chicago
and Philadelphia before making history as the first female news anchor in New York when she joined WPIX
in 1975.
She was initially paired at the anchor desk with her then husband, Joe Harper, who had anchored the station's nightly newscast
since 1973.
Despite a major advertising
push, the ratings for Action News
remained way behind The 10 O'Clock News on WNEW-TV
, and the on-air pairing ended in early 1976, by which time they had been divorced in their private life. Joe Harper summarily retired from broadcasting
after his run on WPIX ended (he died in 1983). In 1977, Pat returned to the anchor desk after an overhauling of Action News and the addition of a 7:30 P.M. edition, in addition to the already existing 10 P.M. newscast. Her co-anchor for most of the rest of her run at channel 11 was Steve Bosh, formerly of WCBS-TV
.
Beginning in 1979, she was paired on the 10 P.M. edition with Bill Jorgensen
, who had just left WNEW-TV. In 1980, Harper, Jorgensen and Bosh were named anchors of a new, nationally-syndicated newscast called Independent Network News
; with that, Pat became the first female co-anchor of a national news broadcast.
Following Jorgensen's retirement from the station in 1983, and Bosh's departure in 1984, her co-anchors would include Brad Holbrook and former CBS News
reporter/anchor Morton Dean
. During her run with WPIX, the station took home two Emmy Award
s for outstanding local news coverage, in 1979 and again in 1983.
In 1985, Harper left WPIX for WNBC-TV
, where she replaced John Hambrick
as Chuck Scarborough
's co-anchor on the 6 P.M. edition of News 4 New York
. In her years with channel 4, the station won five consecutive Emmy Awards for best local newscast. Harper herself won an Emmy for a special report in which she spent a week on the streets of New York as a homeless bag lady
, as part of a look at the homeless problem that was then plaguing the city.
During her stint at WNBC, she appeared as a newscaster in the 1985 film
Compromising Positions
.
After Harper's run on WNBC ended in April 1991, she retired from the news business and moved to Capileira
, Spain
. She died there three years later of a heart attack at age 59. She was survived by three children and several grandchildren.
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...
news anchor
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
and reporter, and a fixture for nearly two decades on two New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s. In 1975, she became the first woman to anchor a television news program in New York.
Harper, who grew up in New York, worked at TV stations 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...
and Philadelphia before making history as the first female news anchor in New York when she joined WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
in 1975.
She was initially paired at the anchor desk with her then husband, Joe Harper, who had anchored the station's nightly newscast
News broadcasting
News broadcasting is the broadcasting of various news events and other information via television, radio or internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or television studio newsroom, or by a broadcast network...
since 1973.
Despite a major advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
push, the ratings for 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...
remained way behind The 10 O'Clock News on WNEW-TV
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
, and the on-air pairing ended in early 1976, by which time they had been divorced in their private life. Joe Harper summarily retired from broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
after his run on WPIX ended (he died in 1983). In 1977, Pat returned to the anchor desk after an overhauling of Action News and the addition of a 7:30 P.M. edition, in addition to the already existing 10 P.M. newscast. Her co-anchor for most of the rest of her run at channel 11 was Steve Bosh, formerly of WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
.
Beginning in 1979, she was paired on the 10 P.M. edition with Bill Jorgensen
Bill Jorgensen
Bill Jorgensen was the founding and longtime anchor of New York City's WNEW-TV's Ten O'Clock News from its inception on March 13, 1967 until he left in the spring of 1979 Jorgensen moved to WPIX-TV, also in New York City, where he anchored the news until his retirement in 1987.-The Ten O'Clock...
, who had just left WNEW-TV. In 1980, Harper, Jorgensen and Bosh were named anchors of a new, nationally-syndicated newscast called Independent Network News
Independent Network News (US)
The Independent Network News was a nationally-syndicated nightly news program, seen from June 1980 until June 1990. The newscast was designed to serve the same purpose as the nightly network news programs, and was produced by Tribune Company-owned station WPIX in New York...
; with that, Pat became the first female co-anchor of a national news broadcast.
Following Jorgensen's retirement from the station in 1983, and Bosh's departure in 1984, her co-anchors would include Brad Holbrook and former CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
reporter/anchor Morton Dean
Morton Dean
Morton Dean is an American television news journalist who has worked for CBS News and ABC News since the mid-1960s....
. During her run with WPIX, the station took home two Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s for outstanding local news coverage, in 1979 and again in 1983.
In 1985, Harper left WPIX for WNBC-TV
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
, where she replaced John Hambrick
John Hambrick
John Hambrick is an American broadcast journalist, reporter, actor, and voice over announcer.-Broadcast journalist:Hambrick began his television career in 1963, at a station in Abilene, Texas. By 1967 he was working at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati when he was recruited by its sister station in...
as Chuck Scarborough
Chuck Scarborough
Charles Bishop "Chuck" Scarborough III is an American television journalist and author. Since 1974 Scarborough has been the lead male news anchor at WNBC-TV, the New York City-based flagship station of the NBC Television Network, and has also appeared on NBC News. He currently co-anchors with...
's co-anchor on the 6 P.M. edition of News 4 New York
News 4 New York
News 4 New York is the brand identifier of WNBC-TV in New York City. It began using this for its news broadcasts in 1971 to 1972, again on October 13, 1980, and again in March 2008. Prior to this, WNBC used the NewsCenter 4 brand for their newscasts...
. In her years with channel 4, the station won five consecutive Emmy Awards for best local newscast. Harper herself won an Emmy for a special report in which she spent a week on the streets of New York as a homeless bag lady
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, as part of a look at the homeless problem that was then plaguing the city.
During her stint at WNBC, she appeared as a newscaster in the 1985 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Compromising Positions
Compromising Positions
Compromising Positions is a 1985 film released by Paramount and directed by Frank Perry. The screenplay, by Susan Isaacs, was adapted from her 1978 detective novel. The plot concerns a Long Island housewife and former journalist who becomes involved in a murder investigation...
.
After Harper's run on WNBC ended in April 1991, she retired from the news business and moved to Capileira
Capileira
Capileira is the highest and most northerly of the three villages in the gorge of the Poqueira river in the La Alpujarra district of the province of Granada, in Spain. It is located at latitude 36° 57' N and longitude 3° 21' W, about 1 km north of Bubión...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. She died there three years later of a heart attack at age 59. She was survived by three children and several grandchildren.
External links
- Deborah Norville's Chilly Departure (section). The Record (Bergen County)The Record (Bergen County)The Record is a newspaper in northern New Jersey. It has the second largest circulation of New Jersey's daily newspapers, behind The Star-Ledger. Owned by the Borg family since 1930, it is the flagship publication of the North Jersey Media Group. Stephen Borg is the publisher of The Record...
, April 7, 1991. - Obituary in VarietyVariety (magazine)Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, April 7, 1994. - Obituary at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...