Patti Burns
Encyclopedia
Patricia Jeanne Burns was an American
journalist and news anchor.
Burns was a familiar face to television audiences in Pittsburgh
, where she worked for many years for KDKA
, a station that her father, Bill Burns
, was also a journalist and anchor for. Father and daughter made history when on October 18, 1976, they began to anchor the news together.
. She attended Mt. Lebanon High School and went on to the University of Denver
.
Her first job was at WFAA
, the ABC
affiliate in Dallas, Texas
. Burns, trying to make a name on her own, suffered through a hellish work environment; her male counterpart would frequently correct her on-air. http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20011101burns1101p2.asp Pittsburgh station WTAE
tried to woo Burns back to Pittsburgh. She nearly accepted, but when her father's station heard about the proposal, they made a counteroffer, and Burns joined KDKA in 1974.
In 1976, the station made history when it paired father and daughter for the noon news. Initially, the move was criticized and labeled "The Patti and Daddy Show," but the concept proved popular with viewers.
Burns anchored the news for over 20 years, until her relationship with station management deteriorated over the direction of the broadcast. Her last broadcast for KDKA was January 16, 1997.http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20011101burns1101p2.asp
After her departure, she created Burns Communications, a video production company, and eventually contributed stories to news programs for WQED, the local PBS
affiliate.
Burns was diagnosed with lung cancer in early 2001. She married longtime companion Charles Cohen, a noted lawyer in Pittsburgh, shortly after her diagnosis on May 18, 2001 at the Allegheny County Courthouse
http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20011101burns1101p2.asp. Burns died on October 31, 2001, with memorial services held on December 9, 2001.
She worked for a wide range of charities and causes, including Animal Friends, St. Peter's Child Development Centers and Magee-Womens Hospital Foundation. She was chosen by Carlow University
as its first Woman of Spirit and awarded honorary doctorates from Rollins College
and La Roche College
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist and news anchor.
Burns was a familiar face to television audiences in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, where she worked for many years for KDKA
KDKA-TV
KDKA-TV, channel 2, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. KDKA-TV broadcasts from a transmitter located in the Perry North neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and its studios are located in downtown Pittsburgh at Gateway Center....
, a station that her father, Bill Burns
Bill Burns (anchor)
William M. "Bill" Burns was an American journalist and news anchor.Burns anchored the news for over three decades in Pittsburgh for KDKA, which was the largest station in the market.- Career :...
, was also a journalist and anchor for. Father and daughter made history when on October 18, 1976, they began to anchor the news together.
Career
Patricia Jeanne Burns was born in 1952, while her father was still working for radio station KQVKQV
KQV is a radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station, which is the only broadcast station owned by Calvary, Inc., broadcasts at 1410 kHz, with 5000 watts of power day and night. KQV's call letters reportedly stand for King of the Quaker Valley...
. She attended Mt. Lebanon High School and went on to the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
.
Her first job was at WFAA
WFAA-TV
WFAA, channel 8, is an ABC-affiliated television station serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the top ten media markets in North America. The station is the flagship of Belo Corporation and the largest ABC affiliate not owned and operated by the network...
, the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. Burns, trying to make a name on her own, suffered through a hellish work environment; her male counterpart would frequently correct her on-air. http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20011101burns1101p2.asp Pittsburgh station WTAE
WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas...
tried to woo Burns back to Pittsburgh. She nearly accepted, but when her father's station heard about the proposal, they made a counteroffer, and Burns joined KDKA in 1974.
In 1976, the station made history when it paired father and daughter for the noon news. Initially, the move was criticized and labeled "The Patti and Daddy Show," but the concept proved popular with viewers.
Burns anchored the news for over 20 years, until her relationship with station management deteriorated over the direction of the broadcast. Her last broadcast for KDKA was January 16, 1997.http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20011101burns1101p2.asp
After her departure, she created Burns Communications, a video production company, and eventually contributed stories to news programs for WQED, the local PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
affiliate.
Burns was diagnosed with lung cancer in early 2001. She married longtime companion Charles Cohen, a noted lawyer in Pittsburgh, shortly after her diagnosis on May 18, 2001 at the Allegheny County Courthouse
Allegheny County Courthouse
Allegheny County Courthouse is a government building of Allegheny County located in the county seat, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.- Early structures:...
http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20011101burns1101p2.asp. Burns died on October 31, 2001, with memorial services held on December 9, 2001.
She worked for a wide range of charities and causes, including Animal Friends, St. Peter's Child Development Centers and Magee-Womens Hospital Foundation. She was chosen by Carlow University
Carlow University
Carlow University is a Roman Catholic university founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, on September 24, 1929, by the Sisters of Mercy from Carlow, Ireland. Originally called Mount Mercy College, the name was changed to Carlow College in April 1969. In 2004, Carlow College achieved university...
as its first Woman of Spirit and awarded honorary doctorates from Rollins College
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia....
and La Roche College
La Roche College
La Roche College is a private college in McCandless, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1963 by the Sisters of Divine Providence as a Roman Catholic college and now sits on an campus in McCandless. The current president, Sister Candace Introcaso, CDP, Ph.D., was installed in...
.