KSD 1946-1975
Inducted 2007
John Roedel was one of the KSD folks who worked at the radio station when television came to St. Louis, which meant he was required to wear several hats in the Pulitzer broadcast operation. Roedel came to St. Louis from WISH in Indianapolis in 1946. As he told it, his uncle in St. Louis had lunch at the Missouri Athletic Club and KSD’s general manager George Burbach mentioned he needed radio announcers. A call was made and John Roedel was on the next train to St. Louis. The relationship that ensued was a long one. Roedel served as a staff announcer and newsman at KSD until 1975. In his initial position as staff announcer, Roedel “did just about everything,” from disc jockeying to news to commercials, not to mention the station IDs between network shows. Roedel was the voice of morning news on KSD Radio for 25 years. When KSD-TV signed on in February 1947, the radio announcers were also expected to perform similar chores in the television studio. His first job there was as a voiceover man, doing station breaks and commercials. He soon began work on camera as a newsman, later hosting the popular Falstaff 6:00 News. He hosted the station’s man-on-the-street feature, doing live interviews outside the KSD-TV studios on Olive, and his fondest memories recalled personal interviews with Presidents Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson. He was also the station’s co-host for the last two telecasts of the Veiled Prophet Ball. In 1996 he was made a member of the NATAS Silver Circle. Roedel retired from KSD-TV in 1986.
