Ken Matz - former Phila/Baltimore news anchor (1/23/10)
Joe Pucillo
any future searchers
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Ken Matz, 63, former Channel 10 news anchor
By John Sullivan The Philadelphia Inquirer
Publication: LexisNexis
Date: Monday, January 25 2010
Jan. 25--Ken Matz, 63, a Philadelphia-born broadcaster who
presided over Channel 10's evening newscasts for more than five
years in the 1990s, died of cancer Saturday in Hershey, Pa. He
had lived in Sarasota, Fla.,
since 1998.
During his early years in the broadcast booth, listeners tuned
in to Mr. Matz's calling the news on radio stations from
Reading to Harrisburg to Philadelphia. He graduated from
Lebanon Valley College in 1969 and started his Philadelphia
career at top-40 radio station WIBG-AM.
Mr. Matz left WIBG in 1976 to join KYW NewsRadio. He stayed a
year before leaving Philadelphia to parlay his good looks and
easy charm into a spot in front of the camera in 1977.
Over the next 20 years, Mr. Matz would work in television in
major markets including Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and
Baltimore.
Shortly after returning to Philadelphia in 1993 to work at
Channel 10, Mr. Matz covered a March blizzard that some called
the storm of the century.
During the winter storm coverage, his calm tone and even
delivery prompted Channel 10 news director Drew Berry to tell
The Inquirer: "He puts people at ease. If the world was coming
to an end, I would want Ken Matz to tell me."
Mr. Matz and his wife at the time, Phyllis Walton Matz, and
their son, Justin, lived in Wynnewood during his stint at
Channel 10.
During a major snowstorm in '96, Mr. Matz's mother died of a
heart attack minutes before he was to go on the air. Mr. Matz
wanted to stay, but his bosses ordered him home, according to a
news report.
Mr. Matz anchored the news with Jane Robelot until 1998 before
taking over as sole anchor. Later that year, he retired to
Sarasota.
Even as a youth in Shillington, Pa., Mr. Matz loved
broadcasting, Walton Matz said.
"He would practice while making announcements in a supermarket
he worked in," she said. "He was a great man who loved what he
did. He was a real person in an industry where a lot of people
aren't."
Besides his son, Mr. Matz is survived by his wife, Deborah, and
a grandson.
Funeral arrangements were not complete last night.
Joe Pucillo
> Ken Matz, 63, a Philadelphia-born broadcaster who
> presided over Channel 10's evening newscasts for more than five
> years in the 1990s, died of cancer
When I first moved to Baltimore, Ken Matz was the news anchor
at WMAR, co-anchoring the 6 and 11pm shows with Mary Beth
Marsden. I'll look for a Baltimore-centric obit, but it looks
like the Inky nailed it.
JP
Bermuda999
Just after Matz's death almost a year ago, WMAR's website posted this
nugget of journalism, even spelling Sally Thorner's (their own former
anchor) name incorrectly
"Former Anchor Ken Matz Dies
Posted: 01/25/2010
Former WMAR-TV anchor Ken Matz died Saturday in Florida.
Matz anchored with Sally Throner in the late 80s. The two anchored
Baltimore's first 5pm newscast. It was called "First at Five" and was
also first in the ratings.
Matz started his career at radio stations throught Pennsylvania. He
left Baltimore for Miami, before finishing up in Philadelphia.
Ken Matz was 63 years old."
Brian
<bermu...@aol.com> wrote:
>Just after Matz's death almost a year ago, WMAR's website posted this
>nugget of journalism, even spelling Sally Thorner's (their own former
>anchor) name incorrectly
>
>
>"Former Anchor Ken Matz Dies
>Posted: 01/25/2010
>
>Former WMAR-TV anchor Ken Matz died Saturday in Florida.
>
>Matz anchored with Sally Throner in the late 80s. The two anchored
>Baltimore's first 5pm newscast. It was called "First at Five" and was
>also first in the ratings.
>
>Matz started his career at radio stations throught Pennsylvania. He
>left Baltimore for Miami, before finishing up in Philadelphia.
>
>Ken Matz was 63 years old."
I guess they still hold a grudge for her leaving to go to WJZ. I
remember she had to sit out quite a while because of a noncompete
clause.