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Paul Harvey

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Paul Harvey was a famous American radio broadcaster who spoke to millions of people.

Presidential Medal of Freedom (ribbon)
Presidential Medal of Freedom (ribbon)

His programs were very important to many listeners across the country. From 1951 to 2008, his shows reached as many as 24 million people every single week. His news was carried on 1,200 radio stations and 400 American Forces Network stations. He also appeared in 300 different newspapers. People knew his voice well because he was a constant part of their daily lives. He was a very successful man in the world of media.

Harvey had a very special way of speaking on the air. He used a style called a hypnotic timbre, which means his voice had a soothing or captivating sound. He used long pauses to make his stories more exciting. He often used catchphrases to guide his listeners through a story. For example, he used "Page Two" and "Page Three" to show different parts of a broadcast. He also had famous greetings like "Hello Americans, this is Paul Harvey!" This helped him connect with his audience in a personal way. He was even known for moving smoothly from news stories into reading advertisements.

His career started when he was just a young boy in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was born on September 4, 1918. When he was 14, he began working at a station called KVOO. He started by helping to clean up the station. Later, he was allowed to read the news and commercials on the air. He went to the University of Tulsa while he continued to work in radio. He eventually moved to many different cities like Wichita, Oklahoma City, and St. Louis. In 1938, he worked as a roving reporter in St. Louis. This helped him learn how to find and tell great stories.

In 1951, his big break came when he joined the ABC Radio Network. His program, "Paul Harvey News and Comment," debuted on April 1, 1951. He also became a television star on November 16, 1952. One of his most famous shows was "The Rest of the Story." This series premiered on May 10, 1976, on ABC Radio. His son, Paul Harvey, Jr., wrote and produced these stories for 33 years. In the year 2000, he signed a huge contract worth $100 million. He worked in the radio business for many decades until he passed away in 2009.

Outside of radio, Paul Harvey had many other interests and connections. He was an avid pilot and served in the U.S. Army Air Forces from 1943 to 1944.

He loved planes and was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for over 50 years. He even helped fund an audio-video center for aviation lovers in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He was also a very religious man who attended different churches. He was friends with many famous people, including FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. His hard work earned him many honors, including the National Radio Hall of Fame.

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