A blog post last week featuring a Lorain Journal front page from January 11, 1954 included an article that mentioned Jack LaVriha. I thought it would be a good time to post this profile of the well-known newspaperman, who many of us remember as a longtime reporter at the Journal as well as the announcer at many Lorain parades. He was also a tireless supporter of getting Lorain hostage Terry Anderson released.
The profile, written by Bill Scrivo, appeared in the Sunday Journal on Feb. 20, 1972.
It reveals that Jack LaVriha had a pretty interesting career, with much of it away from the newspaper business. He also spent some time as the editor of the Lorain Sunday News (a weekly newspaper from which I post articles here from time to time).
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Going back to the article from last week that mentioned Mr. LaVriha, there was a real feud between the Lorain Journal and radio station WEOL out of Elyria in the 1950s. You can read about it on the Wiki entry for WEOL, as well as the resulting Supreme Court decision about the Journal's attempt to keep its advertisers from also buying ads on the competing radio station.
But what the WEOL history neglects to mention is that the Lorain Journal applied for a TV license in June 1952 – followed by WEOL applying for the same channel, apparently just to be stinkers. With the resulting months of delays with two competing applications, the radio station effectively scuttled the newspaper's attempt to launch a TV station. When the smoke cleared and the Journal withdrew its application, WEOL had the TV license – but never built a studio or went on the air.
Mahony's Memos - Now there's a flashback I had forgotten about.
ReplyDeleteJack La Vriha, Jim Mahoney, Bill Scrivo, names to conjure with; does anyone know or remember the names of anyone at the Morning Jawbone?
ReplyDeleteTrue story- I called the paper some years back, looking for some information. When the young fella answered, I asked to be connected to the Morgue, which seemed to confuse him. Changing tack, I asked for the Archives, which muddied things still further.
SIDEBAR: Do y'all have snow? We do.
I worked with all the above, plus Koz and Lou Kepler among other 'old timers' I can't recall. Mr. Mahoney would always greet you in the morning with a "top of the morning" and a small salute. His office was the morgue (I remember when I started I thought that was an odd name for the library, until it was explained). I didn't realize it then but looking back it was the beginning of the end for newspapers. Fun times! Todd
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dan - this explains the one-sided WEOL story involving LaVriha that I pointed out the other day.
ReplyDeleteAlan - Not much snow here but it sure is cold!