F A M E D R A D I O A N D T V N E W S M A N G O N E A T 8 7
From Mike Austerman’s Michiguide.com; March 21, 2014
Philip Nye was the news director at the legendary WKNR AM 1310 Contact News in Dearborn/Detroit in the mid-1960’s working with names like Bill Bonds and Eric Smith. Phil made it to several of the Detroit Radio Reunions.
Nye passed away peacefully on March 20, 2014 at the age of 87. Born in Newark, Ohio on March 1, 1927, he was a proud graduate of Ohio State University where he studied theater and journalism. He had a long and distinguished career that included both radio and television. Mr. Nye worked actively as a broadcast journalist until the age of 86.
Along with his role as News Director of Keener 13 during it’s 1960’s heyday, other hightlights of Nye’s career include work as an investigative reporter and anchor for KTLA-TV in Los Angeles and most notably as News Director for WXYZ-TV where he built what was recognized as one of the best news teams in the country. He went on to head news departments at WABC in New York and KGO in San Francisco before joining ABC as Vice President of their owned and operated news division. He later became a partner in Burnham Broadcasting, managing television stations in Green Bay, WI, Bakersfield, CA and New Orleans, LA.
He was an avid reader and loved old movies, enjoyed cooking, playing golf and watching his beloved OSU Buckeyes play football. He is survived by his daughters Jo-Allison (Jeffry) Floyd, Kimberly McMahon, Tracey Millard and Cindy (Mark) Malin; eleven grandchildren Megan, Matthew, Tyler, Ryan, Colin, Christopher, Scott, Kelsey, Meredith, Allie and McKenna. And one great grandchild, Jayden. He was predeceased by his wife Joanne Phillips and daughter Pamela (Michael) McGillivary.
Most recently Phil lived in West Bloomfield and Shelby Township, Michigan and worked on local cable productions for Comcast.
Memorial visitation will take place at McCabe Funeral Home, 31950 West Twelve Mile, Farmington Hills, on Monday March 24 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm with a memorial service at 1:00 pm. Memorial donations may be made to Special Olympics in Philip’s name.
There is a phenomenal amount of news, photos and airchecks covering Philip’s career on the Motor City Radio Flashbacks web site.
Information courtesy Michiguide.com: http://www.michiguide.com/archives2014/nye-obit.html
Addendum: For more on Philip Nye and everything WKNR see Scott Westerman’s and Steve Schram’s premiere Keener 13 website @ Keener13.com
For more on Philip Nye and WKNR Contact News on Motor City Radio Flashbacks go here. For more WKNR Contact News see our website menu archived here.
