Bill Pasternak (WA6ITF)
Writer / Producer, Etc.
Back in the late 1980’s some of us had an idea for a educational ham radio based celebrity interview series that we titled “Today’s People.” The concept was quite simple: A teenage host would visit the home of a noteworthy ham radio operator. The two would sit and chat while it was all captured on videotape.
We already had a session scheduled to tape for AMSAT-NA with the late U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, K7UGA. Barry was to tell the story of the then upcoming Phase 3 satellite launch.
So, we imposed on Senator Goldwater to also be ham radio operator interviewed for the “Today’s People” series promotional presentation. Hosting the show and conducting the interview was then 17 year old Kelly Howard, N6PNY. Kelly had previously co-hosted the ARRL promotional video “The New World of Amateur Radio” along with Nathan Pyle KB6PLH and the late Roy Neal, K6DUE.
This first and only episode of “Today’s People” was taped at Barry Goldwater’s ranch in Scottsdale, AZ. in the fall of 1988 and released in February of 1989. The project was so low budget that it was edited on my kitchen table using a borrowed cuts-only Sony Betacam-based rental system. And candidly, by the standards of today the post production is a bit to basic in its technique.
While this pilot of “Today’s People” well received, it simply did not generate the interest level needed to obtain ongoing and sustaining funding, and the series concept got shelved.
Earlier today I happened across a VHS dub of the show and decided that it might be of interest to some in the ham community. As I am the copyright holder, I here-by invite all of you to watch and I look forward to your comments. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them as well.