The Beatles in Pittsburgh

Variety covered the battle between KQV and KDKA over the Beatles September 14, 2023 arrival and concert in Pittsburgh this way ...

"When the Beatles came to the US, KDKA with it's Group W connections was airing complete reports from Jim Stagg and Art Schreiber who were on the Beatle plane for the whole tour. The station went out and bought 100 tickets for the show here and gave them away in various contests on the Clark Race show. Four reporters were assigned to cover the Beatles once they arrived in Pittsburgh but Race went on ahead to meet them in Baltimore when he ran into the buzz saw of the "Fun Loving Five."


Chuck Brinkman	Dex Allen	Clark Race

"Dexter Allen and (Chuck) Brinkman arrived at Baltimore on Sunday morning and met operations manager, John Rook, and together they planned their strategy. Armed with an introduction they had an easy time meeting Bess Coleman, personal secretary to Brian Epstein. Allen confessed that he wanted to ride back on the special plane to Pitt and that he wanted to get some interviews for KQV. She was able to oblige with the interviews which were on the KQV air almost immediately afterwards. The two stayed for a party backstage at the show and all the while were trying to wangle an invitation from Miss Coleman to travel on the special plane. It was at this point that some dirty pool entered into the proceedings. Race was scheduled to ride the plane but was bumped when Allen and Brinkman insisted on getting equal space. When Race came back to Pittsburgh, he went on the air complaining about this part of the gambit.

"On the day of the arrival, all the Fun Loving Five were out at the airport in helicopters and cars and interviewing like mad but they were being battled toe to toe by the KDKA news team. All day long, KQV carried beep interviews with KDKA holding interview sessions for regular time periods. At the actual press conference at the hotel where all news media were represented, (Tim) Tormey said that no live interviews would be permitted. KQV pulled a sneak on this one by recording on a tape recorder that sent the story to the station on a seven second delay on special ABC equipment that was recently developed. These transistors wireless microphone aids were also used that night at the Arena. KDKA was still in there slugging but they played by the rules but with "Front Page" Fun Lovers there was no rules - only a story to get.

"Both stations played Beatle records all day long with KDKA giving interviews attention during scheduled spots but KQV dramatically interrupted any program on the air to bring one of their Beatle Specials. All in all, the two stations went right down to the wire with KQV laying in close after KDKA had taken a strong and impressive lead.

"But at the stretch when thousands of people filed into the Arena, there were four banners around the score board and one big banner strung above the stage reading "KQV AUDIO 14" and then when the preliminary acts were over, Brinkman stepped up to the mike and very proudly said, "KQV presents the Beatles."


News Conference	Hal Murray	Scoreboard

News Conference		Stage Banner

"Since this went out over the air live, there was no longer a contest."

Variety article by Lenny Litman 12/23/1964