'Live At Five' Celebrates 30 Years
Posted: 2:13 p.m. CDT April 15, 2004
MADISON, Wis. -- It was April 15, 1974 that a 5 p.m. newscast debuted in Madison for the first time -- on WISC-TV.
It was originally billed as "Action News First Edition," a mixture of news, guests and features, co-hosted by Tedd O'Connell.
O'Connell is now news director at the CBS affiliate in Sioux City, Iowa.
The show was renamed "Live at Five" a couple a years later with a new host, Lynn Cullen (both pictured, right), who anchored the program until 1980 and set the stage for many of the elements still in place today. ( See Lynn Now )
Lynn left for a reporting job in Pittsburgh and eventually became a very popular radio talk show host in that city. She is currently hosting a three-hour morning program on WPTT and has been called one of the best liberal talk show hosts in the country.
During the course of 30 years, a whole cast of characters have brought you the news and weather at 5 p.m. on Channel 3. In the 1980s, John Karcher got his shot on "Live At Five," followed by Kathy Wood and Jim Peck.
In the '90s, Beth Zurbuchen and Mark Koehn were co-hosts at first and then Katy Sai moved into the co-pilot seat. With Mark as the constant in the formula, there were plenty of laughs.
The 70sO'Connell is now news director at the CBS affiliate in Sioux City, Iowa.
The show was renamed "Live at Five" a couple a years later with a new host, Lynn Cullen (both pictured, right), who anchored the program until 1980 and set the stage for many of the elements still in place today. ( See Lynn Now )
Lynn left for a reporting job in Pittsburgh and eventually became a very popular radio talk show host in that city. She is currently hosting a three-hour morning program on WPTT and has been called one of the best liberal talk show hosts in the country.
During the course of 30 years, a whole cast of characters have brought you the news and weather at 5 p.m. on Channel 3. In the 1980s, John Karcher got his shot on "Live At Five," followed by Kathy Wood and Jim Peck.
In the '90s, Beth Zurbuchen and Mark Koehn were co-hosts at first and then Katy Sai moved into the co-pilot seat. With Mark as the constant in the formula, there were plenty of laughs.
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