Airwaves over Alaska: Story of Pioneer Broadcaster Augie Hiebert

Airwaves over Alaska: Story of Pioneer Broadcaster Augie Hiebert by Chlupach, Robin A.. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780942381092.

From k17aa.net In 1953 Augie Hiebert put Alaskas first television station, KTVA-TV, on the air. Legendary newsman Walter Cronkite calledhim a pioneer. Augies work in our community wasnt just confined to radio and television. He was president of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, first president and one of the founders of the Alaska Broadcasters Asso- ciation, director of the Alaska Educational Broadcasting Committee, the Civil Air Patrol and the Pioneers of Alaska. He answered the call of adventure and challenge in 1939 by coming to the Territory of Alaska, to help build the first Fairbanks radio station, KFAR. For another dozen years he worked for Austin E. (Cap) Lathrop in the radio business, including designing and building KENI radio in Anchorage. He was credited as being the first broadcaster in North America to hear transmissions of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In 1953 he built Alaskas first TV station -- KTVA in Anchorage, offering local news as well as popular entertainment programs and feature films. KTVA-Channel 11, Anchorage was the first television in the Territory. Within a few years he added KTVF, Fairbanks, and in 1960 the first FM radio station in the State, KNIK-FM, Anchorage. Among other groundbreaking feats, Hiebert brought the first live satellite broadcast, the Apollo moon landing, to Alaska. He was a strong industry voice for Alaska, educating the FCC about the unique difficulties facing broadcasters in the vast state.