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Morry Roth & Variety's impact on Chicago

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Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 17, 2008 at 08:20:42:

Back in the pre-Internet era, the trade publication Variety truly was the bible of show business.

And when it came to declaring who was boffo and who was bombing in Chicago, few held more sway than Morry Roth.

Morry Roth, who for nearly three decades served as Chicago bureau chief for Variety, died on June 11.

For nearly three decades as Chicago bureau chief of Variety, Mr. Roth chronicled the city's nightlife and entertainment scene to a worldwide readership of movers and shakers. He achieved his greatest influence in his savvy coverage of local broadcasting and the newly emerging business of cable television.

But Mr. Roth, who died last week at home in Chicago after suffering from lymphoma, was perhaps best known for just two words: "happy talk."

That's the term he coined to describe the "Eyewitness News" format popularized at WLS-Channel 7 and other ABC-owned stations around the country.

The phrase came to stand for everything wrong with local news -- from frivolous banter on the set to silly story selection.

Joel Daly, who anchored the top-rated newscast with the late Fahey Flynn, spoke for many of his colleagues when he dismissed the "happy talk" label as a bum rap. "We always took the news seriously if we didn't always take ourselves too seriously," Daly said in a 2005 interview.

But thanks to the power and prestige of Variety, Mr. Roth's phrase became immortal.

Local television station bosses courted Mr. Roth and curried his favor in ways that would seem unimaginable by the standards of journalism today.

No station was more eager to be kept in his good graces than Channel 7 -- the onetime target of his "happy talk" scorn. In the 1980s, to mark his 25th year on the job, Channel 7 made up a set of coffee mugs bearing a mock front page of Variety with a headline saluting him.

An era ended when Mr. Roth was forced to retire in 1989. A few months later, new owners of Variety closed down the Chicago bureau for good.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at De Paul University's Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden. Mr. Roth was 82.

(Feder)

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: Back in the pre-Internet era, the trade publication Variety truly was the bible of show business. : And when it came to declaring who was boffo and who was bombing in Chicago, few held more sway than Morry Roth. : Morry Roth, who for nearly three decades served as Chicago bureau chief for Variety, died on June 11. : For nearly three decades as Chicago bureau chief of Variety, Mr. Roth chronicled the city's nightlife and entertainment scene to a worldwide readership of movers and shakers. He achieved his greatest influence in his savvy coverage of local broadcasting and the newly emerging business of cable television. : But Mr. Roth, who died last week at home in Chicago after suffering from lymphoma, was perhaps best known for just two words: "happy talk." : That's the term he coined to describe the "Eyewitness News" format popularized at WLS-Channel 7 and other ABC-owned stations around the country. : The phrase came to stand for everything wrong with local news -- from frivolous banter on the set to silly story selection. : Joel Daly, who anchored the top-rated newscast with the late Fahey Flynn, spoke for many of his colleagues when he dismissed the "happy talk" label as a bum rap. "We always took the news seriously if we didn't always take ourselves too seriously," Daly said in a 2005 interview. : But thanks to the power and prestige of Variety, Mr. Roth's phrase became immortal. : Local television station bosses courted Mr. Roth and curried his favor in ways that would seem unimaginable by the standards of journalism today. : No station was more eager to be kept in his good graces than Channel 7 -- the onetime target of his "happy talk" scorn. In the 1980s, to mark his 25th year on the job, Channel 7 made up a set of coffee mugs bearing a mock front page of Variety with a headline saluting him. : An era ended when Mr. Roth was forced to retire in 1989. A few months later, new owners of Variety closed down the Chicago bureau for good. : A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at De Paul University's Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden. Mr. Roth was 82. : : (Feder)

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