The Rest Of The Story… About Paul Harvey

by Lynnette

Music And Songwriters, Reality TV In Tennessee

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Paul Harvey is a member of the Radio Hall of Fame. Paul Harvey is the most listened-to radio personality in America. And, Paul Harvey News is the largest one-man network in the world!

It was May 10, 1976 that Mr. Harvey began a series of programs on the ABC Radio Networks entitled “The Rest of the Story“, which delve into the forgotten or little-known facts behind stories of famous people and events.

“The Rest of the Story” reveals true anecdotes about famous people or historic incidents, always with a unique twist at the end.

I set out to learn more about this well-respected voice on radio, and here’s what I found…

 

Did You Know?…

“Reaganomics” and “guesstimate” are among the words and catch phrases he coined over the years.

 

More About Paul Harvey’s Radio Show

This humble, Christian, grandfatherly, 87-year-old storyteller is well-known and regarded by many generations of radio listeners. Each and every day, approximately 24 million loyal listeners tune in to hear Paul Harvey’s unique blend of news and views.

His trademark “Good day!” greeting is heard on some 1,200 radio stations across the nation and on 400 Armed Forces Radio stations around the world.

Here in Nashville, you can hear “Paul Harvey News” on Supertalk 99.7 WTN weekdays at 7:30 a.m. then again at Noon. “The Rest of the Story” airs at 5:30 p.m. The weekend editions air on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. and Noon.

More about Paul Harvey himself.

 

The Impact of Paul Harvey’s Reach

Word is, ABC presented Paul Harvey with a 10-year, $100 million contract in 2001… “because he can move merchandise“.

The point is that he is viewed as a trustworthy source of information. SO many people listen to him, and SO many people believe whatever he says.

Paul Harvey — the man, the voice, and the name — each carries a lot of clout.

For example, he gave an interesting stat yesterday:

Something about women who eat cereal in the morning are thinner than those who eat something other than cereal for breakfast, and they’re thinner still than those who skip breakfast altogether. From there, he sent props to Total cereals by mentioning their 3 “new” flavors. He summed it up by reminding us that Total cereal provides 100% of your daily vitamins & minerals. At which point, I made a mental note to start eating cereal again, and I jotted Total Cereal onto my shopping list. (In case you’re wondering, I’m one of those who skips breakfast altogether.)

 

Paul Harvey’s Sources

Where do his stories come from?…

It’s hard to know for sure.

Aside from the fact that they are penned by his son, Paul Harvey Aurandt, Jr., we know very little about where these witty stories originate. Truth is, Paul Harvey himself rarely reveals the sources for the stories he is reporting.

More About Paul Harvey Aurandt, Jr.

As a result, there’s been a great deal of discussion about the validity of some of Paul Harvey’s stories — some calling them “hype”, “urban legends”, “folklore”, “half-truths”, “propaganda”, or just outright “ficticious”.

In a related note, not only is Paul Harvey known for reporting on urban legends these days… he’s also been the focus of them — as indicated here in Snopes.

 

Listen To Paul Harvey Online

Like it or not (I happen to like it), Paul Harvey’s reach continues to broaden in the 21st Century, as “News and Comment” is streamed on the world wide web twice a day:

CLICK to listen to the audio. Listen to an entire week’s worth of Paul Harvey radio spots here!

 

UPDATE

It was announced by the White House November 3, 2005, that Paul Harvey is the recipient of the distinguished Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian award.