Former WPXI news director talks about anchoring the day JFK was shot

PITTSBURGH — A former WPXI anchor and news director talked to Channel 11 about the day President John F. Kennedy was shot.

"It got very direct.  The president of the United States has been shot, in Dallas, Texas.  He's being rushed to a hospital," said By Williams.

Then, WPXI had the call letters WIIC.  Williams was co-hosting an afternoon talk show called "Luncheon" when the news came down.

"The news guy came up the hall, dragging all of the AP and UPI papers and is handing me the ends of it, you know, and he's frantically waving at me," said Williams.

Williams became part of Pittsburgh news history that day. WIIC was the only television station in the area with live programming at that time of day.

"I took the copy, and I read it for the first time, so my voice was breaking.  You can't just read copy like this.  My voice was breaking.  I was reaching for breath, and that's when I felt the audience receiving this, I mean, it was incredible," said Williams.

A live studio audience, made up of 75 women, was at WIIC.

"I could hear people gasping. I could hear people sucking air in to their mouth.  Someone knocked dishes off the table.  I could even hear the one line prayers that people were just coming forth with," said Williams.

"I can't even talk about it without getting chills.  It ranks with those moments in your life that you will never forget," said Williams.

WPXI