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10 Questions with ... Bill Seward
August 1, 2006
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NAME:Bill SewardTITLE:Sports AnchorMARKET:Los AngelesCOMPANY:CBS, NBC, TVGBORN:Los AngelesRAISED:Sherman Oaks, CA
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
(Stolen from: nbc4.tv): Bill Seward became a member of the award-winning KNBC sports team in September 2002. In addition to his sports anchor duties on KNBC, Seward makes appearances on other NBC-owned networks and programs, including MSNBC, CNBC and "Early Today." Seward can be heard on KFWB radio in Los Angeles where he is the afternoon weekday sports anchor. His work at KFWB earned him multiple "best radio anchor staff" awards, the top honor presented by the Southern California sports broadcasters association and was voted "Top Sports Update Anchor" by the Los Angeles Daily News. Seward can also be seen on the TVG network, hosting thoroughbred horse racing coverage.
From 1997 to 2000, Seward worked for the ESPN network, hosting such shows as "Sportscenter," "ESPNews" and "2day at the races." He was also part of ESPN's coverage of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. While at ESPN, Seward was a regular contributor to ABC's "World News This Morning."
After graduating from Loyola Marymount University in Westchester, California, Seward coached at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks and Saint Bernard High School in Playa Del Rey, working with several future MLB and NFL players, including Cy Young Award winner Jack McDowell, All-Star shortstop Royce Clayton and All-Pro linebacker Al Smith. He also taught speech and mass communication classes at Saint Bernard High. Seward began his television career in 1985 as sports director at KVIQ-TV in Eureka, California. After that he worked for KATY-TV in Oxnard, California and WNHT-TV in Concord, New Hampshire before returning to his hometown to become an award-winning sports anchor at KCBS-TV and KNX-AM in Los Angeles.
Seward lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.
1. You went from coach and teacher to broadcasting, doing tv for many years (to this day, anchoring on KNBC and TVG)- what led you to add radio to your schedule?
Radio has really never been "off" the schedule. I started in radio during the collegiate years at KXLU and with little exception, i've always had a spot on the radio. I have some great memories from KXLU, KXGO (Eureka/Arcata), KWNK (Simi Valley) and ESPN Radio (Bristol, CT). The ten years at KNX and the past six years at KFWB have been great because Los Angeles is my home and it's nice to be talking with family and friends.
2. What are you passionate about?
My family. I spent many, many years being passionate about getting a foothold in radio/tv and it took me all over the country. Most of the jobs have been tremendous, however, being committed to a wife and three children is the pinnacle of my efforts – far better than any career highlight.
3. Other than the obvious (no visuals), what differences do you find between doing sports on tv and on the radio? What differences are there, if any, in the way you communicate in the different media?
I think there's a huge difference in the delivery, with radio being much more demanding than television. In radio, your voice is the only element to carry the message. Not only are you describing an activity, which in television would be covered by the video, but you are also delivering the story or facts with your description. In television, the video rolls (most of the time), thus giving the viewer the story in pictures while you have a chance to verbally embellish. Additionally, television allows the use of non-verbal, on-camera winks and nods to carry it along. Quite frankly, radio anchoring is tougher because there are generally more segments during a shift than television, where you usually only have one shot to get it right.
4. If you hadn't gone into radio or tv, what would you be doing today?
I'm confident that I would be a collegiate or professional football coach with a serious drinking problem.
5. You host KFWB's "Dodger Talk" from the ballpark, you're on the horse racing channel TVG, you've covered pretty much everything as a local anchor and on ESPN, you've coached- if you had to pick one, what's your favorite sport and why?
It's "neck-and-neck, nose-and-nose, too-close-to-call" between baseball and horse racing. I have always loved baseball, even though I played more football and track in younger years. I got the horse racing “bug” in 9th grade and it won't let go.
6. Of all the sports events you've covered or watched, what's been the most memorable?
The best: it's a tie between the 1984 Olympics, the 1993 Stanley Cup finals and the 1993 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita.
The worst: the 1990 WCC semifinal between Loyola Marymount and Portland – Hank Gathers' final game.
7. Of what are you most proud?
My family. In radio/tv land you can be revered and vilified for your daily efforts and in your heart, you have a pretty good sense of your performance. In parenting, you're too busy to read the reviews…and that's okay.
8. What do you do for fun?
If I'm not slathered in spf-50 with the family in the pool, I've been known to chase an errant golf ball or catch-and-release the smallest fish in the pond.
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _____________.
....seeing the wife and kids.
10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?
In broadcasting, the best advice I ever received was from news director Ed Coghlan, who told me it's not about being great on Monday or Friday, it's about being really good Monday thru Friday.
The worst advice came from a high-profile television agent who told me I was “just another white sports anchor with a moustache” and needed to get out of the business. Of course, I shaved the 'stache and continue to defy the odds.
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