KOMO’s McCall Gives First-Hand Reporting on 9/11 & Iraq

A newcomer to the Seattle area, Pamela McCall has joined the broadcast news staff at KOMO Radio 1000, co-anchoring the afternoon shift from 2:00-7:00 p.m. She and Eric Slocum help Seattleites through the afternoon commute weekdays.

Pamela McCall shows video clips from the Persian Gulf War.

Pamela is a native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and holds a degree from the BC Institute of Technology. She earned the Edward R. Murrow Award for broadcast excellence.

“I was working for CBS radio on 9/11 and was in New York when the planes struck the Twin Towers. It was pretty harrowing, trying to determine what was really happening and how widespread it was.” She played an audio clip of her reporting during the early stages of the tragedy … a report from 9/11 in progress. “It turned out to be the worst attack on U.S. soil and my job was to record the sights and sounds of this horrible event. I was reminded of Edward R. Murrow and his reporting from London during World War II – 9/11 had that feel to it.”

Pamela continued, “People were running for their lives, trying to make contact with loved ones by cell phone. The smoke and dust in lower Manhattan was overwhelming, while the reality of what was happening was gut-wrenching.”

“I watched and reported on the collapse of Tower #7, the smaller skyscraper that fell last. The natural gas was still on, providing many tense moments. I managed to stay on the air for many hours. Radio was a remarkable medium on that occasion … scenes of firefighters, having lost many comrades, in tears clutching one another.”

“The next day, the streets were lined with people bearing signs, like ‘You’re Our Heroes.’ I went with FEMA into the rubble, an eerie experience since there was still hope for survivors.”

Pamela moved to Seattle after September 11, 2001, and KOMO sent her to cover the first and second anniversaries of the sad day in September 2001. She sent reports back on both radio and TV to listeners and viewers as recently as three weeks ago. “The involvement of children in this year’s memorial, with them reading names of departed family members, was a very powerful statement. New Yorkers are still suffering from the pain of the tragedy.”

Ms. McCall also received an assignment to cover the events leading up to the invasion of Iraq. She showed video clips from the Persian Gulf on the USS Boxer, and an Iraqi oil platform. Qatar — dubbed a “news free zone” by the press — was her first stop. “With ‘embedded’ reporters attached directly to frontline units, it was a very different war. It was fascinating to be in the middle of this story.”

She described her reporting of activities in the Upper Persian Gulf as the Americans searched for weapons of mass destruction. The Iraqis had laid mines in the harbors which had to be cleared. She spent five weeks in Doha, Qatar and was flying to London as Baghdad fell. “It’s all about perspective, when you’re reporting on the scene. The story is always the people. Manhattan is still hallowed ground. But, human beings move on. It’s a changing world.” Pamela loves to be in Seattle.

Acting President Sharon Edberg thanks Pamela McCall for her presentation.

Asked about her assessment of the bias that reporters reportedly have, Pamela pointed to her training and background. We Canadians are much like our British counterparts — we have always questioned what our government is doing and does. America has more of a profit motive in their news organizations, which often clouds their perspective. I believe it’s incredibly important to seek news from other sources. One tool at our disposal is the ability to cultivate knowledge from the Internet. There you get all sides to an issue, and it’s at your fingertips.”

President Sharon presented Pamela with a certificate, noting that a book has been donated in her name to a child in the Bellevue schools. Our thanks to Bob Vallat for his introduction and the good work he puts in as a member of the Program Committee.