ABC News - World News Tonight - WLS Channel 7 (Complete Broadcast, 12/15/1980) 📺 🌐

Here's an edition of ABC's World News Tonight as aired over WLS Channel 7, with Max Robinson in Chicago; Peter Jennings in Warsaw, Poland; and Frank Reynolds in Washington.
Includes:
Newscast open (voiceover by Bill Rice), with headlines:
- Mike Lee reports from Bali on OPEC summit where member nations agree to raise oil prices
- Day 85 of Iran-Iraq war with more retaliation from Iran against Iraq - and Day 408 of American hostages still in captivity in Iran, with John Laurence in London reporting on Iranian president Bani-Sadr blaming America for delayed release, followed by Barrie Dunsmore at State Department on their reaction over his comments
- Hostages' families back at home across country after meeting with State Department officials; Kevin Hermening's father, from Wisconsin, is convinced effort is being put in to free them
Sponsor billboard for Brim decaffeinated coffee (voiceover by Bill Rice)
Commercials for:
Brim decaffeinated coffee (ending voiceover by Norman Rose)
Vicks Formula 44D
- Charles Gibson reports on controversy over Teamsters vice-president Jackie Presser, who was named to economic advisor group of Reagan transition team; a clip of James "The Weasel" Fratianno is shown in connection, and Ken Paff of "Teamsters for Dem Union" speaks about Presser's reputation
- Mike von Fremd on fining of (but no jail time for) former FBI officials W. Mark Felt (who decades later was identified as the infamous "Deep Throat" of Watergate leaks) and Edward S. Miller ($5,000 and $3,500 respectively) after being found guilty on charges they ordered illegal break-ins 10 years before; both speak at press conference afterwards
Stock market closes
Commercials for:
(incomplete) wine ad (cut off - looks like a miscue)
Chanel No. 5 at Marshall Field's (ending tag voiceover by Al Parker?)
Old Spice for Christmas (started late for some reason)
Sears sale on robes and sleepers
- Peter, in Warsaw, reports on Soviet buildup of tanks in and around Poland - and a visit from Armand Hammer to Warsaw as reported by John McKenzie; followed by special report on current state of Polish economy and domestic unrest, in turn leading to building of new monument in Gdansk to workers killed in 1970 food riots
- Chrysler expected to ask UAW to accept wage freeze, as its sales are up 2.6% while overall Big 3 sales down 7%
- Talk of possible merger between Eastern and Braniff airlines
- Dick Schaap reports on deal to bring Dave Winfield to New York Yankees, worth $12-15 million over next 10-12 years; comparisons to Houston's Nolan Ryan are cited, and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner speaks of deal
London gold price figures
Commercials for:
Bayer aspirin
Plymouth Reliant K coupe
The Savings & Loan Foundation
Remington Micro Screen Shaver (with Victor Kiam) - and Lady Remington too
- Catherine Mackin at Capitol Hill, on final "lame duck" session of 96th Congress which was full of spite, ill will and pettiness, with comments from Senators Alan Cranston (D-CA) and Ted Stevens (R-AK) (sketches by Freda Reiter)
- Supreme Court rules in favor of pay raises for Federal judges
- 23 more men begin hunger strike in Ireland, joining 7 other IRA prisoners in doing so
- Aftermath of recent Italian earthquake felt in Naples where one building that housed elderly collapsed
- Milton Obote begins second run as President of Uganda
List of most active stocks
Commercials for:
Totes 1-Hand Push-Button Automatic Umbrella
Levi's Action Slacks
Pepto-Bismol (with Napoleon impersonator - posted separately here: • Pepto-Bismol - "Napole... )
- Electoral College members formally certify Ronald Reagan as 40th President, as he relaxes at his Santa Barbara ranch
- Sam Donaldson on transition between First Families, quoting Nancy Reagan's Press Secretary Robin Orr, and brief clip of Rosalynn Carter speaking
Frank recaps top story, and then closes this edition
Ending titles (voiceover by Bill Rice)
Promo for Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (with Kermit the Frog) (main voiceover by Ernie Anderson) (ending voiceover by ??) (posted separately here: • ABC Network - Emmet Ot... )
This aired on local Chicago TV on Monday, December 15th 1980 during the 5:30pm to 5:58pm timeframe.
This footage was donated to The Museum of Classic Chicago Television as part of the Tony Portnoy Collection.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. We preserve the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail [e-mail] Thank you for your help!

[@americangirl971]

Remember when that's what we thought was bad? 😂

[@thomash.schwed3662]

Indeed! It really puts the last several years (from and after 2015 beginning with a certain moment involving an escalator) into perspective. Then again, this newscast aired during what turned out to be the waning moments of normalcy in the United States. Just over a month later, our Nation would really hit the fan with the swearing-in of Reagan.

[@TowGunner]

Tell that to the 52 hostages that the worst president in history allowed to languish for 444 days in Iran. Well, between Dementia Joe Biden and Jimmy (I never met a despot I didn’t like) Carter, it’s hard to pick who was worse. Carter’s foreign policies spawned the great Islamo-fascism movement that threatens the world today. His Soviet Union stance was just as outrageous. The Soviets, seeing Carter’s incompetence took advantage of the chaos he had caused to invade Afghanistan, as a base for hoped-for Soviet takeovers in Iran and Pakistan. And what was the reaction of President Carter, the leader of the free world, to this naked Soviet aggression? Boycott the 1980 Olympics. President Reagan fotunately, drew the line and later stopped the Soviets in their tracks, but the damage was done. Afghanistan would slowly slide into chaos and fanaticism leading to 9/11. Carter’s economic policies put the US on the road to ruin, even blaming the American people in his infamous Malaise Speech. He’s just an all around POS who should have remained a peanut farmer with his hillbilly brother Billy.

[@Cjnw]

Ayatollah Assahola still had 52 American hostages!

[@sierranevadatrail]

Mark Felt at 9:30, AKA deep throat

[@Cjnw]

(⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)

[@ajaugenti1976]

I loved Peter Jennings, he was a great news reporter back in the day. He's going to be missed by all!

[@arthuridis]

Frank Reynolds was one of the best reporters/anchors of all time. Truly called it objectively. He is sorely missed 40 years after his untimely death.

[@TowGunner]

Absolutely. Frank was one of the best.

[@Cjnw]

Lennon died just a week after this!

[@arthuridis]

@@Cjnw NOPE. That happened 12/8/1980.

[@thefrase7884]

Refreshing to see a real news broadcast not politically motivated

[@davidpayne3628]

Although we did not know it at the time, W. Mark Felt would later reveal that he was the Watergate source known as "Deep Throat"

[@modgodel]

Yeah, don't remember anyone bringing this up when he came out

[@Cjnw]

​@@modgodel(⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)

[@ajaugenti1976]

Good heavens! I was only 4 years old and living in New Hampshire back in the day.

[@rubewaddell1704]

Damn, second one million dollar player. Now the average salary is nearly $5 million.

[@jeffreyd399]

I was born on November 16th, 1980. I was almost a month old on this day.

[@The_Mimewar]

I was not quite 2 years old when this aired. Fascinating

[@Albendova666]

I was in 6th grade, probably my last good year as a child for quite awhile. But I dove into TV so I appreciate these shows.

[@tomxconn]

Peter always seemed cool, calm, collected. But Max and Frank, while also great journalists, were known to have a short fuse 💣

[@harrychestwigg]

16:57....believe it!

[@docadams7099]

Ayatollah Ruhollah KhoMANIAC.

[@jashary15]

My 20th birthday.

[@chicagojeff]

My 11th birthday...

[@cellytron]

WOW!!!