Coverage of John F. Kennedy‘s assassination thanks to Tim O’Connor

·33 min·3 clips

KLIF delivers the official word that President John F. Kennedy has died from his gunshot wounds.

The episode is a historical audio documentary presenting KLIF radio's live coverage of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It begins by setting the scene of KLIF's news-gathering protocol for major events. The transcript includes actual commercials airing that day, such as for Armor Star turkeys and Falstaff beer, before cutting to the first bulletin about shots fired at the Kennedy motorcade. Reporters like Joe Long and Gordon McClendon provide on-the-ground updates from Dallas. The coverage includes the first eyewitness account from motorcycle patrolman J.M. Chaney, who describes seeing the president hit. Conflicting reports about the conditions of Kennedy and Governor Connally are broadcast, with rumors and official statements intermingling. A report from Bill Stinson quotes Governor Connally from the hospital. The announcement that Father Huber administered last rites is followed by the official confirmation of President Kennedy's death at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time. The episode notes the historical precedent of Lyndon Johnson succeeding a president who was assassinated, referencing Andrew Johnson. An eyewitness, Charles Brim, gives a personal account of watching the shooting with his young son. The broadcast mentions the discovery of empty rifle hulls on the fifth floor of a building and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's involvement. It concludes with reactions from Congress and a press conference at Parkland Hospital, before ending with reflective audio clips about Kennedy's legacy.

As heard by us

KLIF's live Dallas coverage catches the uncertainty and gathering gravity of Kennedy's shooting.

Radio Connection Live returns to the shooting of John F. Kennedy through KLIF's live Dallas coverage. Routine programming gives way to crisis while a Thanksgiving turkey advertisement is still running, then the newsroom gathers witness accounts, Parkland Hospital updates and…

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Why you'd press play

You hear KLIF abandon its normal schedule as the shooting of President Kennedy becomes breaking news in Dallas.

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