Changes

Reese's broadcasting career began at KCBD-TV] Channel 11, the [[NBC]] affiliate in Lubbock. He then moved go KFDA-TV, the [[CBS]] affiliate in Amarillo, followed by KMID-TV, at the time a combined NBC/[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] outlet in Midland with studios at the former Air Force building at Midland Airfield. Reese then relocated to Odessa, where he was an anchorman from 1956 to 1964 at KOSA-TV, Channel 7, the CBS station which after a change in ownership relocated its facilities in 2000 to Music City Mall.<ref>Reese, p. 128.</ref> KOSA formerly used the mantra "Your Eye on West Texas."<ref>"KOSA-TV: Your Eye on West Texas" and today uses "The Breaking News and Weather Authority", Website: Cbs7kosa.com, accessed November 10, 2010.</ref>

Reese's broadcasting career began at KCBD-TV] Channel 11, the [[NBC]] affiliate in Lubbock. He then moved go KFDA-TV, the [[CBS]] affiliate in Amarillo, followed by KMID-TV, at the time a combined NBC/[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] outlet in Midland with studios at the former Air Force building at Midland Airfield. Reese then relocated to Odessa, where he was an anchorman from 1956 to 1964 at KOSA-TV, Channel 7, the CBS station which after a change in ownership relocated its facilities in 2000 to Music City Mall.<ref>Reese, p. 128.</ref> KOSA formerly used the mantra "Your Eye on West Texas."<ref>"KOSA-TV: Your Eye on West Texas" and today uses "The Breaking News and Weather Authority", Website: Cbs7kosa.com, accessed November 10, 2010.</ref>

At Reese Air Force Base, Reese had edited the military newspaper and handled the Saturday evening and Sunday morning shifts at KCBD-TV, the latter at a gross salary of $1.15 per hour. In Lubbock, Reese attempted to develop from his residence a weekly detailed television schedule for the South Plains based on [[Walter Annenberg]]'s ''TV Guide'' [[magazine]] that had been launched successfully on the East Coast  at that time.<ref>Reese, p. 128.</ref> However, station manager Joseph H. Bryant<ref>Joseph Bryant (1916-1996), formerly of Oklahoma, was still residing in Odessa at the time of his death. Social Security Death Index. Website: ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com [Accessed November 12, 2010]</ref> forbade moonlighting. Faced with the lack of choice, Reese resigned and moved to KFDA in Amarllo . After some two months, he recalls having been dropped from the station in a budget crunch. He turned down an offer to be a television director in [[Fort Worth]] to come to KMID, which offered him $10 more per week than what the Fort Worth station had tendered. At KMID, he was not only the sports anchor but did commercials.<ref>Reese, pp. 128-129.</ref>  KMID, now exclusively an ABC affiliate, Channel 2, was the first television station in Midland-Odessa.<ref>"ABC 2 – KMID Channel 2," Website: stationindex.com, accessed November 10, 2010.</ref>

At Reese Air Force Base, Reese had edited the military newspaper and handled the Saturday evening and Sunday morning shifts at KCBD-TV, the latter at a gross salary of $1.15 per hour. In Lubbock, Reese attempted to develop from his residence a weekly detailed television schedule for the South Plains based on Walter Annenberg's ''TV Guide'' [[magazine]] that had been launched successfully on the East Coast  at that time.<ref>Reese, p. 128.</ref> However, station manager Joseph H. Bryant<ref>Joseph Bryant (1916-1996), formerly of Oklahoma, was still residing in Odessa at the time of his death. Social Security Death Index. Website: ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com [Accessed November 12, 2010]</ref> forbade moonlighting. Faced with the lack of choice, Reese resigned and moved to KFDA in Amarllo . After some two months, he recalls having been dropped from the station in a budget crunch. He turned down an offer to be a television director in [[Fort Worth]] to come to KMID, which offered him $10 more per week than what the Fort Worth station had tendered. At KMID, he was not only the sports anchor but did commercials.<ref>Reese, pp. 128-129.</ref>  KMID, now exclusively an ABC affiliate, Channel 2, was the first television station in Midland-Odessa.<ref>"ABC 2 – KMID Channel 2," Website: stationindex.com, accessed November 10, 2010.</ref>

While at the Odessa Country Club, Reese met the assistant manager, Lew Allen, a musician.<ref>Lew Allen was a stage name of the late Allyn Llue Lewallen, who had previously played piano in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]].</ref> The two co-produced a half-hour mid-afternoon daily variety show on KMID which aired after the popular reality series, ''Queen for a Day'',<ref>Reese, p. 129.</ref> hosted by the actor Jack Bailey.<ref>Jack Bailey (1907-1980), an [[Iowa]] native who had been active in [[vaudeville]] and was once a World's Fair barker, was at the peak of his television career when ''Queen for a Day'' began an eight-year network run on January 3, 1956. The series aired for four and a half seasons on NBC and then four more on ABC. Critics later said that the program was demeaning to women because it forced them to reveal personal hardships to a national audience in order to curry favor.</ref>

While at the Odessa Country Club, Reese met the assistant manager, Lew Allen, a musician.<ref>Lew Allen was a stage name of the late Allyn Llue Lewallen, who had previously played piano in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]].</ref> The two co-produced a half-hour mid-afternoon daily variety show on KMID which aired after the popular reality series, ''Queen for a Day'',<ref>Reese, p. 129.</ref> hosted by the actor Jack Bailey.<ref>Jack Bailey (1907-1980), an [[Iowa]] native who had been active in [[vaudeville]] and was once a World's Fair barker, was at the peak of his television career when ''Queen for a Day'' began an eight-year network run on January 3, 1956. The series aired for four and a half seasons on NBC and then four more on ABC. Critics later said that the program was demeaning to women because it forced them to reveal personal hardships to a national audience in order to curry favor.</ref>

In 1955, KMID general manager Ray Herndon moved the Allen-Reese program to 5:30 p.m., and without the  ''Queen for a Day'' lead-in audience. As Reese had supspected, the change proved disastrous. Reese left KMID and accepted a longstanding offer in the summer of 1956 from program director and first KOSA station manager, John Joseph Vacca, Jr., (1922-2003) a native of [[Chicago]],<ref>Reese, p. 129.</ref> who served on the Odessa City Council from 1962 to 1964 prior to Reese's tenure as mayor.<ref>Confirmed by Odessa City Secretary Norma Grimaldo, November 15, 2010.</ref> Coincidentally, Vacca had also attended Reese's alma mater, Northwestern University.<ref>John J. Vacca was residing in Lewisville, Texas]], Texas, at the time of his death in 2003. In 1967, he became vice president of the Trigg Vaughn group of radio and television stations. In Dallas-Fort Worth, he directed the construction of KDTV, Channel 39, the first UHF television station in the Metroplex. Social Security Death Index; On-line obituaries from ''The Odessa American,'' March 15–30, 2003, Website: usgwarchives.net/tx/ector/obits/odessa/2003/033003.txt, accessed November 12, 2010.</ref> KOSA went on the air in Odessa on January 1, 1956. Reese resumed the variety show there, announced the 10 p.m. sports news, and prepared scores of commercials. He found that his recognition from being a sports anchor made it easier to sell advertising. Even after switching stations for the last time he never managed to publish his envisioned West Texas version of ''TV Guide''.<ref>Reese, p. 129.</ref>

In 1955, KMID general manager Ray Herndon moved the Allen-Reese program to 5:30 p.m., and without the  ''Queen for a Day'' lead-in audience. As Reese had supspected, the change proved disastrous. Reese left KMID and accepted a longstanding offer in the summer of 1956 from program director and first KOSA station manager, John Joseph Vacca, Jr., (1922-2003) a native of [[Chicago]],<ref>Reese, p. 129.</ref> who served on the Odessa City Council from 1962 to 1964 prior to Reese's tenure as mayor.<ref>Confirmed by Odessa City Secretary Norma Grimaldo, November 15, 2010.</ref> Coincidentally, Vacca had also attended Reese's alma mater, Northwestern University.<ref>John J. Vacca was residing in Lewisville, Texas, at the time of his death in 2003. In 1967, he became vice president of the Trigg Vaughn group of radio and television stations. In Dallas-Fort Worth, he directed the construction of KDTV, Channel 39, the first UHF television station in the Metroplex. Social Security Death Index; On-line obituaries from ''The Odessa American,'' March 15–30, 2003, Website: usgwarchives.net/tx/ector/obits/odessa/2003/033003.txt, accessed November 12, 2010.</ref> KOSA went on the air in Odessa on January 1, 1956. Reese resumed the variety show there, announced the 10 p.m. sports news, and prepared scores of commercials. He found that his recognition from being a sports anchor made it easier to sell advertising. Even after switching stations for the last time he never managed to publish his envisioned West Texas version of ''TV Guide''.<ref>Reese, p. 129.</ref>

In Odessa, Reese covered three high school teams, the Odessa Broncos, the Permian Panthers, and the Ector Eagles. At the time, the Odessa Jackalopes of the Central Hockey League had not been organized.<ref>The Jackalopes, organized in 1997, plays at the Ector County Coliseum on the Andrews Highway. The Coliseum seats some 5,100.</ref>  KOSA also covered teams in Midland, Monahans, and Big Spring in Howard County, whenever those games were of particular interest to Odessa. Reese learned the names of each player and compiled a sheet of statistical notes which he taped to the back of the camera. This method created his own home-made Teleprompter which allowed him to report to the audience without being seen glancing at a script. He further covered national sports news of area interest sent to KOSA through the telegraph ticker from the news-gathering agencies.<ref>Reese, pp. 129-130.</ref>

In Odessa, Reese covered three high school teams, the Odessa Broncos, the Permian Panthers, and the Ector Eagles. At the time, the Odessa Jackalopes of the Central Hockey League had not been organized.<ref>The Jackalopes, organized in 1997, plays at the Ector County Coliseum on the Andrews Highway. The Coliseum seats some 5,100.</ref>  KOSA also covered teams in Midland, Monahans, and Big Spring in Howard County, whenever those games were of particular interest to Odessa. Reese learned the names of each player and compiled a sheet of statistical notes which he taped to the back of the camera. This method created his own home-made Teleprompter which allowed him to report to the audience without being seen glancing at a script. He further covered national sports news of area interest sent to KOSA through the telegraph ticker from the news-gathering agencies.<ref>Reese, pp. 129-130.</ref>