Producing a public service

A passion for classical music propelled Ed Cunningham into the high-powered field of radio broadcasting.

His first radio job was at a classical station, where he discovered he also had an affinity for working behind the microphone.

On Saturday, Cunningham will use his unmistakable voice to emcee the 50th anniversary celebration of WHYY’s radio station. The South Philly resident has spent 32 years on both the radio and television sides of the public-broadcasting giant.

Cunningham, 58, believes WHYY’s radio station has, to an extent, made the world a smarter place.

"It’s a real jewel of public radio," he says.

The veteran broadcaster should know. He’s been in radio since his college days.

Cunningham’s earliest education was at St. Monica School while he lived on the 2300 block of South 17th Street. He moved with his family to Overbrook at age 7.

As a Temple University undergraduate, Cunningham held several posts with student-run WRTI radio from 1966 until his graduation in 1969.

He soon landed his first full-time job at WFLN, a classical music station. Cunningham’s extensive knowledge of the genre made him a prime candidate for the station’s radio announcer position.

"Because I wasn’t intimidated by some of the Russian composers’ names, they gave me a job right out of college," quips Cunningham, who now lives on South Lambert Street in Girard Estate.

The 1970s were a life-changing decade for the young announcer. He married his sweetheart, Eleanor (formally Menna), originally from 16th and Shunk streets, in 1972 and moved back to South Philly.

One year later, Cunningham continued his journey into public broadcasting. He joined the WHYY team as a music director for radio channel WUHY-FM (now WHYY-FM).

Yet, Cunningham could not resist the urge to "spin the discs" and "read the copies," as he puts it. He supplemented his income with a part-time gig as an announcer at WDVR, a station with an easy-listening format.

Looking for a change of pace, Cunningham decided to delve into the world of TV production. In 1986, he became the producer for WHYY-TV’s on-air membership drives, helping to raise money to support public broadcasting in the region.

He now joins the ranks of Terry Gross, Brenda Jorett and other WHYY personalities who have contributed to the radio station’s successful run.

During his 12-year stint, Cunningham developed techniques to keep the phones ringing. Silence was the most gut-wrenching sound during the pledge drives, he notes.

"When you’re doing a pledge drive, you know instantaneously when you’re doing well," says Cunningham, who compares the telethons to standup comedy. "If the phones ring, we’re doing great. If the phones don’t ring, we’re bombing. If you do something to help the phones ring, it’s immediate gratification."

While Cunningham has not produced a pledge drive since 1998, he still makes the occasional appearance to help push the importance of private support. He now focuses on producing original programming for WHYY.

He has received extensive praise for his popular specials, including South Philly: Italian Style. The documentary, hosted by singer Bobby Rydell, highlights the "flavors of South Philly," including Italian culture, food, entertainers and local celebrities, says Cunningham.

"We thought it would be a good idea to produce something about at least one of the neighborhoods in our city that has a strong ethnic background," he says. "Being married to an Italian girl and living in an Italian neighborhood, it was a topic of interest to me."

And the food he encountered wasn’t bad either, adds Cunningham. "I never ate better on any project I ever worked on in my life."

Holy Philadelphia, another of Cunningham’s productions, profiled the area’s religious traditions and how they have flourished throughout the city. The program received a Mid-Atlantic Emmy for Outstanding Cultural Program and the Excellence in Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Cunningham continues to produce documentaries that he says capture the local history of the area.

But the producer has not abandoned his classical radio roots. Since 2001, Cunningham has hosted Sunday Showcase, a weekly broadcast of concerts performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, on WHYY-FM. As host, he offers background information and conducts interviews with each week’s musical performers.

Cunningham also worked as a freelance reporter for the now-defunct Jewish Times.

He spends his free time with his wife and two adult children, and loves strolling through his neighborhood.

"I really like taking long, vigorous walks to keep in shape as much as I possibly can," he says. "That’s one of the best things about South Philly, in particular — that you can just see all of those interesting neighborhoods."

The station’s sold-out anniversary celebration at Community College of Philadelphia will be in the style of an old-time radio special and will feature a slew of WHYY personalities. Cunningham is excited about the event and says it proves the station’s success.

The producer also says he is proud of the radio and TV stations run by WHYY. He believes listeners and viewers are not just entertained, but informed.

"You wind up coming away knowing more about the world than you did before you tuned in."