oterteloment
can interview as many as
40 people through both of
his shows and likes the
challenge of someone who
is difficult to interview.
"I'm just real pleased to
be part of a job that helps
others understand what's
going on in their lives," he
said.
Although he majored in
political science at the
University of Michigan
and Wayne State
University, expecting to
become a lawyer, he kept
asking one radio station
manager to hire him part
time. After he finally got
the job, he decided to con-
tinue in broadcasting.
"My hobby is probably
my job," commented Mr.
Pierce, who reads four
papers every day, studies
books whose authors he
will question and does
some research to prepare
for guests.
When he travels, he
likes to include his fami-
ly, his wife of almost two
years, their infant daugh-
ter and two teen-age
daughters from a previ-
ous marriage.
His community activi-
ties involve a variety of
fund-raising events as
well as the Special
Olympics for Jewish
youngsters. He served as
moderator at an open
meeting with Reform rab-
bis.
"My goal is to learn
something from every
person I talk to, whether
it's someone I meet on the
street . or it's a Henry
Kissinger," he said.
Murray Feldman, who
knew he wanted to go into
broadcasting after receiv-
ing a transistor radio as a
youngster, was a general
assignment reporter
before specializing in eco-
nomics.
"I learned economics
because I was interested
in it," said the host of
"Moneywise" on Channel
2. "If a person is a good
reporter, that person can
report on anything, I'm
not an economist or finan-
cial planner, but "I learn
from all those people."
Mr. Feldman, who has
a bachelor's degree in
speech and communica-
tions from Emerson
College in Boston, works
toward educating his
audience.
"The fun is being able
to help people," he said.
"We do stories on nega-
tive topics such as early
retirements and job loss,
but we don't do negative
stories. We do positive
stories telling people how
to make the best of a situ-
ation."
To supplement the
information presented on
the air, he offers viewers
newsletters, budget plans
and other printed materi-
als. Also announced are
phone numbers for reach-
ing agencies that can help
with money management.
who met his wife here.
"One of my first impres-
sions was driving up
Greenfield and seeing all
the Chanukah signs on
places like the Bonanza
restaurant. It was imme-
diately a great, warm
feeling."
Now with two children,
he keeps active in the
Jewish community by
participating in Temple
Israel events as well as
projects sponsored by
JARC, Jewish Federation
and other organizations.
Paul Gross' interest in
meteorology preceded his
interest in broadcasting.
as a fill-in at Channel 50.
"Being Jewish, I always
encourage people to take
off and let me work for
them on Christmas," said
the weather producer who
acts as a substitute
weathercaster. When
there is a major storm, he
works around the clock.
Many of Mr. Gross' vol-
unteer activities have to
do with his personal tri-
umph over testicular can-
cer. He speaks on behalf
of organizations encour-
aging others affected by
the illness.
While he was undergo-
ing chemotherapy, he felt
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Artwork from the Roanoke Times & World-News by Kevin Kreneck. Copyright to 1989, Kevin Krone& Distributed by Los Angeles limes Syndicate.
A credit seminar held
in conjunction with Credit
Counseling Centers was a
successful project that
came out of a story he
reported.
"It's information we
know is being received
well because we get a lot
of mail," he said.
Mr. Feldman, who
moved to the area 17
years ago, worked in five
other cities.
"It was easy to move
into the Jewish communi-
ty because the Jewish
community came out to
me," said Mr. Feldman,
"It began as a fear of
storms and evolved into
an interest," he said. My
excitement is meteorolo-
gy, but it is very tem-
pered by the effects it will
have on people. On cer-
tain occasions, the infor-
mation that I'm giving
out is life or death."
While studying meteo-
rology at the University
of Michigan, he was
assigned an internship at
WDIV. As a part-timer,
he also could work as a
weekend forecaster for a
Lansing station, his first
on-camera experience, and
his broadcasting responsi-
bilities necessitated extra
care with his appearance.
He got a wig before losing
his hair and was advised
by the WDIV makeup
consultant on how to use
cosmetics to conceal any
signs of illness.
"Being able to work
helped me get through it,"
he said, appreciative of
the support and friend-
ship offered by his friends
at the station.
Active in sports, includ-
ing the B'nai B'rith
Basketball League, he
attends many Pistons
games and doeg some
post-game interviewing.
Now cancer-free, Mr.
Gross looks forward to
reporting his sunniest
day yet — within a month
his wife is due to give
birth to their first child.
H
ow do the broadcast-
ers feel about the
recognition they get?
Each has a story:
Sherry Margolis: "Peo-
ple are very nice, and I
welcome it when they rec-
ognize me and talk to me.
They feel like they know
me because I'm in their
living rooms each day,
and I take that as a com-
pliment."
Eli Zaret: "Detroit is
not a city that can corn-
pare to L.A. or New York
in terms of alternate
types of entertainment,
and, therefore, the job
that I have here can gen-
erate a higher concentra-
tion of interest or can be a
more high-profile job than
it is in a city like L.A. or
New York.
"People recognize me,
but there is not the type
of adulation that you get
for people who are gen-
uine stars of either
movies or sports. The ath-
letes themselves always
generate a lot more atten-
tion than anybody who is
in the media."
Warren Pierce: "I think
you tend to lose your
anonymity when you go
on television because peo-
ple know what you look
like. I was in a bakery,
and a man told me his
son was opening a restau-
rant that would make a
perfect story for the
pieces that I do on lunch-
es and brunches.
"Everybody has input
because we're so public,
which also means I never
try to check out 13 items
in a 10-item-only check-
out lane in a supermar-
ket."
Murray Feldman: "We
may be celebrities in
somebody's eyes, but
we're not celebrities.
We're just people who do
a job like everybody else.
Being recognized happens
more and more.
"The good part is that
people are watching us.
Because they're our cus-