November 13, 2026
Provided Image/Larry Kane
Pioneering TV and radio broadcaster Larry Kane — who had long stints at 6ABC, NBC10, CBS3 and KYW Newsradio — has retired after a 69-year career in media. Kane, 84, spent the majority of his professional life in Philadelphia.
Larry Kane, a pioneer in Philadelphia's media market and the original anchor of 6ABC's "Action News," is calling it a career after 69 years in TV and radio.
Kane, 84, has been in a fixture in political journalism for decades and is widely remembered for his coverage of the Beatles during their North American tours in 1964-65, as well as John Lennon's visit to 6ABC's studios in 1975. Kane's high-profile interviews include conversations with eight presidents, two popes and the civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
For the past 23 years, Kane has been a special contributor and radio commentator for KYW Newsradio. The Brooklyn native started his career in Miami radio when he was 15 and moved to Philadelphia in 1965 to become an anchor for WFIL Radio and WFIL-TV, which later became 6ABC (WPVI-TV).
Kane was the face of the station's "Action News" format when it launched in 1970, ushering in a fast-paced broadcast that cycled through more daily headlines than earlier TV formats. The newscast had strict 90-second limits for stories and wrapped in coverage from an expanded region that included both city and suburban affairs. Kane, who was 26 at the time, helped create the conversational style on "Action News" and became known for coining the newscast's tagline, "The big story on 'Action News' is ..."
Prior to his career in Philadelphia, Kane notably was the first U.S. news correspondent to break the story of the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in 1961 while he was based out of Miami. Kane had been tipped off about the U.S. invasion by friends in Miami's Cuban exile community. He also became the only American journalist invited to travel on every stop of the Beatles' tour in 1964-65 after writing a letter to band manager Brian Epstein. His coverage sparked a decadeslong connection with members of the band, which he later chronicled in a pair of books.
Kane invited John Lennon to 6ABC's studios in 1975 to help promote WFIL Radio's annual Helping Hand Marathon benefitting people with disabilities. Lennon met with thousands of fans, took pledge calls on the phone and memorably provided a TV weather report during his three days in the city.
Kane hosted numerous mayoral debates in Philadelphia over the years and won the prestigious Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for his coverage of the 1985 MOVE bombing. He also won multiple Emmy Awards, including a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Board of Governors Award in 2005 recognizing his lifetime achievements as an anchor in Philadelphia.
Kane is the region's only news anchor to have worked for all three of 6ABC, NBC10 and CBS3 at various points in his career. Kane also work briefly for ABC News in New York in the late 1970s, covering the city's infamous 1977 blackout and anchoring primetime national news segments. He remained in Philadelphia at the time, commuting to Manhattan until he returned to the city to work at NBC10, where he spent nearly 15 years followed by another decade at CBS3.
Over the years, Kane has been an advocate for charities including the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the National Adoption Center and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Kane told the Philadelphia Business Journal he decided to retire to spend more time with his six grandchildren and because his voice has softened with age. In his final commentary for KYW Newsradio, Kane warned about the importance of protecting press freedom and sustaining sources of local news in an industry that has been hit by financial challenges and layoffs.
In a statement via Audacy, which owns KYW Newsradio, Kane said he looks forward to the next chapter of his life after a long and distinguished career.
"It's been just the greatest experience, but I'm happy that I'm stopping it now," Kane said.
