Bruce Dortin (1943-2005)
Dortin came to Atlanta’s WABE in 2000 with an already impressive resume. He started his broadcasting career while in the US Air Force, then moved on to Armed Forces Radio and Television in the 1970s. At the height of the Cold War, Dortin was speaking nightly to households in West Berlin.
From there, his career took him to NPR’s affiliate station in Houston, Peach State Public Radio and finally to our own WABE. Along the way, he was recognized for his effort and talent by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Georgia Associated Press.
Dortin’s voice was comfortably professional and added an air of grandfatherly class to WABE’s broadcasts. He will be missed.
(Especially, I liked the way he said MazdOnly.)
When you hear somebody’s voice first thing in the morning for years, they become a part of your life (particularly if you’re as sentimental as I am).
This is very sad. I’ll miss the sound of his voice and his super-dry sense of humor (as expressed during pledge-drive when he had to riff on how great the WABE travel mug is).
My condolences to his friends and family.
oh how I’ll miss him. I love how he was always on the verge of complete disaster while he read announcements, but never failed. He was like a solid tightrope walker, a real loquacious daredevil.