70 Years of ABC7: Bay Area's 'Most Wanted News Team' deputized to raise ratings

ByJennifer Olney KGO logo
Friday, January 10, 2020
70 Years of ABC7: Bay Area's 'Most Wanted News Team' deputized to raise ratings
In 1970, when Van "The Kid" Amburg was taking over as lead news anchor at KGO-TV, the station caused a sensation with Wild West ads featuring "The Channel 7 News Gang" team.This iconic 1970's KGO-TV ad became part of television history. One TV promo is well known, but did you know there was a second version, with even more crazy content? (KGO-TV)

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- In 1970, when Van "The Kid" Amburg was taking over as lead news anchor at KGO-TV, the station caused a sensation with a Wild West ad featuring "The Channel 7 News Gang."

VIDEOS: ABC7 celebrates 70 years of local news in the Bay Area

This video contains two versions of the iconic TV commercial, a 30-second ad that has been widely circulated and a rarely seen one-minute version that features even more nicknames, puns and a few guns.

In addition to Amburg, the team included "Big" Jerry Jensen; John O'Reilly, "The Dude on Sports," and meteorologist Pete "Doc" Giddings.

Look back with us through the ABC7 archives to witness our unique communities through the eyes of some of the first people to broadcast their stories, as ABC7 celebrates 70 years in the Bay Area.

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