Duquesne remembers 1968 alum and local media figure, Frank Gottlieb

Raymond Arke | News Editor

11/02/17

An influential local media fixture and Duquesne graduate passed away last week. Frank Gottlieb was a Vietnam War veteran and the former news director for KQV News Radio in Pittsburgh, according to his obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

He graduated from Duquesne in 1968 with a degree in print journalism, Duquesne’s Office of Alumni Engagement said in an email.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Gottlieb started his media career while in the military as part of the Armed Forces Radio. He then worked for WAMO-FM and was a news producer at WTAE-TV and at WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio. Gottlieb was also a news writer for KDKA-TV and Pittsburgh CBS Local.

He started working for KQV in 1985 and became the news director in 1993 until his retirement several years ago, according to the Post-Gazette.

Robert Kerlik, vice president of media relations for the Allegheny County Airport Authority, advisor to The Duke and member of Duquesne’s Publications Board, fondly recalled Gottlieb.

“I first met Frank through his work at KQV when I was a reporter at the Trib,” he said. “He was always interested in getting the story fast, but accurate.”

Kerlik was appreciative of a unique opportunity Gottlieb gave him.

“I remember one time as a reporter when Frank asked me to provide regular radio updates for KQV during a weeks-long high-profile trial I was covering at the time,” he said. “It was one of my first forays into radio and I always appreciated that.”

He also enjoyed working with Gottlieb on the Publication Board.

“He was dedicated to whatever was best for the student publications. I enjoyed seeing him at the annual Pub Board dinner each year where he usually had some helpful insight into some ongoing story that was in the news,” Kerlik said.

Margaret Patterson, professor of journalism at Duquesne and representative on the Duquesne Publications Board, knew Gottlieb for years from her time as a Pittsburgh Press reporter and his work on the Publication Board.

Patterson said that Gottlieb had been on the Publication Board for the past 15 years and that she had recently sent him an email about an upcoming Board meeting this week.

She and Gottlieb shared the same birthday and would often go get a meal together to celebrate.

“Breakfast at Pamela’s was a very special place for him,” she said.

Patterson recalled that Gottlieb was a great journalist.

“He was a very engaged guy … If you went to an event, he was always there … [He was] very devoted to journalism and First Amendment issues,” she said.

Duquesne’s Publication Board has a local media representative to give an outside perspective on Duquesne issues, Patterson said.

“He was an ideal representative. He knew Duquesne and felt very loyal to Duquesne … [Gottlieb was] always present when we interviewed students for editor roles [in student publications] and was a very thoughtful participant,” she said.

Gottlieb had an “outstanding career,” Patterson recalled. “Some people called him Mr. Journalism. He was such a part of it.”

Ken Gormley, president of Duquesne, also fondly remembered Gottlieb.

“I had the privilege of doing dozens upon dozens of shows with Frank over the years, including many on my books and political issues confronting our country,” he said. “Frank was a consummate professional and a true gentleman who was proud of his Duquesne education. He’ll be deeply missed.”

Kim Palmiero is the president of the Western Pennsylvania Press Club, a volunteer organization that Frank was a board member on.

“[Being on the board] is a pretty big volunteer commitment and Frank really jumped right in,” Palmiero said.

She added he “always had great ideas” and was willing to help listen to what others had to say.

“He was someone that I, as a board member, would call and bounce ideas off of. He would improve your ideas,” Palmiero said.

She said that his contributions will be greatly missed.