PHOENIX — The year was 1970.
Nearly 100,000 people demonstrated in Washington D.C. against the Vietnam War. Richard Nixon was president. And Jimi Hendrix and The Who were the biggest names in music.
But here in Phoenix, Diane Kalas was making history as the first female reporter at 12News.
“I was taking a guest to be on the show 'Today in Arizona' that was on at that time. And I had already met the news director, trying to get a job,” Kalas said. “And so I was talking to him again, because he was one of the co-hosts on the show. And he said, ‘Well, let's do an audition.’ And I got in the studio and watched the re-run of my audition. And he just turned to me and he said, ‘When do you want to start?’ And I said, ‘Where do I put my purse?’"
Even Kalas was surprised when she got the job at 38 years old.
She never had any experience in TV or graduated college. But since Kalas was in high school, she always knew she wanted to be a reporter. And she also knew she was at the right place at the right time.
“I did stories about abortion with Roe vs. Wade … " Kalas said. "A lot of women's movement stories because there was a change going on in the country at that time. And so since I was the only woman on the staff, I got all those stories."
Kalas also had the opportunity to interview the biggest legends in Hollywood at the time, like Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Junior, Phyllis Diller, Don Rickles, and Liberace, who even signed his book for her.
Kalas covered feature stories recalling this wild one:
“There was a gorilla that was being transported from another zoo to the Phoenix Zoo in Hugh Hefner's plane, chained on Hugh Hefner's circular bed in his private plane," she laughed. "And we were trying to cover the arrival of this gorilla and the gorilla was waking up. He had been sedated… it was very exciting. So wild!"
Kalas said she had the time of her life. But back then, stories weren’t captured on taped shows – everything was live.
“We had no tape," she said. "In the beginning, we just had film and the film was rushed in every afternoon after people shot it all day, and had to be developed and cuts and everything in time for the 6 o'clock news or 5 o'clock news.”
Even though Kalas was the only female in a newsroom full of men, she said she was never treated any less just because she was a woman.
“The men I worked with all treated me like their little sister. They were helpful and welcoming,” she said.
But in 1977, after seven years working at Channel 12, Kalas was let go. She went on to work in radio.
Now, at 90, life is good for Kalas – who has three children, six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She is active and healthy and lives with her dog Rags who she takes on daily walks.
“I really enjoy it. And she enjoys it. And if I didn't have her, I don't think I would do it because I'm basically a little bit lazy,” she laughed.
Looking back, Kalas never thought of herself as a trailblazer. She was just living her dream. But she appreciates it now more than ever.
“I am proud to have been part of that legacy. And I'm also proud that it happened at Channel 12. Because to me, it's a very special place," Kalas said. "And it was like they were my family.”
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