Cape & Islands News

Memorial set Saturday for Pasquale "Pat" Polillo

Innovative television newsman died Sept. 2

A reception in memory of Pasquale "Pat" Polillo, a groundbreaking television newsman who died at his home in Yarmouthport on Sept. 2, will be held tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Doane, Beal, and Ames Funeral Home, 729 Route 134, South Dennis.

His wife, Dr. Kristine Soly, was with him at the time of his death. He died from a brain tumor that he had been battling since 2003. He was 75 years old.

Pat Polillo enjoyed a diverse and distinguished career spanning the fields of broadcasting, government, journalism, education and community service.

He was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., but grew up in Baltimore and at 16 was volunteering at a local radio station. Three years later he was working at a television station WAAM-TV in Baltimore as a projectionist, cameraman, and on-air talent.

Pat was a pioneer in local television for almost 40 years, from 1961 to 1998. He served as news director in Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco and Atlanta, and as Vice President and General Manager of two television stations, KPIX-TV in San Francisco and KYW-TV in Philadelphia.

A common-sense manager, Polillo earned a reputation as a "troubleshooter" who turned operations around and transformed news operations.

His career in broadcasting was marked by innovation and two Emmy Awards. He is credited with numerous breakthroughs which revolutionized local television coverage, including the widespread use of minicams in covering live news events, the development of serious investigative reporting teams (I-Teams) at local television stations and the transformation of station editorials to on-site reports that got results.

Polillo's lively career also included stints as a management consultant; a newspaper editor; a teacher of biology, music, German and math; a special agent for the Army's Counter Intelligence Corps in Germany; a marketer of a vocabulary program for children; and, for more than 40 years, a leader of Great Books discussion groups at both the adult and children's levels.

He earned a bachelor's degree from St. John's College in Annapolis in 1956. The school emphasized the Great Book classics. He later kept a wall of books in his office by authors including Plato, Montaigne, Goethe, and many others, and for years organized Great Book seminars for children and adults.

After graduating from college, Mr. Polillo served in Army counterintelligence in Germany for two years. He then earned a master's degree in German literature from Johns Hopkins University.
In 1998, he moved to Yarmouthport with his wife, Dr. Kristine Soly, a holistic cardiologist. The couple had met as next-door neighbors in Philadelphia and married in 1989.

He was a passionate tennis player. Though he battled brain tumors since 2003 and had five major surgeries, he returned to playing tennis four days a week within two weeks of his first three surgeries.

Survivors in addition to his wife include his 97-year-old mother, Adeline Polillo; sons Anatole and Michael; a daughter, Dr. Sloane Winkes; a stepson, Andrew Popielarski; a sister; a niece; a nephew; and four grandchildren. A son, Kyle, died tragically earlier this year.

The Philadelphia Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will pay tribute to Mr. Polillo at its Emmy awards ceremony tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 13. Mr. Polillo was a founding member of the chapter.

Much of his groundbreaking work in broadcasting is part of the Pat Polillo Archive at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication Library.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the Neely House, which provides a place for families to stay while loved ones are receiving cancer treatment at Tufts Medical Center. Donations should be sent to Neely House, 750 Washington St.--Box 0716, Boston, MA 02111.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you didn't know Pasquale, you missed a passionate personality. He wrote a few pieces for us, and the one below may give you a small feeling for his energy and gusto.

Time for wind power has arrived on the Cape

I returned to Cape Cod in 1998. About 40 years before, I became involved with individuals concerned that the Coney Island development of the south shore could spread north. I agreed this was a serious threat and helped out whenever I could. As we know, the efforts of these dedicated people and years of hard work led to the historic district and a coordinated plan to protect the Cape’s north side and eventually most of the Cape. I have always felt pride in the small part I contributed to this effort and consider myself a conservationist.

Their arguments touting the negative impact on the environment have withered away as each came under scrutiny

Like everyone else, I've been listening to the arguments for and against the wind farm. I have also looked into the wind industry and find that it is one of the great growth areas for business and job creation in more that 30 countries. It seems clear that the time for wind as a major way to produce electric power has arrived.

I also think that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement compiled and published by the US Corps of Engineers has laid out all of the important public welfare and safety issues that should have been be considered. It reinforced my own research that there would be no harm to birds, the fishing industry and cause no navigation problems on the water or in the air. Most important, the project will give us a much safer and dependable supply of electric power generated by an inexhaustible energy source, that will help lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

As for the opponents, their arguments, especially those touting the negative impact on the environment, seem to have withered away as each came under scrutiny. And, in the midst of the shrillness of their opposition, it is probably hard to imagine that if none of the wind turbines would be visible from land, almost all who now oppose it, would be supporting the wind farm. And, I think that takes us to the Twilight Zone of reason.  

The Twilight Zone of reason prompts three predictions

So, in the spirit of the near occult, let me offer three predictions to the part-time residents with waterfront property, to their wealthy supporters from around the country and anyone else who follows their lead. 

1. The wind farm will not be a mechanical horror but instead a thing of grace, beauty and majesty.
2. Most of you will develop a sense of pride knowing that this achievement has sparked a national movement toward developing safe renewable energy, especially if you have the good fortune of seeing it from your deck.
3. Finally, most opponents and especially the politicians who vehemently oppose the wind farm, will do their very best to take credit for it.

Pat Polillo, Yarmouth Port, May 10, 2005.