Patricia Gates Lynch Ewell — known to international listeners as Pat Gates — was one of the most recognizable English-language broadcasters of the Voice of America (VOA), the U.S. government-funded international broadcaster. A gifted interviewer and warm on-air presence, she became closely identified with The Breakfast Show, VOA’s flagship English-language morning program for audiences in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
While Willis Conover’s VOA jazz programs achieved legendary status — especially in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union during periods when jazz was restricted on state radio — Pat Gates may have had even larger regular audiences among English-speaking listeners worldwide. Conover’s various foreign-language adaptations likely made him the single most-heard VOA personality overall, but in English-language programming, The Breakfast Show under Pat Gates and her co-hosts was among VOA’s most popular offerings.
Pat Gates’ interviews with leading American political, cultural, and public figures were sometimes translated and rebroadcast by VOA’s foreign-language services.
Her famous sign-off at the end of each Breakfast Show was:
If you meet someone without a smile, give him one of yours.
In 1969, she took a leave of absence from VOA to serve as a press aide to First Lady Pat Nixon. President Ronald Reagan nominated her to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar and the Comoros (1986–1989). After completing her diplomatic service, she became Director of Corporate Affairs for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
Pat Gates died in 2011. (See her obituary in The Washington Post.
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A photo from the Voice of America 1980-1981 Program Guide shows Pat Gates with her VOA Breakfast Show co-hosts, Phil Irwin and Alan Silverman.
The New Breakfast Show (1980–1981)
A photo from the Voice of America 1980-1981 Program Guide shows Pat Gates with her VOA Breakfast Show co-hosts, Phil Irwin and Alan Silverman.
The program guide enthusiastically introduced the revised format:
The Voice Of America takes pleasure in announcing the NEW Breakfast Show! A new sound, a new feel, a new immediacy, BUT WITH THE SAME OLD FRIENDS! Changing with the times, the Breakfast Show has adopted a format to enable us to bring our growing and increasingly important morning audience even closer to the latest developments. Interviews by Phil, Pat and Alan will be about TODAY’S issues with TODAY’S people, about significant trends in American life. Then, on the alternate hour, catch the Breakfast Show’s new companion. It’s called Daybreak and it is a full hour of in-depth coverage of the news, sports and cultural events. Check your schedule for time and frequency for the New Breakfast Show, TODAY’S BREAKFAST SHOW, and for its new companion, DAYBREAK.
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VOA News Operations in 1980
In 1980, the Voice of America emphasized rapid news updates and strict adherence to the VOA Charter.
A deadline every half-hour—in one or more of VOA’s thirty-nine language broadcasts. The senior editor keeps watch on a news operation that never sleeps, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Correspondents stationed around the world bring eyewitness accounts, while the VOA news staff, supported by the largest array of wire services and news agencies avail- able, checks and double-checks to make sure that VOA news is “accurate, objective, and comprehensive.
The Charter language was mandated by Public Law 94-350 (1976), which formally codified VOA’s journalistic principles.
In 1980, VOA’s parent agency was briefly renamed the United States International Communication Agency (USICA), replacing the long-standing United States Information Agency (USIA). The USIA name was later restored. In 1999, USIA was dissolved, and VOA was placed under the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). In 2018, the BBG was renamed the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
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Weekend and Feature Programming (1980–1981)
Weekend
On Saturday nights, VOA broadcast a 60-minute program titled Weekend, reflecting the slower pace of American life on weekends. The program combined contemporary American music, news summaries, and commentary from VOA correspondents worldwide.
Walter Guthrie, described as critic-at-large, offered commentary on American life — sometimes humorous, sometimes provocative. News Editor Elaine Johansen contributed discussions with correspondents from Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
New Products USA (Sundays)
Reports on American consumer and industrial products entering international markets.
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Concert Hall (Sundays)
Concert music from all periods, featuring leading American artists and orchestras, often accompanied by interviews with performers and conductors.
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The Magazine Show
Heard five evenings a week, The Magazine Show explored science, the arts, education, religion, agriculture, medicine, and American social life. The program combined interviews, personality profiles, and topical features. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, it answered listener-submitted questions about the United States.
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Special English
Special English news broadcasts presented major world events at a slower pace, using simplified vocabulary to make shortwave English-language listening easier for international audiences. Science and technology reports explained developments in agriculture, medicine, chemistry, and other fields affecting daily life.
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Rotating Feature Segments
Following the news, weekday features included:
• People in America
• The Making of a Nation
• Space and Man
• The Living Earth
• American Short Stories
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This 1980–1981 program schedule reflects a period when the Voice of America combined hard news, cultural diplomacy, and educational programming in a format designed for global shortwave audiences — just before the technological transformation of international broadcasting brought by satellite television and, later, the Internet.
I am most grateful to Alan Silverman for his Special English in the 1980s.
God bless him.
Congratulations on celebrating 50 years!
When in Bombay in the 70’s I had the opportunity to meet Mr Phil Irwin & Ms Pat Gates during their visit to India
I was a great admirer & tried to listen to the VOA Breakfast show between 0700 & 0830 even when on a posting to Delhi later.
In 1978 I moved to Germany & was on postings to Penang & to Sydney. Somehow that was the end of my relationship with VOA
Always remembered the sayings at the end of the shows
Been a few years now & wonder where the two hosts are & would like to convey my best regards
VOA BREAKFAST SHOW, JAZZ HOUR HAVE BEEN MY ALL TIME FAVORITE RADIO PROGRAMMES.
In 1982, I visited VOA in Washington DC. Pat Gates conducted me around. Met Phil Irwin. My most memorable moment was to meet the Legend Willis Conover. He was delighted to know that I listened to Jazz Hour every night. I took photos with Pat Gates and Phil Irwin. Willis Conover gave his autographed photo. I met Willis Conover in India when he came to host Jazz Yatra. Even today I listen to his broadcast on Youtube. I send New Year Greetings to Phil at his home in Virginia. Hope one day I can meet at his B&B Resort.