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John Oates Inducted Into Temple University's School Of Media And Communication Hall Of Fame

By Jim Melwert

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Temple University's School of Media and Communication inducted five alumni into its Hall of Fame Friday including John Oates, part of the legendary rock duo Hall and Oates.

Temple Alumni Daryl Hall and John Oates recorded six platinum albums. Oates, a Journalism major, was honored with the Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Award, says it all began for him at Temple University, where and Hall became roommates, wrote a song together, then snuck in to the campus radio station, WRTI, to record it.

"And when Daryl and I finished making the tape and we listened to it, we said, 'We really suck' and 'Let's just be friends and see where that takes us,'" Oates said.

Obviously, the perseverance paid off as Hall and Oates remain the number one selling music duo in history, though Oates says he and Hall never set out to be stars, they just wanted to be good.

"I look at what Daryl and I have been able to achieve as a product of our hard work and our inspiration," he said.

Also inducting in Temple's SMC Hall of Fame: One-time KYW Newsradio editor Jerry Klein, sports reporter Claire Smith, reporter Larry Margasak, and news anchor Tracy Davidson. NBC News anchor and Philadelphia area native Brian Williams was honored with the Excellence in the Media award.

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