Mitchell Harding, L.A. radio fixture was 79

Mitch Harding co-created (with Mike Hodel in 1972) the long-running science fiction and writing show "Hour 25" on KPFK. Later at KCRW, he was the operations manager and afternoon voice of the fledgling station. His voice would be familiar to early listeners who remember "Newsstand," the show where he and station manager Ruth Hirschman (now Seymour) would read through the New York Times every day at noon. In the 1980s, it was difficult to get the NYT fresh in Los Angeles. Harding retired from KCRW in 1994 and died recently of natural causes.