Mister News

Much have I seen and known; cities of men

And manners, climates, councils, governments,

Myself not least, but honour'd of them all;

And drunk delight of battle with my peers,

Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy. 

I am a part of all that I have met;

- Ulysses  by Alfred, Lord Tennysonpro

How fortunate I have been to have met and known so many truly remarkable people!  Many of them go way back to....oh....the first grade or so.  Maybe earlier.  And of course, the many truly outstanding students of those incomparable Central High School years 1951 through 1954! Anyway, what reminded me of that is the fact that today, February 2, is groundhog day and an especially good friend, and important influence in my life, Julian Barber, broadcast a feature on one of his Washington newscasts in the 1960's that "bounces off" the Ground Hog Day theme.  

Julian Barber (L) 1953 and Tina

I first met Julian in 1952 when he came to WGIV as its first "NewsDirector."   He had just returned from active duty in the Korean War and the station he had worked for before he was drafted, WAYS, refused to hire him back.  But WGIV did.  And our boss, Francis M. Fitzgerald gave him the title of "Mister News."

No one ever called him that, but indeed it's what he became in later years in Washington and Chicago. For many years, his TV newscasts were almost always rated number one!


Rest in Peace, old friend.

-Ed