John Daly

John Daly is the first television news reporter I remember. Other than his mellifluous voice, there was nothing spectacular about his presentation of the world’s events. This was long before flashy electronic screens, teleprompters, op-eds, and the need for television companies to convince viewers that their reporting was “fair and unbiased.”

Mr. Daly sat behind a plain desk holding a sheaf of papers which he glanced at from time to time. I still see him in black and white framed in the box of our RCA television. He emanated believability. I trusted him to tell me the truth about what was going on in a world I had just become aware of. He never expressed outrage. I don’t even remember surprise crossing his face.

My memory of John Daly set a standard for all the future news broadcasts I would see. Like a first love or a first kiss, nothing has matched it since.

In fact, watching a news broadcast today is akin to being emotionally assaulted. That’s why I’m swearing off “in-depth” news.