A memoir of a pioneering NYC local TV news reporter, after the jump.
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With the recent death of Jimmy Breslin, focus was paid to the concept of the “city columnist” — who has their eye on the goings-on in town. Breslin did so for NYC, as Mike Royko did for Chicago and Herb Caen for San Francisco (among others).
Last month, Meteor Blades included in the mid-day news the death of a different type: the “city reporter”, who covers City Hall and/or the state capitol (depending upon the location).
Unless you grew-up in the New York metro area, you may never have seen Gabe Pressman in action … but his story may well remind you of someone you came to rely upon (either in your hometown or adopted city): who asked elected officials tough questions, yet in a fair-minded way that still managed to earn the respect of those in power — unlike the cable news blowhards of today.
Someone else who I believe fit that profile (in Rhode Island) was the late newspaper/TV reporter Jack White — who won a Pulitzer Prize for disclosing the tax issues that led President Nixon to infamously declare “I am not a crook” — and whose 2005 death led Ocean State politicians (of both political parties) to declare him as being the conscience of the state. Fittingly, the colorful Providence mayor Buddy Cianci said at a press conference that he learned about his impending indictment (and later conviction) on federal corruption charges not from his attorney, nor an inside source nor a government official …... but rather, "I heard it from Jack White."
I present this profile perhaps as a requiem to a time that may have passed … yet hoping that others still do (or will) follow in that tradition.
Born in the Bronx in 1924, Gabe Pressman was seemingly destined for journalism: issuing a “family newspaper”, then having a summer job as a newspaper cub reporter in the suburbs — yes, his last name does seem quite prophetic, huh?
He attended New York University, then enlisted in the Navy during WW-II, serving as a communications officer in the South Pacific. He returned in 1946 to finish his degree at NYU, then obtained a master’s in journalism at Columbia University the next year. Following graduation, Columbia gave him a fellowship in Europe, where he wrote stories for various publications. He reported on the increasing Soviet incursions into East Berlin, and covered the 1949 “show trial” of Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty (convicted of treason for opposing Stalinist repression in Hungary) and his work was cited on Edward R. Murrow’s CBS radio programs.
Using equipment of-the-dayReturning home, he began as a newspaper reporter from 1949-1954, then moved to radio (becoming its first roving reporter), then moved to the NBC local TV affiliate in 1956 — thus having a six-decade long career as a local TV reporter. And there he stayed — as his being a rumpled, corduroy suit/trench coat-wearing non-photogenic reporter, there was little chance of him being promoted to the NBC national network, especially after the blow-dried generation of the 1970’s arrived.
Truman/NYC mayor WagnerYet he became a local icon — with many believing that he was the first roving TV reporter in the 1950’s, holding a microphone up to not only elected officials, but also dignitaries and celebrities. One of his first big stories (which he recounted in a recent Facebook posting) was obtaining a plane ride seat to cover the sinking cruise ship Andrea Doria in 1956. He did his own reporting, bringing a camera/sound crew with him. Among those he covered (and often spoke to, possibly even interviewing) were the Beatles arriving in 1964, Fidel Castro, Golda Meir, Malcolm X, Eleanor Roosevelt, Marilyn Monroe, the 1969 Woodstock festival, Robert Kennedy…. and this gent.
With a new US Army recruitDuring a local newspaper strike in 1963, he and his colleague Bill Ryan began broadcasting the Pressman-Ryan Report— which included analyses of The Beatles impact on popular music — and which ultimately helped to popularize the local TV news broadcast.
At hospital w/Martin Luther KingIn addition to personalities, he also covered street news: fires, riots, electricity blackouts, housing violations and workers fighting for pensions (not all of which made made for sensationalist news reporting). And to both the elected officials, celebrities and the general public alike, he was known simply as “Gabe” — if you heard just his first name mentioned in any sort of news story, New Yorkers did not need any explanation of who Gabe was.
In time, he began to spend more time in-studio, hosting weekly discussions with elected officials and reporters, moderating debates (from Hillary Clinton vs. Rick Lazio in 2000 to former NJ governor Jon Corzine). I still remember Gabe giving a very prescient commentary that the press coverage of Gary Hart’s downfall would degrade the quality of journalism (when many members of the press were self-congratulatory).
With then-First Lady Hillary ClintonWhile he slowed-down his schedule as he aged — becoming the NBC affiliate’s “special correspondent” — he did cover news as much as his arthritic knee would allow and wrote some illuminating Facebook and Twitter postings (about old stories and new ones). He was a past president of the NY Press Club and fought for the rights of journalists, including the new online media — and cited Rudy Giuliani for trying to restrict press freedom, saying his administration “had some of the characteristics of a police state”.
w/President Barack ObamaAnd when I visit family in the NY metro area each Christmas, I always would tune-in to the 11 o’clock news … because each year he would have a (condensed) recounting of the famous 1897 letter-to-the-editor by an eight year-old Virginia O’Hanlon that led to the most famous newspaper editorial in American history: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” — which I dedicated a previous Top Comments diary to. Gabe Pressman did so every year (a new taping, not a re-tread) because he felt this story was (to New York) what “A Christmas Carol” was to London, England.
In more recent yearsGabe Pressman died in his sleep last month at the age of 93 — the last time he appeared on-camera was covering this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Manhattan (as he quite often did).
He won eleven Emmy awards, plus George Polk, Peabody and Edward R. Morrow awards — often not for blockbuster stories, but instead ones about homelessness. My youngest sister does freelance graphics work for NBC, and told me of seeing him in the hallways from time-to-time. She has a network friend who said, “He knew me (only enough) to say hi — but was a sweet man, very smart and knew everyone”.
Meanwhile, there are many people whose names you do recognize who knew him better …. and took to Twitter to say so (including conservative John Podhoretz):
xRIP Gabe Pressman. What a career as a local newsman.
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) June 23, 2017 xA true loss: relentless 60-year NYC reporter Gabe Pressman dead, 93. I interned in his newsroom, he was great to all https://t.co/7Xqrxlswgg
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) June 23, 2017 xJoining my friends at WNBC in NY in mourning loss of Gabe Pressman. Broadcast news pioneer and role model to generations of news people.
— Lester Holt (@LesterHoltNBC) June 23, 2017 xGabe Pressman was a New York City treasure. He was a mentor to countless reporters doing vital work today. He'll be deeply missed. pic.twitter.com/zUVzOupXfb
— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) June 23, 2017 xGabe Pressman was relentlessly fair and trustworthy and knew politics like no one else. He was pretty good with a stopwatch too. RIP. pic.twitter.com/kGoQQjTcsG
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) June 23, 2017Let’s close with a Jorma Kaukonen song …. that seems quite apropos for a journalist I had much respect for. I hope you have/or had someone like that in your hometown.
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Now, on to Top Comments:
From Otteray Scribe:
In the front-page story about the Trumpster’s dreaming-up the transgender military ban all by-his-lonesome: the entire thread is full of great comments: gaspare opens the discussion with a softball across the plate, then Buster40004 hits it out-of-the-park with a coffee spew all over the monitor reply.From FellowTraveler:
In the front-page story about the “unity” that Anthony Scaramucci brings to the Administration communications team — greenbird asks, "What have we ever done to deserve this regime?” It's a great question which hasn't been asked much, and a perfectly sensible answer to it was given by NonpassiveVoice.From MikeTheLiberal:
From the front page diary on Kellyanne Conway "defending" Scaramucci ... this comment by Billy Wenzel was well written, but nothing was as elegant as this response from The Marti.Highlighted by triplepoint:
In the front-page story about the administration threatening retaliation against the state of Alaska in order to punish Lisa Murkowski — Vega offers us a Top Comment.
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In the diary by Leslie Salzillo about the North Dakota woman who lost her job due to her going on a racist tirade (threatening three Muslim women in a Walmart parking lot) — UpstateNYawker likens her to another public figure in terms of future employment.