For 43 years, he has been a local icon, coming into our homes on a nightly basis to help define the structure of our world. He has been there for the joys and the sorrows, for the catastrophes, the mileposts and the blessed events. He has probed the human psyche and recorded the human condition.
That era will come to an end on Nov. 28 when KSL newsman Dick Nourse steps away from the anchor's desk. It will not be a retirement in the strictest sense, as he will continue to work at the station in a senior capacity, said news director Con Psarras, producing documentaries and other in-depth news stories, perhaps doing some voice work and training.
News of the pending change was announced to the KSL staff Friday afternoon.
Nourse was hired by KSL on March 1, 1964, as a weekend newscaster. Eight months later the weeknight newscaster left the station, and Nourse took over. He's been there ever since.
"It's hard to say with complete confidence that he is the longest-serving newscaster in the country, but we believe he is," Psarras said. "His longevity certainly speaks for itself. He's always been a genuine guy, committed to his profession and committed to serving his audience. That audience has rewarded him with its trust."
The secret of Nourse's success, says Psarras, "is that he always respected his audience, and his audience understood that."
Leaving the news anchor job was a hard decision, said Nourse, in a telephone interview from his Avenues condo. "I'm 67, so naturally you start thinking about it. But KSL was not in any hurry for me to leave. And the people have been so great — both at the station and the viewers — that it's hard to go. But I'm looking forward to having more time off. We have a home in St. George now. We want to do some traveling. Our son, Dayne, is now 10. He's had a lot of surgeries, and I want to spend more time with him."
Dayne has a brittle bone disease that has posed challenges for the family. Nourse also lost a daughter last April. "I thought at that time that life is too short. I need to do these other things. I think I always knew that, but the job kept me going."
Professionally, Nourse has had an outstanding career, but he also talks freely about the other side. "In my personal life, I've struggled." He's been through failed marriages, bouts with cancer, family turmoil. "But I always found therapy at work. I'd get on the air, and I knew I had a job to do. That's one thing my dad pounded into me: If you say you'll do something, you had better do it."
Broadcasting can be a fickle industry. "People tend to bounce around a lot. I had other opportunities elsewhere. But I don't regret spending my whole career here. The audience here has been so great. They've seen me through everything with e-mails and cards and letters. I don't think you'd find that in other places."
In looking back at his career, he said there have been so many stories it is hard to single out specific ones. "The Olympics were great. They came off so well. But I'd have to say one of the highlights was when I went to Vietnam in 1967." He was on assignment to track down Utah soldiers, and it was "a very emotional experience."
Nourse believes strongly "that people have a right to know what is going on in the state, in the nation, even if someone's house burns down in the neighborhood. They also have a right to know how well they are represented."
So, Nourse has always loved and respected work in news. "But I also love telling the story. I feel deeply for people. By and large news is the tragic things, but I love good news. I love to look for good stories. I'm excited now that I will have a chance to do more of that. There are still a million stories to tell."
E-mail: carma@desnews.com