NBC 4 New York/WNBC has named David Ushery as the new co-anchor of “News 4 New York at 6 p.m.,” starting on Monday, December 16. Ushery succeeds legendary journalist Chuck Scarborough at the 6 p.m. news desk; a role Scarborough held for more than 50 years and will relinquish on Thursday, December 12. Ushery will continue in his current role as co-anchor of the NBC’s flagship station’s 4 PM and 11 PM newscasts alongside Natalie Pasquarella, who he will also join at 6 p.m.
“David is the real thing. He is an excellent writer, a terrific reporter and an outstanding anchor who is at his best when news is breaking and there is no script. He is also committed to helping others and regularly spends time in our communities across the Tri-State,” said Eric Lerner, President and General Manager. “David is the perfect choice for our 6 p.m. newscast and will continue WNBC’s tradition of excellence”.
One of the most accomplished broadcast journalists in the Tri-State region, Ushery was chosen by his NBC 4 New York news colleagues to accept the prestigious Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award in 2021, recognizing the station’s coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak across the Tri-State area. A mainstay at the 30 Rock anchor desk throughout the pandemic, Ushery’s decision to appear in-studio reflected a personal commitment to offering viewers a sense of visual familiarity during a very unfamiliar time. The duPont has long been recognized as the broadcast, documentary and on-line equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize, also awarded by Columbia University.
“For more than 20 years, covering everything from tragedies to triumphs, David has proven he can do it all,” said Amy Morris, Senior Vice President of News for NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47. “Ush, as he’s known in the newsroom, is an innovative journalist who connects with audiences on any platform. He’s a critical talent as ‘News 4 New York’ continues to evolve and build for the future.”
Ushery is a member of the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Silver Circle for the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York Chapter. In addition to the Columbia-duPont award, Ushery has been honored with two National Edward R. Murrow Awards for WNBC’s October 2012 coverage of Superstorm Sandy and December 2019 coverage of the deadly Jersey City shootout. His work on Superstorm Sandy was also recognized with a National Emmy® Award.
“In a time when the media industry is evolving on a near-daily basis, our responsibility as local journalists will never change: to verify the facts, to ask the tough questions and to deliver the news in a clear, honest and transparent manner worthy of our viewers trust,” said David Ushery. “That is exactly what we do at WNBC and for more than 20 years, I have been privileged to work alongside some of the finest journalists in our business right here at 30 Rock. I look forward to continuing this important mission every weeknight at 6 PM with my colleagues and friends Natalie Pasquarella, Janice Huff and Bruce Beck.”
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Biography of David Ushery
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David Ushery has offered WNBC viewers a front row seat to the biggest news stories of the day for more than 20 years. He has travelled around the world to report live from site of terror attacks in Paris and Manchester, England, the front lines in Gaza and the West Bank and the opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem. He has also made multiple visits to St. Peter’s Square in Rome where he covered the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the 2013 papal conclave electing Pope Francis and the canonizations of Pope Saint John Paul II and Pope Saint John XXIII. He has also moderated televised debates for New York City Mayor, New York City Comptroller and New York State Governor.
Throughout the pandemic and periods of civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd, Ushery was a daily presence in WNBC’s 30 Rock studios, delivering the latest information to viewers while frequently transitioning to daily press conferences hosted by federal, state and local officials. He also took a closer look at the relationships between law enforcement and communities of color during this time, which included exclusive interviews with top NYPD brass. Following the death of Civil Rights icon John Lewis, Ushery secured an exclusive interview with long-time friend and former Congressional colleague Charles Rangel, who described marching alongside Lewis from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL and offered personal insights on their shared work that spanned more than half a century.
Passionate about service and helping those in need, Ushery has brought attention to the sacrifice and unique challenges facing local first responders. He has investigated the high rates of suicide among firefighters and placed an important spotlight on the emotional struggles faced throughout their lifetimes. He won a New York Emmy® for his 2019 profile on 9/11 responder Michael Dorian, who was diagnosed with cancer following his service and later fought a challenging battle to secure the health benefits due to him under the law. Later that year, he conducted one of the last televised interviews with the late NYPD Detective Luis Alvarez, who helped lead the grassroots campaign which resulted in renewal of the federal Victim’s Compensation Fund. Ushery’s work with the first responder community was highlighted in Spike Lee’s 2022 documentary “NYC Epicenters 9/11→2021½”
Following the big story across the Tri-State and throughout the country, Ushery reported from Houston following the death of former President George H.W. Bush, from Orlando following the deadly Pulse nightclub shooting and the White House for the transition between the outgoing Obama and incoming Trump teams. He covered Pope Francis’ 2015 visit to Washington D.C. and New York City live from the parade routes. Ushery also delivered live coverage following the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting and the miraculous 2009 landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River. He joined the station in 2003 following a decade at WABC-TV, where he rose from reporter to anchor.
Ushery is the recipient of three honorary degrees, earning honors from St. John’s University (2014), St. Francis College (2018) and Fordham University (2019). He is actively involved with both the New York Urban League and the Archdiocese of New York, and received numerous awards for community service, including from the Nubian Cultural Center, Consulate of Israel and Public Relations Society of America. He has received the McDonald’s Black Media Legends: Faces of Black History Award and the National Association of Black Journalists Award for his series of reports on children and violence. Ushery has also been named “40 under 40” from Network Journal and Black Professionals Business Magazine.
A Hartford-area native, Ushery graduated from the University of Connecticut and began his broadcast career at WFSB-TV, where he worked as the lead evening reporter. He also reported for the Hartford Courant and the Los Angeles Times. Ushery was 11 years old when he was selected from a search to host the Connecticut edition of “Kidsworld”, a nationally syndicated television show. One of his first interviews was with news icon Walter Cronkite, considered one of the most trusted men in America at the time. Ushery hosted "Kidsworld" until he was eighteen.
