A look behind-the-scenes of the inside of the 1985 newsroom hustling to make deadline.
NEW YORK, NY – March 21, 2024 – Commemorating the achievements of a New York television icon and celebrating his continuing service to viewers across the Tri-State region, NBC 4 New York/WNBC announced a week of tributes to mark the 50th Anniversary of broadcast journalist Chuck Scarborough’s work with NBC’s flagship local television station. Scarborough began his tenure with WNBC on March 25, 1974, anchoring the news from Studio 6B in 30 Rockefeller Center - the current home of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
“Chuck Scarborough is a giant in American journalism and the face of television news for generations of viewers, including me. He is also the longest serving television anchor in the largest, most prestigious television market in America – making his 50-year anniversary even more remarkable.” said Eric Lerner, President and General Manager of NBC 4 New York. “This is a milestone that may never be broken and a wonderful testament to Chuck’s life-long passion for storytelling, his commitment to journalistic excellence and the deep admiration he holds among all of us.”
“In a city defined by change, Chuck has been a constant force for truth and exceptional journalism,” said Amy Morris, Senior Vice President of News for NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47. “A half century after he walked into 30 Rock, he continues to lead by example, collaborating with the team and challenging everyone to make every newscast even better.”
Celebratory Highlights
In recognition of Scarborough’s golden anniversary, viewers can now visit nbcnewyork.com/chuck to access exclusive, archived video content from 1974 through the present. This includes video footage of Scarborough reporting aboard the now-retired Concorde jet, closing a 1980’s newscast while “Taxi Dancing” at the Ziegfield Ballroom and covering the region’s biggest stories from 30 Rock and in the field. Additionally:
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- On Monday, March 25 at 10 AM, Chuck Scarborough will join representatives from the Empire State Building and NBC 4 New York to “flip the switch” and light the Empire State Building in honor of his 50th anniversary. This special ceremony will be emceed by Scarborough’s 6 PM co-anchor Natalie Pasquarella. The ceremony will be streamed live on the station’s “NBC New York News” streaming channel, available on Peacock, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo Play, Amazon Fire, Google TV, Freevee, TCL and Local Now. Click here for a step-by-step guide to accessing the streaming channel. NOTE: Professional media interested in covering the event should contact the Empire State Building communications team directly. Space is limited.
- Starting March 25 at 4 PM, NBC 4 New York will begin airing one week of feature stories on “News 4 New York,” looking deeper at Scarborough’s biggest on-air moments and his ongoing work with the community. The broadcasts will also include televised vignettes featuring well-wishes to Scarborough, offered from prominent individuals.
- On Thursday, March 28 at 7 PM, WNBC will air a 30-minute special tribute to Scarborough on the station’s over-the-air and digital platforms. Hosted by WNBC News Anchor David Ushery, “Chuck Scarborough’s 50th Anniversary” will look back at memorable moments from Scarborough’s 50-year career at WNBC. The broadcast special will also include interviews with Scarborough’s colleagues from the past and present.
Biography of Chuck Scarborough
Emmy® Award-winning news veteran Chuck Scarborough has been reporting for the National Broadcasting Company since 1974. Over the years, he has led breaking news coverage locally and abroad. Scarborough has filed reports from Europe; Russia; the Middle East; the Philippines; Mexico and South America.
Chuck Scarborough's 50th Anniversary
A U.S. Air Force veteran, Scarborough began his television career as an anchor and operations manager at WLOX-TV in Biloxi, Mississippi. He was anchor/reporter for WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, Mississippi; WAGA-TV in Atlanta and WNAC-TV in Boston. He has earned 36 local Emmy® Awards and was honored by the New York Chapter of Television Arts & Sciences with their 2014 “Governor’s Award” as recognition of his long and distinguished career in journalism.
As a part of NBC 4 New York’s continuing coverage of Hurricane Sandy, Scarborough earned a National Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award. Scarborough’s anchoring was a key component of NBC 4 New York’s award-winning COVID-19 coverage, honored in January, 2021 with the prestigious Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for “creat(ing) a 360 view in real time of the coronavirus pandemic, with courageous and thorough reporting on the virus’s explosion in New York City.” The duPont has long been recognized as the broadcast, documentary and on-line equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize, also awarded by Columbia University.
Scarborough’s work has also earned awards from the Associated Press, New York Press Club; the Aviation and Space Writers; the Washington Review of Journalism’s Best in the Business; the Working Press Association; and the New York State Broadcasters Association. He has authored three novels, Stryker (1978), The Myrmidon Project (1980), and Aftershock (1991) and has authored articles for publication in New York Magazine, Boston Magazine, and American Home Magazine. A proficient aviator, Scarborough holds a commercial pilot’s license.
Scarborough lends his time and talent to support non-profit organizations that aid and support animal welfare, the environment, arts and education. A Phi Kappa Phi, Scarborough holds a Bachelor of Science degree Summa Cum Laude from the University of Southern Mississippi and an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Mercy College. He is married and has two children.
About NBC 4 New York / WNBC
NBC 4 New York / WNBC is the flagship station of the NBCUniversal Local division of NBCUniversal, serving the New York Tri-State area for more than 75 years and featuring Alfred I. duPont-Columbia, Edward R. Murrow and Emmy® Award-winning journalists who are among the most accomplished in their field. The station includes the NBC 4 I-Team, New York’s largest televised investigative reporting unit, Better Get Baquero which has recovered more than $10 million for Tri-State consumers and Storm Team 4, certified by WeatheRate for delivering the Tri-State’s most accurate local weather forecast using cutting-edge technology such as Storm Tracker 4, a high-frequency S-Band dual polarization fixed Doppler weather radar.
NBC 4 New York’s digital platforms are also among the most read and watched in the New York market and include the NBC 4 App, dedicated Peacock channel, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo Play, Amazon Fire, Google TV, Freevee, TCL and Local Now channels along with unique, out-of-home viewing in local taxis. For more information, visit nbcnewyork.com
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