TUESDAY JANUARY 18 2022 at 730 pm via ZOOM
“From WNEB to Network TV” – a talk by Jim Laurie
Classmate Jim Laurie talked about his new book, a career in network news, and his lifelong passion for global travel.
Does anybody remember Worcester’s “HI-FI station” W-N-E-B?
In Spring 1964, Jim went on the radio reading the news. He was one of the worst newscasters in radio history.
The only person to be honest about his performance was the marvelously inspirational English teacher, Anna Shaughnessy (Classical High 1921 to 1966.) Taking the 16-year-old aside, she suggested he might want to work much harder – first on his writing – and develop his broadcast skills later.
Six years later, Jim was on the air again – this time from Vietnam and Cambodia. He plunged into war, developed his obsession with global adventure, and landed his first network job at NBC News.
Jim will talk about his early years in Asia – as detailed in his memoir “The Last Helicopter: Two Lives in Indochina” (2020). The book, available at Amazon.com, is a story of war, love and survival. TV broadcaster Ted Koppel describes it as “a love story on so many different levels… memories of a young war correspondent learning his craft and falling in love. Cambodia and Viet Nam are, first the backdrop and ultimately the essence of the story. A wonderful book.”
It was the beginning of an exciting career – later reporting from Beijing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Moscow, London, Sarajevo, Beirut, Belgrade, Berlin, Baghdad, Kabul, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Mogadishu and dozens of other datelines.
Jim showed video and sound from his earliest adventures. Hope you can join us!
Jerry Morse was the moderator for the evening, while Ben handled the technical issues.
Classical ’65 Zoom Committee
Rick Sandler – rick@insgrp.com
Ben Bachrach – benbachrach@gmail.com
Mike Backer – salitube@aol.com