Curtis waxes nostalgic at times, admitting “I miss the life at Channel 5.... Unfortunately, not all stories on television have a happy ending.” But he is also harshly critical of what’s happened to his industry.
“It’s changed like the newspaper business has,” he says. “I was lucky enough to be here in the golden years. And anchors were important because people identified with them.” When Ed Ansin bought Channel 7 in 1993 and unveiled his preference for flashier graphics, crime coverage, and interchangeable anchors, “we were number one and we started imitating them,” Curtis adds in disbelief. “The consultants did more to ruin this business.” (In a famous 1998 Globe interview, Jacobson made major waves by declaring that “consultants are the worst things that have happened to television.”)
In January, one member of the old guard — 62-year-old Jack Williams — was resurrected to his old role as top male anchor at Channel 4 in an effort to lead that station out of the ratings doldrums.
“It’s encouraging for us older fellows,” says Curtis. “Let’s see what happens with Jack.”
“If their ratings start to climb,” he continues in a tone that sounds about 25 percent serious, 75 percent frivolous, Channel 5 is “liable to call me back.”
That’s a long shot. But even if he is out of the high-voltage Boston-ratings wars, Curtis is still in the midst of the nightly news fray.
After Cellucci exits the NECN set following his live interview, Curtis banters warmly with the guests — including Congressman Stephen Lynch — shuffling into the studio for Braude’s show on port security. When the red light comes back on, Curtis proudly promos the next night’s prized interview with the BSO’s Levine and ends his workday, signing off with the signature smooth tones that have soothed Boston viewers for nearly 40 years.
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On the Web:
Mark Jurkowitz's Media Log blog: http://www.thephoenix.com/medialog
New England Cable News: http://www.boston.com/news/necn/
Natalie Jacobson: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/natalie/index.html
