NYS Broadcasters Association to Welcome Dague into 2007 Hall of Fame

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Ed Dague

ALBANY, NY (05/30/2007)(readMedia)-- The New York State Broadcasters Association (NYSBA) today announced that former veteran WNYT television journalist Ed Dague has been named to NYSBA’s 2007 Hall of Fame.

The Stillwater resident joins five additional Hall of Fame-bound nominees from the NYC, Buffalo, Rochester/Syracuse and Long Island markets, as well as previous inductees, including Ernie Tetrault (WTRY and WRGB) and James Delmonico (former vice president and GM of WRGB-TV, WGY-AM, and WGY-FM) and Walter R. G. Baker (the “father of electronics” at GE). He will be inducted during gala banquet ceremonies at NYSBA’s 46th Executive Conference slated for June 25-26 at the picturesque Sagamore Resort Hotel in Bolton Landing.

“During more than three decades as a newsman in the Capital Region, Ed came to epitomize what local TV news should be,” said NYSBA President Joseph A. Reilly. “He was always fair, inquisitive and wanted as much information as possible for his viewers.”

Born in Buffalo, Dague came to the Capital Region to study electrical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1961. He started broadcasting to the Capital Region over WRPI as a freshman and in his senior year was hired by RPI to run WHAZ, a daytime-only, AM classical music station broadcasting from the top floor of the Russell Sage laboratory building.

That position, according to an article in the May 1987 edition of Rensselaer Alumni magazine entitled “Why Engineers Make the Best Journalists,” helped Dague gain invaluable expertise in all facets of broadcasting.

“You could not gain all that experience if you went to a journalism school. Who's going to let you on the air for hours on end?” said Dague. “I worked as program director, chief engineer, record librarian and janitor.”

In 1966, Dague was on the technical staff of WTEN while simultaneously working as a disc jockey at WOKO and later WPTR. In 1968, he returned to WOKO as news director and, while there, broke numerous stories, including one that prompted a State Commission on Investigation’s probe of the Albany Police Department.

In 1969, Dague joined the staff at WGY as the main radio news daytime anchor. The following year he was named assignment editor of WRGB and producer of the station’s 6 p.m. newscast. Under Dague’s direction, that newscast won several awards.

Dague began hosting the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon at WRGB in 1972. In 12 years, he helped raise more than $2 million and was awarded the prestigious Pat Weaver Award for a report he prepared on a M.D. victim.

In 1973, WRGB made Dague its weekend anchor and principal political reporter. He continued to report after moving up to anchor the station’s 6 and 11 p.m. weekday newscasts in 1976. In 1982, he was the only broadcast reporter to interview Albany Mayor Erastus Corning in his hospital room and, in 1983, was awarded the Associated Press Award for Excellence in Individual Reporting.

Dague left WRGB in July 1984 to become the managing editor and anchor for WNYT, where he spent the last 19 years of his career. During his time at Albany’s NBC affiliate, Dague became known for his intelligent reporting, sharp questioning and dry wit, helping propel the station to first place in the ratings. Dague retired in 2003 when a crippling and progressive form of arthritis forced him to accept disability.

“Ed was a vital part of the transformation of our newsroom into a fully professional operation,” said WNYT-13 General Manager Steve Baboulis. “When he came to WNYT, he gave us immediate credibility and improved our journalistic performance. Stronger ratings followed, and our news operation remained number one throughout his time with us and continues in that position to this day.”

For more information on NYSBA’s 46th Annual Executive Conference, call (518) 456-8888, or go to www.nysbroadcasters.org.

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Founded in 1955, the NYS Broadcasters Association (NYSBA) represents the interests of more than 600 television and radio stations in the NYS Senate and Assembly, the US Congress, and various other legislative bodies. NYSBA also offers a variety of services to help the broadcasters of New York State better serve their communities. For more information, call (518) 456-8888 or go to www.nysbroadcasters.org.

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