Bill Beutel died the other day.
I last spoke with him about six months ago when I borrowed his tape of a documentary he and I did in Vietnam in 1965. His conversation showed signs of dementia but his sweet nature came through nevertheless.
Bill was associated with Eyewitness News, the showy brand of information that WABC-TV, New York perfected in the 70s, and in which he was the straight anchor around whom the entertainment danced..
But we met earlier, in 1962, when WABC-TV created its first local news shop and programming. And for four years – I left in 1966 – we covered important news and sought to convey useful information.
In retrospect, our programs must have been dull. But as I regret losing Bill – a gentleman amongst ruffians - I cannot help but feel sorry, too, for today’s viewers of what purports to be TV news.
They get the police blotter (illustrated).
And they don’t know what else they might be getting.