Remembering John Henning

John Henning died in July. I saw the notice on line then -- but I was in Prague, loaded with work. No time for anything except a shocked "oh no!".

But tonight I was leafing through the latest AFTRA Magazine - which mercifully still comes in print form so you can actually "leaf" through it as you eat dinner. (iPhone screens don't take kindly to greasy fingerprints). I saw the tribute to John -- and I wanted to add my own. It is never too late for memories.

John Henning was a towering presence on the TV news scene in Boston - where for many years he was both an anchor and a top political reporter. For decades everyone in Boston knew his name. He was everything someone famous should be. Personable, smart, knowledgeable and - oh yes - an old fashioned gentleman and all around good guy.

For years I just watched him on my mother's old TV. But then one day - I became a network correspondent. Covering presidential political campaigns. Since TV stations were flush with cash in those days, local news departments usually sent their crack political reporter and a crew to travel with each of the candidates during the last crazy week before the November election.

So one day there he was with his crew -- spending a day with us -- the "veterans" who had been on the campaign trail for months. His station was affiliated with my network. He asked me to fill him in. I - who had worshipfully watched this man for years in my hometown - was now helping him! OMG!

We met one more time. I was "parachuted" into Boston for a story and had to get up to speed fast. There was John Henning -- with all the information I could possibly want.

When a network news star dies -- it makes headlines everywhere. But when John Henning died this summer at age 73 - from leukemia - it was only a big story in Boston - where he was still working as an analyst for WBZ.

Too bad the whole country didn't know about it. Because in a media world where true newspeople are becoming an endangered species -- John Henning leaves a big hole. As much for his decency as for his news acumen.

The Boston Local of AFTRA has established a broadcast scholarship in his name.