2 anchors away

On the set, television news anchors are often referred to as "the talent." The implication is they are performers with more in common with show business people than news people. But the truth is, news anchors are a breed unto themselves, almost an American type. They must be self-assured enough to speak to millions of people, but folksy enough to talk as if they were leaning over a back fence. They must be polished and common at the same time, with an ability to read copy from the heart. They must deal with their own personal feelings, while trying to tap into and address the feelings of a state and nation.

Love them or loathe them, being a news anchor is not an easy gig. But Dick Nourse and Michelle King have done it as well as it can be done.

The delicate balance between professionalism and popularity in the news anchor world has played out nationally in recent years. Dan Rather was forced to step aside because his objectivity was called into question. Katie Couric has dealt with ratings woes because her seriousness and "gravity" became issues.

Navigating the mine field of the media takes a steady hand, a firm sense of oneself and an ability to make adjustments. Navigating that mine field for 43 years (Nourse) and 23 years (King) requires more than skill. It takes a sense of true vocation.

Some say Walter Cronkite was the best there ever has been. Perhaps. But Utah is now seeing its own two "Cronkites" step aside.

Utahns trusted Nourse and King — not just to tell them truth, but to be the voices of reason in troubled times. They could stir viewers up about a funding effort, or calm their fears during a crisis. They were, in the minds of viewers, the adults on the bridge, making sure the ship wasn't going down. Looking back at the past several decades, Utahns can remember dozens of monumental moments they first learned about from Nourse and King. The two of them learned to balance intimacy and perspective and learned to speak to the state in voices that never grew old but grew more welcome.

Good anchors will replace them.

But, as with most true treasures, each of them is one of a kind.