New Nourse series starts in January on KSL-TV

KSL-TV announced that the new "Dick Nourse Visits…" series, in which former news anchor Dick Nourse will visit parts of the state to tell unique stories of people he discovers, will air Sundays at 4 p.m. starting Jan. 24.

"In these troubled times, it is important to provide a positive and optimistic message … something to give people hope that they can overcome their problems," Nourse said in a statement. He plans to feature uplifting stories of "regular folks leading interesting lives."

As an independent producer of the series, Nourse said he's excited about the opportunity to "pick and choose" which stories he wants to tell.

"I can give the people I visit the time to tell their stories in their own way," he said.

After 43 years with KSL-TV, Nourse said he retired to pursue his own interests, particularly those of a "different kind of family entertainment." He quickly shot the first three episodes in Kanab and Kane County, locations he feels hold a lot of history and notoriety for the state. One episode, called "Utah Heritage," focuses on stories about the old days and the old ways of the early settlers and their descendants. The people Nourse interviewed had parents and grandparents who were among the first to settle Utah's south-central region.

"There is a wealth of personal memories and wonderful untold stories warehoused in the minds of our senior citizens about how life was really lived a century or more ago," said Nourse, adding that the histories might also hold national and international interest and help to showcase Utah to the rest of the country and world.

"Many still believe that other than a few ski resorts, Utah is a barren and hostile desert wilderness. I want to be able to reveal the beauty of the entire state and its rich tapestry of history and culture," he said. "I hope that my series can help us show the world that Utah is a wonderful place to visit, live, start businesses and have a family."

Nourse recently inaugurated the Dick Nourse Center for Media Innovation at Dixie State College, hoping for it to become a "powerhouse of innovative communications training for students from all over."

e-mail: wleonard@desnews.com