David Ushery Will Co-Anchor Two of WNBC’s Most Important Newscasts

David Ushery, a veteran of WNBC who has worked as an anchor on the station’s news programs for years, has been given a new role – co-anchoring at 4 p.m. and the economically critical 11 p.m. newscast.

He replaces Stefan Holt, who is returning to WMAQ, the company’s owned-and-operated affiliate in Chicago. Ushery will join Natalie Pasquarella, who has been co-anchoring at 11 p.m. since 2016.

“David is a talented, experienced journalist who takes a thoughtful approach to every story he covers. As an anchor, he’s an incredible newsroom leader who cares about the entire team,” said Amy Morris, vice president of news for NBC 4 New York, in a prepared statement. “I’m delighted that David is taking on this new role.” Ushery had previously been stationed as a co-anchor at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The New York late-news post can be an important milestone for any TV journalist. While the station is not considered part of the national newsgathering efforts of NBCUniversal, the work done there often has broader implications and the late newscast i- usually the final word of the day in any local station’s programming cycle – is, in a major market, a critical role. Other WNBC anchors, including Sue Simmons, who left the station in 2012, and Chuck Scarborough, who continues to co-anchor WNBC’s 6 p.m. slot, made careers by working the late-news shift.

Ushery, who has been with WNBC for 17 years, graduated from the University of Connecticut and began his broadcast career at WFSB,  where he worked as the lead evening reporter.  He also reported for the Hartford Courant and the Los Angeles Times.  He gained early exposure to the business as an 11-year-old ,when was 11 years old when he was selected from a search to host the Connecticut edition of “Kidsworld”, a nationally syndicated television show. One of his first interviews was with news Walter Cronkite. Ushery hosted “Kidsworld” until he was 18.