I have a great rejection letter from the absolutely terrific L.A. broadcasting legend John Babcock in my home files.

John had taken the time to write a long and wonderful note about how I should "never give up" and all that stuff as he penned this note explaining that there were no openings for me at KABC-TV in Los Angeles after I had applied there for a job. I was working at another TV station in town, but really wanted to work for a better outfit, and John would have been my boss. He made the rejection sound so fatherly that it was almost as if he knew me. Of course, since he continually called me "David" in the letter, I was continually reminded that he didn't. (My favorite part was his line: "Always remember, you are David Carlin!")

But I would eventually get that job, and get to work side-by-side with a guy that still defies my ability to describe him. Here's a snippet from a website where his achievements are recounted:

Babcock, John: KDAY, 1955-57; KFWB, 1957-59; KMPC, 1959-61; KLAC, 1961-63; KABC, 1963-73. In 1970 Don Page of the LA Times named John newscaster of the year saying: "John Babcock is one of radio's premier commentators and a leading documentarian." John was born the day of the 1933 earthquake and started life as an orphan. He was shuffled between foster homes until he was adopted by the Babcock family. While he was in his delinquent teen years, John was sentenced to two years in the Boys Republic of Chino. Many years later, he became the president of Chino's Board of Directors. "I am the first ex-student to be elected president of this risk school." After graduating from the University of Texas, John started out in the newspaper business and WOAI-San Antonio. He came to the Southland and started with KDAY. For part of his stay with KABC news he hosted a morning talk show. John was the California press director for Vice President Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and 1972. In 1973 John joined KABC television as a writer/producer and eventually went into news management. "When I was at Channel 7's news assignment desk I could get the reporters to do four stories a day. Then it was 3, then 2 and now they think they're doing a favor by covering one story." John retired in 1995 and was active writing and running the Boys school. His wife of 17 years is principal of the Dubonoff School for "kids at risk." Their daughter attends the Peabody Music Conservatory in Baltimore. John died February 1, 1997, at the age of 63. Former KFWB newsman Al Wiman said unequivocally that John "was the best news person EVER!"

Well, he was the best news person that I ever worked closely with, to be sure. And yes, he has passed away now. He sprang to my mind after I just posted an old picture of myself on our facebook site. It's from me back in my days of working with John, and a bunch of memories came flooding back. And also, with them, a bit of anger that people like John are not as remembered as their achievements warrant. What's so sad about that is that so many really talented people (who would have been remembered forever had their work been cast in the "digital stone" that is the Internet) are getting swallowed up by anonymity. This is, of course, the fate of more than 99% of all the people who have ever lived, so it isn't abnormal. But it seems a shame that such good talents are as unknown now as they have become (and people who couldn't carry their jockstraps will be remembered forever because of the historical good luck of being born in the current era).

When I knew John, he was a dinosaur in the business. KABC "Eyewitness News" was on top of the ratings in the late 1980s/early 1990s and John was decidedly "Old School" for such a hip (and yes, Hollywood) operation. They really didn't know what to do with him. He was a leftover legend there.

The station still let him produce his multi-part "mini-docs" and being his right hand man at doing that became my job. The subjects chosen for these documentary pieces were usually history-related (and you can see the stuff I learned doing this...or hear it rather...in every HH podcast we do. Thanks again John...). In addition, John taught me journalism (so did a bunch of other people that I have never gone back and properly thanked, but who deserve my everlasting gratitude. Paul Dandridge, Linda Breakstone, Mark Brown, Jim Hattendorf, Becky Martinez, Mike Merle, Jeff Michaels, Art Rascon, and Dan Spice to name but a few. Oh how much we all owe to people who never get thanked for the help...). John learned the journalistic trade the old fashioned way, and his experience dripped like honey on anyone who was willing to absorb it. As he got older he seemed more and more to WANT to pass along stuff to we young 20-somethings.

Famous John stories: He was in the motorcade in Dallas (last car, if I remember) when Kennedy was shot. He didn't see anything because the view from his location was terrible. He was one of the first ones to Parkland hospital since he used to work in that local media and knew the area well. He also spoke to Jack Ruby a couple of minutes before Ruby shot Oswald, and watched the whole thing go down. ("What are you doing here Jack?" was what John said to him when he saw him a few minutes before the shooting). He covered the Manson trials and Manson fell in love with the guy. John had letters from Manson framed on his wall (yeah...we news people are kooks...). He had GREAT Manson stories...

Even his youth was full of great stories. After getting caught stealing a car, John was put in a youth facility. His bunkmate was Steve McQueen (the two stayed friends, and both helped to give back to that facility after reaching adulthood).

Just watching the way John processed the info about a current situation was like a lesson in reporting. The questions that came to his mind that he wanted answered (I use the same sort of questions in many a CS episode), the way he quickly determined what was important, and who was involved is like a lost art these days in news reporting. It was like watching a detective. We lovingly called him "Babo" but he was more like a pit bull muckraker with a crusading mentality and a strong sense of justice. I just can't think of anyone even remotely like him in the current American mainstream media.

But at the end it was sad. Sad and wrong. John was slowly eased out of his position and encouraged to retire (poor health made that decision easier). What was so sad and wrong wasn't this fact, but the fact that the reason he wasn't a valuable asset to the news station anymore was that there was no place in the modern TV news business for a real, old-fashioned newsman (sorry ladies...but that's what they were called back in his day).

I keep thinking of what would happen if you could cosmically resurrect the great journalists of old, give them an Internet station where they could work together as a news team, and see what they could crank out. If they did this, John wouldn't have been one of their "lead anchors". A Murrow, or Cronkite or Mencken would likely field that spot. But John Babcock would be on that elite staff. And given the way he was even as an old man, he would be kicking some ass. The reporters of old were much more enterprising and investigative people than those who have today inherited that mantle. This devaluation in the quality of the Fourth Estate (both the individual journalist and the news outlets that employ them) could go a long way explaining how we got to our current state of affairs both in the USA and globally.

We all miss John Babcock now (whether you knew him or not).