Joe Schlesinger, a former CBC News executive producer and correspondent, fondly remembered Knowlton Nash on Sunday by calling him his 'professional twin,' a day after the decade-long host of CBC's The National died at age 86.
'Knowlton and I were the same age. Both of us were foreign correspondents who covered conflicts the world over and both of us became CBC managers and program hosts,' Schlesinger, 86, said.
'Journalism was a very different business when we started. Then television came along and everything changed. Knowlton made the switch several years before I did and he became a role model for me.'
Schlesinger said Nash's best quality was his ability to be natural and humble.
'You need patience. It's something I lacked and had to learn from him,' he said. 'One of the things that changed about The National was that the evening news used to be read by announcers who didn't necessarily know what the story was about.
'It paid for someone like Knowlton, who had been there and knew similar situations, so he could more or less figure out what it was all about - and change it if necessary.' Of Nash's legacy, Schlesinger said it came down to improving The National, improving and reshaping the CBC - and being humble about it. 'He wasn't that kind of top-down guy who just set rules. He would listen. It takes empathy to listen to all sorts of opinions even if you think they're not exactly what's needed. He will be missed.'
We've lost a very special journalist tonight .. Knowlton Nash has passed away at the age of 86. A great friend and a mentor to so many.- Peter Mansbridge (@petermansbridge) May 25, 2014
Thank you Knowlton Nash. You, sir, were so generous with your advice, so stunning to watch. So steady. So calm. So Canada. So #Cbc- Adrienne Arsenault (@adriearsenault) May 25, 2014
Knowlton took me to lunch in Washington 20 years ago. Told me about covering Kennedys especially RFK. Asked me how Ted was (like I'd know).- Keith Boag (@KeithBoag) May 25, 2014
So sad to hear about Knowlton Nash - I remember my 1st stories on The National and what a thrill it was when he said my name. A kind man AMT- CBC-The Current (@TheCurrentCBC) May 25, 2014
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