David Ushery New York’s Most Trusted News Anchor

Biography David Ushery

When New Yorkers tune into NBC 4 New York for the evening news, there’s one face that has come to feel like a familiar, dependable presence in their living rooms — David Ushery. With a career that stretches over three decades, David Ushery has earned his place not just as a news anchor, but as a genuine institution of broadcast journalism in the Tri-State area. Whether he’s reporting from the scene of a breaking story, anchoring a late-night newscast, or sitting down for a candid interview, Ushery brings warmth, authority, and deep professionalism to everything he does. For millions of New Yorkers, his voice is the voice of the news.

So who exactly is David Ushery? Where did he come from, how did he build such a remarkable career, and what do we know about his personal life, his age, his wife, his son, and his overall health? This article takes a close and friendly look at the man behind the anchor desk.

Early Life and Background

David Ushery was born on June 5, 1967, in Bloomfield, Connecticut. He grew up there as the only child of Solomon and Winifred Ushery — a tight-knit family background that many believe shaped his grounded and community-focused approach to journalism. David Ushery’s age is 57 years old as of 2025, but for someone who has been in front of cameras since childhood, he carries his years with remarkable grace and energy.

What makes Ushery’s origin story genuinely special is just how early his calling found him. At the age of 11, he was selected from a statewide search in Connecticut to host the local edition of “Kidsworld,” a nationally syndicated television show. That was no small feat — and it hinted at the natural broadcast talent that would define his entire life. During that early stint, one of his most memorable interviews was with none other than Walter Cronkite, the legendary CBS News anchor once regarded as the most trusted man in America. Young David sat at the anchor desk and asked Cronkite what kind of person should be a newscaster. Cronkite’s answer — that a person needs a genuine sense of curiosity — clearly left a lasting impression. Ushery has often said that moment may well have planted the seed for his entire career.

Connecticut audiences literally watched David Ushery grow up on television. He hosted “Kidsworld” from age 11 all the way until he was 18, giving him years of on-camera experience that most aspiring journalists could only dream of.

Education

After his teenage television years, David Ushery pursued his education with the same dedication he brought to everything else. He enrolled at the University of Connecticut, where he earned a double major in political science and journalism — a combination that would serve him beautifully in a career that would take him from city hall steps to international conflict zones.

While studying at UConn, Ushery didn’t just sit in classrooms. He landed competitive internships at both The Hartford Courant and the Los Angeles Times, two of the most respected news organizations in the country. Working with The Hartford Courant helped him sharpen his skills in covering local politics and community events, while his time with the Los Angeles Times broadened his perspective considerably. These formative experiences built the strong editorial foundation that would underpin his television journalism for decades to come.

Early Career: From Hartford to New York City

After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 1989, David Ushery wasted no time getting to work. The CBS affiliate in Hartford, WFSB-TV, hired him straight out of school for its training program. But it quickly became clear that this was no ordinary trainee — within just a matter of months, the station offered him a full-time general assignment reporting position. As the lead reporter for WFSB’s 11 p.m. broadcast, Ushery covered stories that touched the everyday lives of Connecticut residents, and his instincts and composure on camera were unmistakable.

One of his early stories made a particularly deep impression on him: covering residents in New Britain who were being terrorized by arsonists. It was exactly the kind of on-the-ground, human-centered reporting that would come to define his approach. Within two years at the station, he had even traveled to Moscow following the fall of the Soviet Union to report on policing — his first international assignment, and a sign of things to come.

Then, in 1993, at just 25 years old, David Ushery was recruited by WABC-TV in New York City to join its staff as a general assignment reporter. This was a massive leap — WABC was the number one station in the nation’s top media market, and landing there at such a young age spoke volumes about the talent and promise Ushery had already demonstrated.

At WABC, Ushery covered some of the most consequential news stories of the era. He reported on the police investigations into the shooting death of Amadou Diallo, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the O.J. Simpson trial, and the disappearance of Elizabeth Smart. He also traveled internationally for WABC, reporting from Haiti on the island’s political unrest, covering Pope John Paul II’s visits to Africa and Toronto, and attending the United Nations’ conference on racism in South Africa. Three years after joining the station, Ushery was named anchor of a new weekend show, “Eyewitness News This Morning” — a milestone that confirmed his growing stature in New York broadcasting.

Career at WNBC: A New York Institution

In 2003, after a full decade at WABC-TV, David Ushery made another pivotal move — joining WNBC, NBC’s flagship owned-and-operated station and one of the most prestigious news outlets in the country. He was brought on as anchor of the highly rated morning newscast, “Weekend Today in New York,” and within a year had also been named anchor of WNBC’s weekend 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. broadcasts. These simultaneous roles effectively made Ushery the face of WNBC on weekends, anchoring all of the station’s morning and evening newscasts on both Saturday and Sunday.

Over the years, his role at WNBC only continued to grow. In 2006, he was named co-anchor of WNBC’s iconic “Live at 5” program alongside legendary anchor Sue Simmons. He later anchored the 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. editions of News 4 New York, and eventually stepped into the role of co-anchoring the 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts.

Then came a landmark moment in late 2024. David Ushery was named the new co-anchor of “News 4 New York at 6 p.m.,” a role that carries enormous symbolic weight in New York broadcasting. He succeeded the legendary Chuck Scarborough, who had held that seat for more than 50 years — one of the longest runs of any local news anchor in American television history. As of today, Ushery anchors the 4 p.m., 7 p.m., and 11 p.m. newscasts for NBC 4 New York, making him one of the most visible journalists in the entire Tri-State region.

Major Stories Covered

Over his career, David Ushery has been a front-row witness to some of the most defining moments in recent American history. His coverage has been both expansive and deeply personal — he doesn’t just report the news, he connects it to the people it affects.

Among his most memorable assignments was coverage of the “Miracle on the Hudson” — the extraordinary emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in January 2009 — and live reporting from the 2008 presidential election of Barack Obama. He delivered live coverage following the devastating 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, an emotionally demanding assignment that required both journalistic precision and deep human sensitivity. He was also on the ground for Pope Francis’ 2015 visits to Washington D.C. and New York City, reporting live from the parade routes.

Beyond American shores, Ushery has reported live from terror attacks in Paris, France, and Manchester, England, and has covered events from the front lines in Gaza and the West Bank. He traveled to Israel to cover a presidential visit to the Holy Land and quickly pivoted to England following the tragic bombing outside the Manchester arena. He has covered the COVID-19 pandemic, the September 11 attacks, and the civil unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd — stories that not only defined news cycles but shaped the national conversation.

His work with first responders has also been especially meaningful. Ushery has investigated the high rates of suicide among firefighters and shone a light on the emotional struggles they face. He won a New York Emmy for his 2019 profile on 9/11 responder Michael Dorian, who was diagnosed with cancer after his service and fought a challenging battle for the health benefits he deserved under law.

Innovative Programming: Breaking the Mold

David Ushery has never been content to just read from a teleprompter. In 2009, he conceived and launched “The Debrief with David Ushery,” a weekly half-hour broadcast that gave viewers a fresh, behind-the-scenes look at the week’s most important stories. The show was a deliberate departure from the traditional 30-minute newscast format, designed to re-engage younger viewers who were drifting away from conventional television news. It was nominated for a 2011 Emmy Award — a recognition of just how much the show resonated with audiences and industry peers alike.

The format was genuinely innovative. Rather than sitting behind an anchor desk, Ushery moved freely around the WNBC newsroom, taking viewers into the daily workings of a major news operation. He wore no tie — a small but symbolic choice that sparked conversation across media circles. Even then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg remarked on the casual look at a press event and playfully presented Ushery with his own tie as a gift. NBC “Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams also joked about it during a holiday appearance. These little moments of lightness only added to Ushery’s charm and approachability as a broadcaster.

Then, in 2010, he developed a spin-off program called “Moms and the City and a Dad named David,” which featured Ushery alongside three mothers for an honest, relatable look at life in New York City from a parent’s perspective. It was another example of his willingness to step outside traditional formats and connect with audiences in new ways.

Is David Ushery Ill? What We Know About His Health

Given his busy schedule and occasional absences from the anchor desk, some viewers have wondered: is David Ushery ill? It’s a question that comes up with some regularity in search trends, and it’s worth addressing clearly and honestly.

As of the time of writing, there is no credible or confirmed public report of David Ushery suffering from any serious illness. He has continued to anchor multiple newscasts at WNBC, stepped into the prestigious 6 p.m. anchor role in December 2024, and appears to be in good health and active professionally. Viewers concerned about his well-being can take some comfort in the fact that he remains very much a full-time, front-and-center presence at NBC 4 New York.

David Ushery’s illness inquiries online likely stem from the natural concern fans feel for public figures they have watched and trusted for years. While the question — is David Ushery ill — is understandable, there is no available evidence to suggest any health crisis on his part.

Awards and Honors

Few broadcast journalists in the Tri-State area have a trophy shelf quite like David Ushery’s. His career has been recognized with some of the most prestigious honors in the industry.

He is the recipient of two National Edward R. Murrow Awards — one for WNBC’s coverage of Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, and another for the station’s coverage of the deadly Jersey City shootout in December 2019. The Sandy coverage also earned him a National Emmy Award. In 2021, Ushery was chosen by his NBC 4 colleagues to accept the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, recognizing the station’s coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak across the Tri-State area. The duPont Award is widely regarded as the broadcast equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize — a remarkable distinction.

In 2020, Ushery was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame, joining fellow luminaries Chuck Scarborough, Chief Meteorologist Janice Huff, and the late Senior Correspondent Gabe Pressman. He is also a member of the Silver Circle for the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York Chapter.

On top of all that, Ushery has received three honorary degrees — from St. John’s University in 2014, St. Francis College in 2018, and Fordham University in 2019. He has also been honored with the McDonald’s Black Media Legends: Faces of Black History Award and the National Association of Black Journalists Award for his reporting on children and violence. Earlier in his career, The Network Journal named him one of its “40 Under 40” — a testament to how much he had already achieved by his mid-thirties.

Community Involvement and Education

One of the things that truly sets David Ushery apart from many of his peers is his deep and consistent commitment to the communities he covers. He is actively involved with both the New York Urban League and the Archdiocese of New York, and has been recognized with numerous community service awards over the years.

He has also become a passionate advocate for media literacy and education. Ushery has spoken at universities and colleges, mentoring the next generation of journalists and encouraging students to approach information critically and responsibly. His involvement with the Alliance for Decision Education reflects a genuine belief that young people need better tools to navigate today’s information environment. As he has put it, empowering the next generation with decision-making skills is one of the most important investments we can make.

David Ushery Wife and Son: His Home Team

Behind every great broadcaster is a strong personal foundation, and for David Ushery, that foundation is his family. David Ushery wife is Isabel Rivera, whom he married in 2001. The couple has one son together. Ushery has spoken warmly and publicly about the role his family plays in his life and career, once noting that entering the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame would never have happened without the love and support of his wife and son — what he affectionately called his “home team.”

David Ushery son has grown up with a father who is not only a respected public figure but a deeply involved parent — something that clearly influenced the creation of his “Moms and the City and a Dad named David” program, which drew directly from his own experiences navigating parenthood in New York City.

David Ushery with Hair: The Evolution of a Familiar Face

One thing longtime viewers of David Ushery have noticed over the years is how his appearance has evolved on screen. Fans who have searched for photos of David Ushery with hair are often treated to earlier images from his days at WABC and the early years at WNBC, where his look was noticeably different from the polished, close-cropped style he sports today. Like many broadcasters who have spent decades in the public eye, watching David Ushery’s style evolve across the years is almost like watching the evolution of New York news broadcasting itself. He has always carried himself with a cool, approachable confidence — whether with hair, without, in a tie or without one.

Legacy and Impact

What does more than 30 years in front of the camera earn you? In David Ushery’s case, it earns you a place among the very best in the business. NBC 4 New York’s President and General Manager Eric Lerner once described him as someone who is at his absolute best when news is breaking and there is no script — a glowing tribute that captures exactly what makes Ushery so compelling to watch.

David Ushery has been more than just an anchor. He has been a community voice, a storytelling innovator, a mentor, a husband, and a father — all while remaining one of the most trusted faces on New York television. His willingness to push beyond the traditional anchor desk, to walk through newsrooms and neighborhoods alike, and to use his platform for genuine public good, sets him apart in an industry that doesn’t always reward those qualities.

As he continues anchoring multiple newscasts for NBC 4 New York and steps into the iconic role once held by Chuck Scarborough, David Ushery’s story is far from over. If anything, it feels like it’s entering one of its most exciting chapters yet.

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