Jay DeDapper
Encyclopedia
Jay Warren DeDapper is a political analyst and journalist located in New York City
. DeDapper was a senior political reporter at WNBC-TV Channel 4 in New York City until 2009.
DeDapper began his broadcasting career while studying at the University of California at Santa Barbara. In his sophomore year, a television program came on the air called NBC News Overnight
. Anchored by Linda Ellerbee
and Lloyd Dobyns, with Bill Schechner replacing Dobyns in January 1983, its take on news appealed to Jay and helped him decide on a career in television journalism. He attended the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University where he obtained a master's degree and won the Harrington Award as the best journalism student of his class.
DeDapper landed his first job at KWQC-TV
6 NBC in Davenport, Iowa
.
DeDapper was the station's weekend weather anchor and one of the weekday reporters.
While in Davenport a key story that he covered was the murder-suicide of an entire family in the rural town of Algona, Iowa.
After 15 months in Davenport, Jay landed a job in Phoenix, Arizona
at KTVK-TV.
Jay was part of the debut team that launched the Newschannel 3 morning news show, and later did investigative reporting, winning several Emmy awards.
Again one of his most notable stories was his ongoing coverage of another mass homicide.
This time it was the 1991 massacre of some nine people at the Wat Promkunaram Buddhist Temple.
Authorities initially arrested and charged 5 young men in the attacks.
DeDapper helped break the story that their confessions were coerced after the true killer was discovered almost by accident.
In 1992, DeDapper took a job in New York City
as part of WABC-TV
's Channel 7 Eyewitness News Team. He was a general assignment reporter for five years during which he covered nearly the entire OJ Simpson trial
, the crash of TWA flight 800
, and a series of terrorist bombings in Israel
. In 1997 Jay became the political reporter just in time to cover Rudy Giuliani
's reelection campaign.
In 1998 DeDapper moved to WNBC-TV, where he joined a newly-enlarged political unit. Jay helped develop the groundbreaking "What Matters" series of in-depth issues reporting along with his "Reality Checks". DeDapper has developed a following for his ability to make sense of complicated stories and has covered the campaigns of Senator Chuck Schumer, Governor George Pataki
, Senator Hillary Clinton, among others.
On September 11, 2001 DeDapper rushed to New York City Hall
, reporting from there and from the street adjacent to the World Trade Center. After the collapse of the second tower he moved north eventually reporting from the police command center, at the Police Academy for the next several days.
DeDapper was the first pool reporter brought to Ground Zero
on Giuliani's first visit to the site on September 12.
Since joining Newschannel 4 Jay has won numerous awards including the prestigious Cronkite Award for political reporting. In 2007 Jay and colleague Melissa Russo
helped create the first local political video podcast Politics to Go for WNBC-TV.
Due to budget cuts and sinking ad revenue in 2008, WNBC-TV has been forced to downsize their operations significantly. DeDapper parted ways with the station in 2009.
He now resides in New York City where he is known by his doormen as "Super Jay" for his uncanny resemblance to the comic-book superhero.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. DeDapper was a senior political reporter at WNBC-TV Channel 4 in New York City until 2009.
Life
His parent are Jay Warren DeDapper Sr. and Marguerite Walcott DeDapper.DeDapper began his broadcasting career while studying at the University of California at Santa Barbara. In his sophomore year, a television program came on the air called NBC News Overnight
NBC News Overnight
NBC News Overnight was a television news program on the NBC television network airing weekday mornings from 1:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. from July 5, 1982 to December 3, 1983 for 367 telecasts...
. Anchored by Linda Ellerbee
Linda Ellerbee
Linda Ellerbee is an American journalist who is most known for several jobs at NBC News, including Washington, DC correspondent, host of the Nickelodeon network's Nick News, and reporter and co-anchor of NBC News Overnight, which was recognized by the jurors of the duPont Columbia Awards as...
and Lloyd Dobyns, with Bill Schechner replacing Dobyns in January 1983, its take on news appealed to Jay and helped him decide on a career in television journalism. He attended the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University where he obtained a master's degree and won the Harrington Award as the best journalism student of his class.
DeDapper landed his first job at KWQC-TV
KWQC-TV
KWQC-TV, virtual channel 6 , is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Quad Cities television market . It is licensed to Davenport and is owned by Young Broadcasting...
6 NBC in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
.
DeDapper was the station's weekend weather anchor and one of the weekday reporters.
While in Davenport a key story that he covered was the murder-suicide of an entire family in the rural town of Algona, Iowa.
After 15 months in Davenport, Jay landed a job in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
at KTVK-TV.
Jay was part of the debut team that launched the Newschannel 3 morning news show, and later did investigative reporting, winning several Emmy awards.
Again one of his most notable stories was his ongoing coverage of another mass homicide.
This time it was the 1991 massacre of some nine people at the Wat Promkunaram Buddhist Temple.
Authorities initially arrested and charged 5 young men in the attacks.
DeDapper helped break the story that their confessions were coerced after the true killer was discovered almost by accident.
In 1992, DeDapper took a job in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as part of WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
's Channel 7 Eyewitness News Team. He was a general assignment reporter for five years during which he covered nearly the entire OJ Simpson trial
O. J. Simpson murder case
The O. J. Simpson murder case was a criminal trial held in Los Angeles County, California Superior Court from January 29 to October 3, 1995. Former American football star and actor O. J...
, the crash of TWA flight 800
TWA Flight 800
Trans World Airlines Flight 800 , a Boeing 747-131, exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996, at about 20:31 EDT, 12 minutes after takeoff, killing all 230 persons on board. At the time, it was the second-deadliest U.S...
, and a series of terrorist bombings in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. In 1997 Jay became the political reporter just in time to cover Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
's reelection campaign.
In 1998 DeDapper moved to WNBC-TV, where he joined a newly-enlarged political unit. Jay helped develop the groundbreaking "What Matters" series of in-depth issues reporting along with his "Reality Checks". DeDapper has developed a following for his ability to make sense of complicated stories and has covered the campaigns of Senator Chuck Schumer, Governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
, Senator Hillary Clinton, among others.
On September 11, 2001 DeDapper rushed to New York City Hall
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA, between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street. The building is the oldest City Hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions, such as...
, reporting from there and from the street adjacent to the World Trade Center. After the collapse of the second tower he moved north eventually reporting from the police command center, at the Police Academy for the next several days.
DeDapper was the first pool reporter brought to Ground Zero
Ground zero
The term ground zero describes the point on the Earth's surface closest to a detonation...
on Giuliani's first visit to the site on September 12.
Since joining Newschannel 4 Jay has won numerous awards including the prestigious Cronkite Award for political reporting. In 2007 Jay and colleague Melissa Russo
Melissa Russo
Melissa Russo is a television journalist currently working for WNBC-TV News Channel 4 in New York City. She is currently the co-anchor for the News 4 New York at the 6pm and 11pm Saturday newscasts...
helped create the first local political video podcast Politics to Go for WNBC-TV.
Due to budget cuts and sinking ad revenue in 2008, WNBC-TV has been forced to downsize their operations significantly. DeDapper parted ways with the station in 2009.
He now resides in New York City where he is known by his doormen as "Super Jay" for his uncanny resemblance to the comic-book superhero.