Editing Dave Ross

{{Short description|American journalist}}
{{For|other people sometimes known as Dave Ross|David Ross (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox person
|name        = Dave Ross
|image       = 
|alt         = 
|caption     = 
|birth_date  = 1952
|birth_place = [[Yorktown, New York|Yorktown]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
|known_for   = The Dave Ross Show
|occupation  = [[Radio broadcaster]]
|nationality = 
|awards      = 2001 [[RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award]] for Best Commentary<br>2005 RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Commentary
|website     =
|spouse      = Patti Ross
|children    = Caitlin Ross<br/>Emilie Ross
|boards      = Seattle Transportation Choices Coalition<br/>Economic Opportunity Institute
|alma_mater  = [[Cornell University]]
}}

'''Dave Ross''' (born April 10, 1952)<ref>[http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=577&a=1190&p=17&n=Dave%20Ross%.. "Dave Ross Commentary (Thursday 4/10)"], KIRO-FM Radio, April 10, 2008, accessed February 9, 2012</ref> is a retired [[talk radio|talk show]] host on [[Seattle]]'s [[KIRO-FM]] [[radio station]]. He joined KIRO as a news anchor in 1978 and was given his own talk show in 1987.  He has sometimes broadcast his show while on assignment in other locations, including overseas, such as [[Baghdad, Iraq]] in April 2004. Ross was also heard on the [[CBS Radio Network]], where he provides daily [[political commentary]].

Ross was the 2004 [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]] candidate for the [[United States|U.S. House of Representatives]] for {{ushr|Washington|8}}. For more than three decades in his spare time he has been performing with the Seattle [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] Society.

==Broadcast career==
Born into a Catholic family in [[Yorktown Heights, New York]], Ross is the son of a commercial artist and has a brother and two sisters.<ref name=Rahner/> He started his broadcast career at the age of 15 at [[WRVP|WVIP]] in [[Mt. Kisco, New York]]. After graduating from [[Cornell University]] in 1973, where he was a member of the [[Cornell University Glee Club]], [[The Hangovers]], and the [[Quill and Dagger]] society, Ross worked as a reporter at WSB in [[Atlanta, Georgia]] from 1973 to 1978.

The same year he joined radio station [[KIRO (AM)]] in Seattle as a news anchor.<ref name=MNW>{{cite web | title=Dave and Colleen's final 'SMN': Inslee, Harrell send well wishes | website=MyNorthwest.com | date=December 19, 2024 | url=https://mynorthwest.com/4020995/dave-ross-colleen-obrien-last-seattles-morning-news-show | access-date=December 20, 2024}}</ref> In addition to his talk show, Ross broadcast a national daily commentary on the [[CBS Radio Network]]. From 1983 to 2004 he hosted and produced the first syndicated daily radio report on computers, for the [[Associated Press]], called ''Chip Talk''.  He was also part of the 1995 Launch Team for [[CNET]], where he contributed segments called ''The Last Word'' to ''c|net central''.  Since 1992, Ross has also filled in for CBS Radio colleague [[Charles Osgood]] on his "Osgood File" commentaries. Ross has broadcast from overseas or outside Seattle to cover various historic events.  For example, on the eve of the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], Ross traveled to the [[Persian Gulf]] to broadcast his radio show from [[Qatar]]. Other field trips included forays to cover the Pope's visit to Britain in 1982, trips to China in 1984 and the [[Soviet Union]] in 1987, the toppling of the [[Berlin Wall]] and the revolution in Czechoslovakia in 1989, the 1992 [[Rodney King]] riots Los Angeles, a 2002 trip to Jerusalem after a series of suicide bombings, a trip to [[Baghdad]] in April 2004 and many others.<ref name=Rahner>Rahner, Mark. [https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20030318/daveross180/kiro-ams-dave-ross-broadcasting-from-persian-gulf "KIRO-AM's Dave Ross broadcasting from Persian Gulf"], ''The Seattle Times'', March 18, 2003, accessed May 25, 2009</ref><ref name=rossbio>[http://www.daveross.com/rossbio.html "''The Dave Ross Show'', 9-Noon, M-F"], Dave Ross official biography, September 1, 2007, accessed May 25, 2009</ref>

Ross has generally been portrayed as liberal (although he has also been called a moderate),<ref>Howland, George Jr. [http://www.alternet.org/election04/19446 "Swinging in Seattle's Suburbs"], ''Seattle Weekly'', August 3, 2004</ref> but is also known for bringing those with opposing [[conservative]] views on his radio program to interview and debate.  According to the ''[[Seattle Times]]'': "Ross listens, circles around guests with Socratic questions, then makes sharp observations but never goes for the jugular.... [He] remains gracious."<ref name=Rahner/>  In addition to his editorials, Ross is also known for his "flitch" songs (songs using existing melodies, but with new lyrics, usually based on current events) and often sings one as part of his radio show and CBS segments.  ''The Seattle Times'' wrote that "the best of [these] could stand alongside those of the legendary [[Tom Lehrer]]."<ref name=Rahner/>

Ross received the 2001 and 2005 [[RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award]] for Best Commentary. He was unable to accept the 2001 award personally, however, because the ceremony was scheduled for September 12, 2001. He was booked on a flight to Nashville on September 11, 2001, but instead ended up on assignment in New York City covering the [[September 11 attacks|terrorist attacks]]. Ross has also received a [[NAB Marconi Radio Awards|Marconi Award]] nomination and [[Clarion award|Clarion]] and [[Gabriel Award]]s.  He was voted "Best Talk Show Host" by the ''[[Seattle Weekly]]''.<ref>[http://www.bonneville.com/pdf/bonnevilles_best_2008/Ross.pdf "Dave Ross; One of Bonneville’s Best"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100916210304/http://bonneville.com/pdf/bonnevilles_best_2008/Ross.pdf |date=2010-09-16 }}, Bonneville International Corporation, March 5, 2008</ref>

In 2013, Ross began to host the ''Seattle Morning News''. He retired from radio broadcasting on December 19, 2024, with his last show on ''SMN''. Seattle Mayor [[Bruce Harrell]] appeared on Ross's final episode to read a proclamation that declared that day "Dave Ross Day", and Governor [[Jay Inslee]] called in to the show.<ref name=MNW/>

==Personal life==
Ross has served as President of the St. Monica's school commission, a member of the Eastside Board of Catholic Community Services, and he was on the steering committee of the Campaign 5000 African-American community development bank. As of 2007, he served on the boards of the Seattle Transportation Choices Coalition and Economic Opportunity Institute.<ref name=rossbio/>

He met his wife Patti at Cornell, and they married in 1973.<ref name=Rahner/> They have two daughters, Caitlin and Emilie.

==2004 US House election==
{{main|United States House of Representatives elections in Washington, 2004}}

In May 2004, Ross announced his candidacy for the [[United States House of Representatives]] for {{ushr|Washington|8}} as a [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]]. He began a leave of absence from KIRO at noon on July 23, 2004, to coincide with the beginning of his active candidacy. The seat was held by [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Jennifer Dunn (politician)|Jennifer Dunn]], who retired in 2004.

In the [[Partisan primary|primary election]] held on September 14, 2004, Ross decisively defeated fellow Democrats [[Alex Alben]] and [[Heidi Behrens-Benedict]]. In the general election against [[King County, Washington|King County]] [[Sheriff]] [[Dave Reichert]] in the [[general election]] on November 2, 2004, anti-Ross advertisements paid for by the [[National Republican Congressional Committee]] said that Ross "empowered terrorists" and that he would "wave a white flag" against them. The commercials said that Ross supported cuts to defense spending by $100 billion, but in fact Ross' statement was that he opposed the $100 billion missile-defense system sought by the Bush administration.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/behindthecurtain/archives/2004_10.html |title=The Seattle Times: Politics |access-date=2007-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060524171426/http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/behindthecurtain/archives/2004_10.html |archive-date=2006-05-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

''CQPolitics'' described the race this way: "Reichert's record as sheriff – which included capture of the notorious [[Gary Ridgway|"Green River" serial killer]] – enabled him to defeat Democrat Dave Ross, a well-known Seattle-based radio talk show host, in 2004 with 51.5 percent and a 5 percentage-point margin."<ref>[http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/2/135629/2401/165/232730 "Burner's (D) race upgraded by CQ"], 2006, accessed May 25, 2009</ref>  Ross returned to his talk show the following day.

==Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society performances==
Ross is a member of the Seattle [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] Society, and has regularly appeared in their summer performances at [[Seattle Center]], playing over 30 roles with the company.<ref>[http://www.pattersong.org/productions/all "All Society Productions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510204533/http://www.pattersong.org/productions/all |date=2013-05-10 }}, Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society, accessed July 26, 2013</ref>  A 2006 review commented that "Ross, in his 27th season with the company, underplays the Major-General masterfully—snappy, energetic, not too mannered. ... [His] grand and hilarious [entrance] scene, especially at the insouciantly zippy tempo Ross takes, provided a lift and exhilaration I haven't felt in a while from any musical performance."<ref>Borchert, Gavin. [http://www.seattleweekly.com/2006-07-19/arts/yo-ho-ho-ho/ "Yo Ho Ho Ho: Gilbert & Sullivan Society's ''Pirates of Penzance'' finds a perfect balance of sense and nonsense"], ''Seattle Weekly'', October 9, 2006, accessed July 26, 2013</ref>  Ross has received many warm reviews for his portrayal of the famous Gilbert & Sullivan [[patter song|"patter" roles]] and other baritone roles in the [[Savoy operas]].<ref>Bonfils, Marie. [http://seattleweekly.com/arts/0629/pirates.php "Gilbert & Sullivan's ''Ruddigore - A Witch's curse''"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011010538/http://www.seattleweekly.com/arts/0629/pirates.php |date=2008-10-11 }}, ''Seattle Weekly'', July 16, 2011, accessed July 26, 2013; Keogh, Tom. [http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2009475727_utopia16.html?syndication=rss "''Utopia, Limited'' is delightfully absurd Victorian satire"], ''Seattle Times'', July 15, 2009, accessed July 26, 2013; De Barros, Paul. [https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920714/1502106/gondoliers-at-bagley-wright-is-a-delectable-venetian-farce "'Gondoliers'' at Bagley Wright Is a Delectable Venetian Farce"], ''Seattle Times'', July 14, 1992, accessed July 26, 2013; and Borchert, Gavin. [http://www.seattleweekly.com/home/873029-129/stagereview "''Iolanthe'': Gilbert and Sullivan skewer the 1 percent, tunefully"], ''Seattle Weekly'', July 17, 2012, accessed July 26, 2013</ref>  At the [[International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival]] in [[Buxton]], England, he played the role of Rudolph in the company's ''[[The Grand Duke]]'' in 1999 and also appeared at the festival in 1996.<ref name=rossbio/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* [http://newyork.cbslocal.com/personality/dave-ross/ Profile of Ross from CBS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227230633/http://newyork.cbslocal.com/personality/dave-ross/ |date=2011-12-27 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120202233848/http://mynorthwest.com/daveross/ross30.php Profile of Ross from Mynorthwest.com]
* [http://www.daveross.com Ross's personal website homepage]
* [http://www.daveross.com/rossfaq.html Dave Ross FAQ]
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/12/national/12race.html?ei=5007&en=e0c09ed4ba31a4e3&ex=1402459200&partner=USERLAND&pagewanted=print&position= New York Times article on the 8th District race]
* [http://www.seattlepi.com/tv/198047_radiobeat04.html Seattle P-I article about post-campaign Ross]

==External links==
* [http://www.daveross.com/index.html Dave Ross official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071029023909/http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/186619.php CBS page about their Dave Ross commentaries]
* [http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2007/02/11/idf-refuseniks-on-dave-ross-radio-show/ Article on Ross interviewing skills]
* [http://www.daveross.com/feed.php Links to 2007 Dave Ross radio commentaries]
* [http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2053 John C Dvorak's 2005 analysis of Ross]
* [http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=90 Dave Ross on seattle's 710 KIRO (AM)]
* [http://www.daveross.com/feed.php Links to Dave Ross editorial CBS broadcasts from 2009]
* [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014235052_fireworks16m.html Article about fundraising for 2010 fireworks]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Dave}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American broadcast news analysts]]
[[Category:American radio personalities]]
[[Category:American reporters and correspondents]]
[[Category:Cornell University alumni]]
[[Category:Radio personalities from Seattle]]
[[Category:People from Yorktown Heights, New York]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Washington (state) Democrats]]