Dave Ross (born April 10, 1952) is a

talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show ...

host on

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

KIRO-FM KIRO-FM (97.3 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Tacoma, Washington, and serving the Seattle-Tacoma radio market. It airs a news/talk radio format and is owned by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International, a broadcasting compa ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

. 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 is also heard on the

CBS Radio Network CBS News Radio, formerly known as CBS Radio News and historically known as the CBS Radio Network, is a radio network that provides news to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by Paramount Global. It ...

, where he provides daily

political commentary Political criticism (also referred to as political commentary or political discussion) is criticism that is specific of or relevant to politics, including policies, politicians, political parties, and types of government. See also *Bad Subjects * ...

. Ross was the 2004

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

candidate for the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

for . For more than three decades in his spare time he has been performing with the Seattle

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

Society.

Broadcast career

Born into a Catholic family in

Yorktown Heights, New York Yorktown Heights is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census. History Yorktown Heights is in the town of Yorktown, New York, in northern ...

, Ross is the son of a commercial artist and has a brother and two sisters. He started his broadcast career at the age of 15 at

WVIP WVIP is a radio station licensed to New Rochelle, New York and serving the New York metropolitan area. WVIP features a Caribbean music format airing programming for the Afro-Caribbean community. Its studios are in New Rochelle, and its transmitt ...

in Mt. Kisco, New York. After graduating from

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

in 1973, where he was a member of the

Cornell University Glee Club The Cornell University Glee Club (CUGC) is the oldest student organization at Cornell University, having been organized shortly after the first students arrived on campus in 1868. The CUGC is a thirty-nine member chorus for tenor and bass voices ...

The Hangovers The Hangovers are a men's collegiate a cappella ensemble based at Cornell University. Founded in 1968, they are the oldest active ''a cappella'' group on campus and are the official ''a cappella'' subset of the Cornell University Glee Club, it ...

, and the

Quill and Dagger Quill and Dagger is a senior honor society at Cornell University. It is often recognized as one of the most prominent societies of its type, along with Skull and Bones and Scroll and Key at Yale University. In 1929, ''The New York Times'' stated ...

society, Ross worked as a reporter at WSB in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

from 1973 to 1978. In addition to hosting his talk show on radio station

KIRO (AM) KIRO (710 kHz "Seattle Sports") is a commercial AM radio station in Seattle, Washington, owned by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International. The station airs a sports radio format and is an ESPN Radio Network affiliate. The station's stu ...

in Seattle, Ross broadcasts a national daily commentary on the

. From 1983 to 2004 he hosted and produced the first syndicated daily radio report on computers, for the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

, called '' Chip Talk''. He was also part of the 1995 Launch Team for

CNET ''CNET'' (short for "Computer Network") is an American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally. ''CNET'' originally produced content for radio and televi ...

, 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 Charles Osgood Wood III (born January 8, 1933), known professionally as Charles Osgood, is an American radio and television commentator, writer and musician. Osgood is best known for being the host of ''CBS News Sunday Morning'', a role he held ...

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 The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...

, Ross traveled to the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...

to broadcast his radio show from

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...

. Other field trips included forays to cover the Pope's visit to Britain in 1982, trips to China in 1984 and the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

in 1987, the toppling of the

Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government ...

and the revolution in Czechoslovakia in 1989, the 1992

Rodney King Rodney Glen King (April 2, 1965June 17, 2012) was an African American man who was a victim of police brutality. On March 3, 1991, he was beaten by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers during his arrest after a pursuit for driving whi ...

riots Los Angeles, a 2002 trip to Jerusalem after a series of suicide bombings, a trip to

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...

in April 2004 and many others.Rahner, Mark
"KIRO-AM's Dave Ross broadcasting from Persian Gulf"
''The Seattle Times'', March 18, 2003, accessed May 25, 2009
Dave Ross official biography, September 1, 2007, accessed May 25, 2009 Ross has generally been portrayed as liberal (although he has also been called a moderate), but is also known for bringing those with opposing

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

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.... eremains gracious." 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 hesecould stand alongside those of the legendary

Tom Lehrer Thomas Andrew Lehrer (; born April 9, 1928) is an American former musician, singer-songwriter, satirist, and mathematician, having lectured on mathematics and musical theater. He is best known for the pithy and humorous songs that he recorded in ...

." 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

terrorist attacks The following is a list of terrorist incidents that have not been carried out by a state or its forces (see state terrorism and state-sponsored terrorism). Assassinations are listed at List of assassinated people. Definitions of terrori ...

. Ross has also received a

Marconi Award :''"Marconi Award" links here. Note that in the Netherlands, the radio academy awards are also called Marconi Awards.'' The Marconi Radio Awards are presented annually by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) to the top radio stations and ...

nomination and

Clarion Clarion may refer to: Music * Clarion (instrument), a type of trumpet used in the Middle Ages * The register of a clarinet that ranges from B4 to C6 * A trumpet organ stop that usually plays an octave above unison pitch * "Clarion" (song), a 2 ...

and

Gabriel Award The Gabriel Awards are a Catholic honor awarded each year for excellence in broadcasting. They were started by the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals in 1965, and are currently administered by the Catholic Media Association Th ...

s. He was voted "Best Talk Show Host" by the ''

Seattle Weekly The ''Seattle Weekly'' is an alternative biweekly distributed newspaper in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded by Darrell Oldham and David Brewster as ''The Weekly.'' Its first issue was published on March 31, 1976. The newspaper ...

''. On October 26, 2010, it was announced that

Luke Burbank Luke Burbank (born May 8, 1976) is an American radio host and podcaster who hosts the Portland, Oregon-based syndicated variety show ''Live Wire Radio'' and the Seattle-based former radio program and current podcast '' Too Beautiful to Live''. H ...

would be joining Ross as co-host on his KIRO radio show.

Other personal details

He has served as President of the St. Monica's school commission, a member of the Eastside Board of Catholic Community Services, and 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. He met his wife Patti at Cornell, and they married in 1973. They have two daughters, Caitlin and Emilie.

2004 US House election

In May 2004, Ross announced his candidacy for the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

for as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

. 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 Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Jennifer Dunn Jennifer Jill Dunn (née Blackburn; July 29, 1941 – September 5, 2007) was an American politician and engineer who served six terms as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005, representing . Early li ...

, who retired in 2004. In the

primary election Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...

held on September 14, 2004, Ross decisively defeated fellow Democrats

Alex Alben Alex Alben (born New York City, 1958), American technology executive, author and law professor, served as the first Chief Privacy Officer of Washington State from April 2015 to May 2019. Previously, he was a candidate for the United States House ...

and Heidi Behrens-Benedict. In the general election against King County

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

Dave Reichert David George Reichert (; born August 29, 1950) is an American politician, veteran, and former sheriff who served as the U.S. representative for Washington's 8th congressional district from 2005 to 2019. He is a Republican and is the former ele ...

in the general election on November 2, 2004, anti-Ross advertisements paid for by the

National Republican Congressional Committee The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives. The NRCC was formed in 1866, when the Republican caucuses of the House and ...

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. ''CQPolitics'' described the race this way: "Reichert's record as sheriff – which included capture of the notorious "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." Ross returned to his talk show the following day.

Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society performances

Ross is a member of the Seattle

Society, and has regularly appeared in their summer performances at

Seattle Center Seattle Center is an arts, educational, tourism and entertainment center in Seattle, Washington, United States. Spanning an area of 74 acres (30 ha), it was originally built for the 1962 World's Fair. Its landmark feature is the tall Space Needle ...

, playing over 30 roles with the company. A 2006 review commented that "Ross, in his 27th season with the company, underplays the Major-General masterfully—snappy, energetic, not too mannered. ... isgrand and hilarious ntrancescene, especially at the insouciantly zippy tempo Ross takes, provided a lift and exhilaration I haven't felt in a while from any musical performance." Ross has received many warm reviews for his portrayal of the famous Gilbert & Sullivan "patter" roles and other baritone roles in the

Savoy operas Savoy opera was a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which im ...

.Bonfils, Marie
"Gilbert & Sullivan's ''Ruddigore - A Witch's curse''"
, ''Seattle Weekly'', July 16, 2011, accessed July 26, 2013; Keogh, Tom

''Seattle Times'', July 15, 2009, accessed July 26, 2013; De Barros, Paul
"'Gondoliers'' at Bagley Wright Is a Delectable Venetian Farce"
''Seattle Times'', July 14, 1992, accessed July 26, 2013; and Borchert, Gavin
"''Iolanthe'': Gilbert and Sullivan skewer the 1 percent, tunefully"
''Seattle Weekly'', July 17, 2012, accessed July 26, 2013 At the

International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival The International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival was founded in 1994 by Ian Smith and his son Neil and is held every summer in England. The two- or three-week Festival of Gilbert and Sullivan opera performances and fringe events attracts thousands ...

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.The Grand Duke ''The Grand Duke; or, The Statutory Duel'', is the final Savoy Opera written by librettist W. S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan, their fourteenth and last opera together. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 March 1896, and ran for 12 ...

'' in 1999 and also appeared at the festival in 1996.

Notes

References

Profile of Ross from CBS

Profile of Ross from Mynorthwest.com

Ross's personal website homepage

* ttp://www.seattlepi.com/tv/198047_radiobeat04.html Seattle P-I article about post-campaign Ross

External links

Dave Ross official website

CBS page about their Dave Ross commentaries

Article on Ross interviewing skills

Links to 2007 Dave Ross radio commentaries

John C Dvorak's 2005 analysis of Ross

Dave Ross on seattle's 710 KIRO (AM)

Links to Dave Ross editorial CBS broadcasts from 2009

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