Boston 25 News marked 30 years on Sept. 9, celebrating three decades since its first newscast in 1996. Longtime journalists and original employees reflected on the stories, challenges, and defining moments of local news coverage.
Reporter Bob Ward, a 30-year employee, said the team believed in their product and anticipated their audience would grow. Ward covered some of the country's most prominent trials during his tenure, a prospect he did not foresee three decades ago.
The station's early coverage included the 1999 plane crash of John F. Kennedy Jr. Ward described it as the biggest early story, with the station operating 24/7 for five days. Editor Todd Krupa, also a 30-year employee, said the event "changed everything" for the newsroom.
The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks brought global problems to Boston, requiring a rapid education for the news staff. Ward recalled the world feeling ended, trying to make sense of events, with no planes in the sky and widespread fear. Senior Director Mike Finnerty, another 30-year employee, noted that during events like 9/11 and the 2013 Marathon bombing, the focus was on getting news on air, with the gravity of the reporting becoming clear only after broadcast.
The 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent manhunt for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev represented another critical moment. Ward described the night Tsarnaev was apprehended in a sailboat, recalling the confusion between flash bangs and gunshots as an unforgettable experience.
Ward was present in the courtroom during the trial of notorious gangster James "Whitey" Bulger, recalling a bizarre staredown with Bulger.
Kevin Lemanowicz, the station's chief meteorologist in 1996, recounted an early challenge during an April 1, 1997 snowstorm. Power outages prevented him from making it on air for the blizzard night itself, though he covered the cleanup the following day.
Ward also covered celebratory events, including being on the field when the Red Sox won their first World Series in decades, ending a long drought. He also rode on Patriots duck boats during Super Bowl parades, describing the view of celebrating crowds. These moments underscored the station's role in documenting both the triumphs and tragedies impacting the region.
