His name is David Henry Ward, but he is known simply as “Dave” to thousands of Eyewitness News viewers who wouldn’t miss Channel 13’s nightly newscasts at 6 and 10pm.
Dave joined KTRK-TV in 1966 as the station’s only on-the-street news reporter and photographer. He came “inside” in early 1967 to anchor Channel 13’s weekday 7:00am newscast. Later that year, he became the first host of the popular “Dialing for Dollars” program which later evolved into “Good Morning Houston”.
In January of 1968, Dave became the anchor of Eyewitness News at 6 and 10, leading the broadcast to the number one rating in Houston. And to this day, Eyewitness News continues to rank number one in Houston households.
Born in Dallas and raised in Huntsville, Dave began his radio career with KGKB radio in Tyler while attending college. Three years later, he joined the staff of WACO radio in Waco as a staff announcer. One year later he became that station’s Program Director. During that time, Dave studied radio news writing under WACO’s News Director, Bob Vandiventer, who taught at Baylor University.
In 1962, Dave traveled to the four largest cities in Texas “San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston” looking for a place to call home. The Houston skyline, which at the time boasted four skyscrapers, won his heart. His Houston broadcasting debut was as a night news reporter for radio stations KNUZ/KQUE radio. Two years later he became News Director there and, under his leadership, his news department received numerous journalism awards including “Best Newscast,” “Best Radio Commentary,” and “Best Sports Coverage” from the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Association. While in radio, Dave covered the 1964 Democratic and Republican Conventions for a network of radio stations. After moving to KTRK-TV, he was assigned to cover the national political conventions in 1972, 76, 80, 84, 88 and 92. Dave also worked extensively covering the space program, going repeatedly to the launch site in Florida to report on Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and shuttle flights. Dave has covered fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods and hurricanes throughout Texas and the southern states. He has interviewed people from all walks of life, from heads of state to drug dealers. He has journeyed to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua and Colombia on numerous stories that have a Houston connection. He went with a Houston delegation to the Paris Peace Talks and once spent a week in Germany examining that country’s mass transit solutions that might apply to Houston. Dave has taken an active role in Houston’s community affairs. He served as President of the local Easter Seals Society and was host of their TV Telethons during the 1970’s; chaired the Public Affairs Advisory Board of the Houston Business Council; was a member of the Public Information Committee for the American Cancer Society; served as a member of the Leukemia Society Board of Directors; was a Board Member of the Houston Press Club of Houston; and served on the advisory board of Houston Children’s Charities. Dave also took an active role in the establishment of the Houston Crime Stoppers Program that has become the model of excellence for similar programs across the nation and the world. Dave is proud of the great strides he has seen in local television news, and of the tremendous advances made by ABC-13 Eyewitness News. He says, “Our news staff is a cohesive group representing all aspects of our community. We want to present the best, most informative and interesting newscasts in town, and I think we do. In fact, I think it’s the best news team in Texas.”