A look at the top stories of 2008

SALISBURY — John Neufeld, 70, the voice of the news on radio station WQQQ-103.3 FM, said his new job, which he has held since August 2008, has given him a new appreciation for current events.

“Reading and writing about the news has made the news more understandable for me, and more exciting,� he said.

Neufeld, a novelist and screenplay writer for most of his career, now rises before dawn and compiles news stories from an Associated Press wire feed, local newspapers, the state police and local fire companies, and even from programs that catch his eye on public television.

“The fun of it is that I get to look at a story and think, ‘No, I don’t think I want to do that.’ Those stories generally come under the heading of death and destruction stories,� he said in an interview this week, as he looked back on some of the news he has reported since August.

“In one way, a community should be forewarned and forearmed, but on the other hand so much of the news is a recitation of events like that and I think we could be spending our time on something else.�

But while some stories don’t catch his attention, others grab and hold it.

He pointed to the Clark Rockefeller case: A German immigrant with multiple aliases has been accused of kidnapping his daughter and is suspected in a 1985 homocide. “There are some things you can’t help but follow.�

Looking back at 2008, Neufeld said two stories stand out in his mind: the election and the economy.

“The election itself is not the larger story, but it has fostered an enormous interest in Tuesday’s event in Washington,� he said. “No inauguration since 1960 has really mobilized the country’s interest as this one has.�

Comparing John F. Kennedy Jr. and Barack Obama, Neufeld noted their charisma and intellect, as well as their historic presidencies. Kennedy was the first Catholic and Obama is the first African-American.

“This is history being made and everyone wants to see it,� he said.

As for the economy, Neufeld said he is still waiting to see how events will unfold.

“For months, we just kept getting part of the picture,� he said. “It’s been eked out week by week and we still don’t know what Obama’s going to do. Financial players play everything very close to the vest. They look at the public as the enemy instead of the beneficiaries.�

If choosing what to report is the best part of the job, keeping commentary to himself might be the hardest. Neufeld described himself as outspoken politically and said he works to keep personal opinion out of his reporting.

“It’s very difficult for me to read an item that I think is just appalling and criminal without hearing in my head the comment that I want to make, but I’m not allowed to make it,� he said. “For example, the Sarah Palin saga was lots of fun to report, but I couldn’t make any comment. I had to come down the middle.�

He confessed that sometimes he slips.

“I have found, however, that it is possible with my voice to indicate to the public what my particular comment on the subject might be if I were allowed to make it,� he said. “And [morning show host] Thia, who basically is my boss, every time I start making a slide toward commentary, she pulls me up short.�

Neufeld said that working with Thia Tarrab and Corey Chapman, who does a lot of the studio’s production work and often adds on-air comments in the morning, is a lot of fun.

“We have some very dedicated people there. We have a good time,� he said.

In addition to reading the news, Neufeld often finds himself “freestyling� with Tarrab and Chapman during the show.

“The amount of freestyling depends on a, how many school closings there are each day and b, public service announcements, which can be very long,� he said. “If they’re not, then we can sit and chat about almost anything.�

Neufeld also said that, as much as he enjoys his job, it has forced him to make some changes.

“It does play havoc with your life, but I like what I’m doing,� he said. “I do look forward to going in every day, even though I have to get up at 3:30 in the morning. And in this economy, I’m thrilled to have a job. It helps pay the fuel bill and makes someone of my age feel that I have some value.�