Dan Rea | |
Birth Place: | Boston, Massachusetts |
Occupation: | Talk radio host |
Alma Mater: | Boston State College (B.A., 1970) Boston University School of Law (J.D., 1974) |
Dan Rea is the conservative-leaning[1] [2] host of "NightSide with Dan Rea" WBZ radio, following the death of Paul Sullivan.[3]
A graduate of Boston Latin School (Class of 1966),[4] Boston State College (English major) and Boston University School of Law, Rea is a native Bostonian[5] who now lives in Newton, Massachusetts. He was born at Faulkner Hospital and grew up in Readville.[6]
Prior to his current job on WBZ Radio, Dan Rea worked as a news reporter from 1976 to 2007 on WBZ's sister station, WBZ-TV, the CBS affiliate in Boston where he won two Regional Emmys and nine Regional Emmy Nominations. He also had a small role in the movie Reversal of Fortune. His present radio career is a return to WBZ Radio since he was on air there while at Boston University School of Law in the 70s.[7] At that time, Rea was a conservative activist "...serving as national vice chairman of Young Americans for Freedom and opposing Richard Nixon’s re-election as president in 1972 on the grounds that he was too liberal."[8] More recently, Rea has described his views as being libertarian conservative.
Rea spent four years trying to clear the name of Joe Salvati, a man who was wrongfully convicted of murder.[9] Rea was able to find evidence that exonerated Mr. Salvati's name and he was released from prison.[10] For his work on the case, " the Massachusetts Bar Association honored Rea with the First Annual Excellence in Journalism Award. The Massachusetts Criminal Defense Lawyers Association for his efforts in the Salvati case also honored Rea."[11]
In June 1988 Rea was presented with Boston University Law School's "Silver Shingle" award for outstanding public service."[11]
In November of 2010, Rea received the "Yankee Quill Award by the Academy of New England Journalists and the New England Society of Newspaper Editors.[5]
Rea and his wife Jeanne, are parents of Daniel III and Catherine Florence.[5] Daniel Rea III is the general manager of the Worcester Red Sox.[12]