Any newscaster so dedicated to his viewers that he writes them notes while he's fighting prostate cancer and promises to return to the air soon deserves respect. Anyone who can stay in the high-pressure broadcast news industry for 50 years, all with the same station, deserves recognition. And anyone who has interviewed John Wayne, Paul McCartney, and Britney Spears ought to get some kind of award. For all of those reasons and more, the late Bill Carlson of WCCO-TV is our choice for Best Newscaster. Though he anchored the news, reported the weather and sports, and hosted game shows, movies, and special events, it was Carlson's talent for interviewing that captured viewers. He was the kind of person, one fan said, who could turn a chance meeting into a great, one-hour conversation. On air, Carlson's upbeat, melodic voice, handsome looks, and toothy grin gave viewers respite from the often depressing news of the day, drew them into a world of entertainment, art, and celebrity, and made people smile. He will be missed.