Mervin Block is a broadcast writing coach and the author of" Writing Broadcast News" and "Writing News for TV and Radio." He has worked as a staff writer for the "CBS Evening News" with Walter Cronkite and the "ABC Evening News" with Frank Reynolds and as a freelancer at "NBC News." Previously, he was a Chicago newspaper reporter and editor. He has written for Ed Bradley, Tom Brokaw, Walter Cronkite, Douglas Edwards, Dan Rather and Mike Wallace. As an adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, he taught broadcast newswriting for more than 30 years. In 2004, the Chicago Press Veterans Association selected him as Press Veteran of the Year. He lives in New York City.