Retired sportscaster Dale Hansen has broken his silence regarding allegations that Iowa news anchor Dustin Nolan plagiarized his viral on-air farewell speech. Hansen, 77, told the Daily Mail that he is "simply flattered" and believes Nolan may have "just appreciates good writing."
FTVLive, a media watchdog, flagged Nolan's resignation speech from KWQC for using language strikingly similar to Hansen's own sign-off from WFAA in 2021. Hansen's original speech included the lines, "Television has to be more than sitcoms and cop shows. We need to take people out of their bubbles and their safe places and make them think about the world we live in." He also paid tribute to Dannie Livingston, who gave him his first TV gig, saying, "If you don’t have a Dannie Livingston in your life, I strongly encourage you to find one. He makes dreams come true."
Nolan's speech on Friday featured similar phrasing: "We have to take people out of their bubbles and comfort zones and make them think about the world we all live in." He also praised his wife, Jenna Jackson, saying, "If you don’t have a Jenna in your life, I suggest you find one. Because she makes dreams come true in every way another human can’t." Both anchors concluded with variations of "There will be no more TV tomorrows for me... Goodnight, and goodbye."
Hansen became aware of the FTVLive report on Monday after a family member brought it to his attention. Nolan reportedly reached out to Hansen on Tuesday, explaining that he grew up in Dallas and watched Hansen's broadcasts frequently as a child. According to Hansen, Nolan apologized, stating that it was "not my intent to copy anything."
Hansen said he had "no reason to doubt" Nolan and conceded that the mention of Nolan's wife was a particularly specific line. He added that while he might have appreciated a "shout out" if his work had such an impact, the situation did not bother him. He speculated it could have been "osmosis."
Nolan reportedly stated that he has "chosen to step away from the news industry" because Americans should never settle for "trends or sanitized news."