Douglas W. Cope

Douglas W. Cope, called Doug by all who knew him, died Jan. 3, 2024, at the Pat Roche Hospice Home in Hingham with his loving family by his side. 

The great pride and joy of his life were his kids Ben and Elly, who describe their dad as “kind, goofy, patient, and selfless.”

Doug was a well-known and well-loved radio journalist in Boston and beyond, famous for his deep and reassuring voice, his gift for public speaking, and the way he lit up a room. 

From 2003 through 2020, Doug reported and broadcast news stories, both in-studio and on-location, to scores of WBZ-1030 listeners across New England. 

In an on-air tribute to Doug, WBZ anchor Ben Parker played a clip from his popular “Parenting Report,” in which Doug delivered tips and trivia to moms and dads in his audience. 

“Whatever assignment Doug was given, he’d give 110% and he’d cover it the best way possible,” said Rod Fritz, the former WBZ news anchor who first met Doug when they served as officers of the Massachusetts Associated Press Broadcasters. “He was a great reporter.” 

Doug worked for WHYN-560 Radio in Springfield, where he landed after stints at radio stations in Maine and New Hampshire. In 1987, Doug became a reporter and anchor for WHDH-850 Radio in Boston. 

He left the airwaves in the late 1990s for jobs in state government, serving as communications director for Representative Ed Teague, public communications officer for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and director of public affairs for the Mass. Dept of Transportation (DOT) Highway Division. 

Doug returned to radio in 2003 when WBZ offered him a morning slot as reporter and anchor. There, he covered major Boston events including the Whitey Bulger trial, political conventions, elections, scores of State House press conferences, and many sports championship parades. He reported from the starting line in Hopkinton and along the route on just about every Marathon Monday. 

“He was on the frontlines,” Fritz said. “He had to take a story, then tell the story, in 45 seconds or less, and he did that very well.”

“Doug was a reporter, an anchor, a writer, and an editor, depending on the assignment on any given day. His conversational delivery and the humor he’d throw in when appropriate was always fantastic. And so were his descriptions, his phrasings, and his enthusiasm about whatever news he was reporting on.” 

Doug was born in Norwood in 1954 to Robert Harper Cope and Eugenia Louise Cope (Fender) and raised in Marblehead. He earned a degree in communications from Emerson College. For 30 years he lived in Hingham where he raised his family with his former wife Jennifer. 

After retiring from WBZ, Doug moved to Rockland, where he became involved with local politics and community service. Since 2016 he was a Broadcast Board Member of the NE Chapter of SAG/AFTRA.

Doug volunteered each week at the Talking Information Center (TIC) in Marshfield where he read news from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and local publications to listeners who are mostly blind or visually impaired. Doug initiated a feature called  “Globe Flashback,” in 

which he’d choose a news event such as the Blizzard of ‘78 or the Stock Market Crash of 1929, then read the Boston Globe coverage of the event from its archives.

He loved checking out local breweries across New England, fishing on Cliff Pond and dining at Cooke’s Seafood, ideally in the company of his kids. 

Doug will be sorely be missed by his son Ben and daughter-in-law Jenna of Milton, his daughter Elly of Cambridge, his brother Don and sister-in-law Sheryl of Issaquah, WA, Charlie, his cat, and too many friends to count. 

As Doug would have wished, his family has arranged an open house and informal commemoration at Castle Island Brewing Co., 31 Astor Ave., Norwood, on Thurs., Jan. 11, from 4-8pm. All are welcome. A private burial will be held in Westerly R.I. at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Doug’s memory to the Talking Information Center.