I just want to take a moment to share the news of the passing of a great journalist and professor, Jim Thistle. Jim was the director of the Boston University College of Communications Broadcast Journalism Program, and I was a student of his in the early '90s. Jim conferred upon me my Masters of Broadcast Journalism, and occasionally invited me back to talk to the students. Jim worked in TV news for 30 years, serving as news director at the CBS, NBC and ABC affiliates here in Boston. Whenever there was a story about news in the news, the stations went to him for comment.

Not only was Jim a mentor - he was a mentor to those who are now others' mentors.

Even though his DNA was in TV news, Jim knew that the Web would change everything. We talked in 1992 about the changes that were coming. I remember he brought in speakers who, even before we had the World Wide Web as we knew it, spoke about how this nebulous thing known as "digital convergence" would change our jobs. Jim embraced the concept, and as the years went by held panels on the topic and eagerly taught students about the Web.

Getting an internship in Boston is easy - all you need to say is "Jim Thistle sent me."  That's how I landed at this startup in 1992 called "New England Cable News," where I launched my career.

There are all sorts of debates today about the value of a journalism degree, and you can even count me in the debate. But there is no debate about the value one teacher can have in your life. Thanks, Jim.