Arnold Díaz (1949–2023), Shame on You consumer watchdog
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2 min readArnold Díaz was a reporter and consumer watchdog whose news segments “Shame on You,” “Shame Shame Shame,” and “What a Shame” made him an icon in the New York City news scene and the bane of bad businesses everywhere.
- Died: October 24, 2023 (Who else died on October 24?)
- Details of death: Died of multiple myeloma, a type of cancer, at the age of 74.
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Arnold Díaz’s legacy
Hailing from Brooklyn, Díaz built his legacy on helping consumers stand up against corporate incompetence, corruption, and misbehavior. A graduate of Florida State University, with a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University, Díaz began his reporting career in Miami before returning to New York City, where he would spend the rest of his days.
In the mid 1970s, he joined CBS and became a consumer watchdog reporter. He created “Shame on You,” a segment devoted to calling out businesses or government agencies that defrauded everyday citizens or otherwise gave them the runaround. The segment made a splash, and Díaz soon became one of the most recognizable media figures. In the 1990s, he moved to ABC, beginning a period when he jumped around among stations. Depending on where he worked at the time – ABC, CBS, WPIX, and others – his segment was called “Shame on You,” “Shame Shame Shame,” or “What a Shame.”
Díaz earned 48 Emmy awards over the course of his 50-year career. He was inducted into the National Academy of Arts and Sciences Silver Circle in 1995. Díaz retired from WPIX in 2022 to spend time with his family in Port Chester, New York.
Notable quote
“Shame on you.”—Díaz’s catchphrase from many “Shame on You” segments
Tributes to Arnold Díaz
Full obituary: PIX11
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