In “Here Now the News,” author Jerry Barmash chronicles the stories of some of the best-known local news personalities in New York City from the 1970s and ’80s.

During an interview on “Mornings on 1” Monday, Barmash explained what compelled him to compile and dissect the unique era of broadcasting history.

“The thing about it was, when I first watched these people in the ’70s, I was barely a teenager, but I knew there was something special about all of these people. I didn’t know necessarily it would turn into book form, but I knew there was something dramatic about them,” Barmash said.

Barmash said WABC-TV’s Roger Grimsby’s famous intro to the nightly news – “Here now, the news” – became the inspiration for the title of his book.

Of Grimsby and others, Barmash writes, “They were up for the challenge that could only come from New York. Some of these anchors were trailblazers. These were the local anchors that made a difference in the market – and the country.”