Courtesy the Boston Globe

(July 16, 2010) After more than a year in development and a months-long search to find a male co-anchor alongside Jade McCarthy, NESN announced yesterday that “NESN Daily’’ will make its debut Aug. 6 at 11 p.m.

As first reported in this space in March, “NESN Daily,’’ which aims to have a more issues-oriented feel (NESN executive vice president of programming Joel Feld has suggested they are aiming for a sports version of “Regis and Kelly’’), will replace “SportsDesk,’’ the network’s signature highlights show for almost 20 years.

As for the male co-host, he is a familiar name locally, particularly to those who listen to the Spanish version of Red Sox broadcasts.

Uri Berenguer, revealed as NESN’s choice to be the apparent Regis Philbin to McCarthy’s Kelly Ripa, has been the radio voice of the Sox on the Spanish Baseball Network since 2003, when, at age 20, he became one of the youngest play-by-play announcers in baseball history.

Berenguer has deep and personal ties to the Red Sox and the city. At age 3, his family moved from Panama to Boston so he could undergo cancer treatment at the Jimmy Fund clinic at Dana Farber. After 16 years of treatment, he was declared cancer-free, and soon began his broadcasting career as an intern on WEEI’s Red Sox broadcasts.

The launch date of “NESN Daily’’ was delayed and/or postponed more than once as the network struggled to find the right pairing with McCarthy, a Newton native who has been at NESN for six months, having previously spent four years as a sports anchor/reporter at NBC affiliate WCAU-TV in Philadelphia.

Feld said yesterday that the network is confident it has found the right fit.

“Jade and Uri’s candid, dynamic, and smart approach to reporting will appeal to those who are as passionate about the stories and events of the day as they are,’’ said Feld.

The half-hour show will air live seven nights a week at 11 p.m. and again on replay from 5-9 a.m. and noon-1 p.m. the following day.

Cole Wright, prominent on “SportsDesk’’ since his hire in 2008, will continue as a weekend anchor and reporter for “NESN Daily.’’

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