ABC News Anchor Peter Jennings Dies at 67
Rest In Peace, Mr. Jennings...
He was one of, if not, my all time favorite news anchor. His book, The Century, is a great nostalgic look back at the 20th century. When I worked for ABC, I was always jazzed that I was part of the same network chain as Peter Jennings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer 58 minutes ago.
NEW YORK - Peter Jennings, the suave, Canadian-born broadcaster who delivered the news to Americans each night in five separate decades, died Sunday. He was 67.
Jennings, who announced in April that he had lung cancer, died at his New York home, ABC News President David Westin said late Sunday.
"Peter has been our colleague, our friend, and our leader in so many ways. None of us will be the same without him," Westin said.
With Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather, Jennings was part of a triumvirate that dominated network news for more than two decades, through the birth of cable news and the Internet. His smooth delivery and years of international reporting experience made him particularly popular among urban dwellers.
Jennings dominated the ratings from the late 1980s to the mid-'90s, when Brokaw surpassed him. He remained a Canadian until 2003, when he became a U.S. citizen, saying it had nothing to do with his politics — he did it for his family.
"He was a warm and loving and surprisingly sentimental man," said Ted Koppel, a longtime friend and fellow anchor.
Jennings deeply regretted not finishing school, and he would have wanted that lesson passed along, Koppel said. He made up for it by becoming a student of the world, studying cultures and their people for the rest of his life.
"No one could ad lib like Peter," said Barbara Walters. "Sometimes he drove me crazy because he knew so many details.
"He just died much too young."
