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Very few names in broadcast journalism are as recognizable as Peter Jennings. His father, Charles, was the most prominent radio announcer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Thus, it seems perhaps predictable that Peter Jennings would have his own successful career in the news industry.  
For decades, Peter Jennings broadcast live nearly every night at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.  Much as Cronkite and Murrow before him, Jennings was a certainty, a network news figure who was there when and if he was needed.  On September 11, 2001 when the "Twin Towers" of the World Trade Center were attacked by planes and rocked with explosions, Jennings stayed on the air longer than anyone thought possible.


Jennings was ten years old when he received his first anchor job for Peter's Program, a Saturday morning radio show which showcased young talent. As a student, he exhibited little interest in formal education. However, his interests and talent in the area of news would demonstrate his capacity and willingness to learn. He began his professional career as a disc jockey and news reporter for a small radio station in Brockville, Ontario, and like many reporters who achieve major success his opportunity to make a name for himself came with breaking news. In this case it was the story of a train wreck he covered for the CBC that brought attention. But the story got him a job with CTV, Canada's first private TV network, rather than with the public broadcaster. On CTV he was noticed by ABC News' Elmer Lower, who recognized Jennings' good looks and charm as elements that would sell to the American public. Shortly after, in 1964, Jennings joined ABC as an anchor for a 15-minute evening news segment.
== Early Life ==


A year later, in an unprecedented rise to the top, Jennings, at 27, became the youngest ABC Evening News anchor. His competition at the time--Walter Cronkite on CBS, the team of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley on NBC--stood as the most credible anchors of their time. In this competitive environment, Jennings' was unable to break through and establish a strong share for ABC News. In 1968, he left the anchor desk and was sent to Rome to become a foreign correspondent and sharpen his reporting skills. Jennings was credited with establishing the first American television news bureau in the Middle East and served for seven years as ABC News Bureau Chief in Beirut, Lebanon. After building a stong reputation for world-class reporting, Jennings was put back in an anchor position for A.M. America, the predecessor for Good Morning America, where he delivered five-minute newscasts from Washington.
In spite of his connection with America, Jennings was not born in the United States. But his father, Charles was a prominent voice on radio the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). And so while he would change his surroundings, followed a familiar path.


The experience and contacts in the Middle East paid off for Jennings. He established a reputation as Anwar Sadat's favorite correspondent after completing a documentary on the Egyptian president and in 1977, when Egypt and Israel were about to make peace, Jennings was called to the scene. In 1978 he was the first U.S. reporter to interview the Ayatollah Khomeini, then in exile in Paris. When the Ayatollah came to power in Iran, Jennings was the first reporter to be granted an interview and accompanied the Ayatollah on the plane back to Iran.  
According to the Museum of Broadcast Communications, at ten years old Jennings took his first anchor job on "Peter's Program," a talent showcase for young people that aired on Saturday mornings. From there, he continued to excel at broadcasting. He would be known by many in the business as someone who never relied on formal education even though he always appeared erudite on television.


Shortly after, on 10 July 1978, the first ABC World News Tonight aired. There Jennings was to become a star. His breadth of experience in national and international reporting served him well while he was a reporter for World News Tonight, and in 1983 he was named lead anchor.  
His professional career began in Brockville, Ontario where he was a reporter and disc jockey for a small radio station. Among his first opportunities to show how well he could manage the fast-paced world of breaking news was a train wreck that got the attention of the CBC -- and ultimately a job with CTV, the Canadian private television network.  When Elmer Lower of ABC News saw the young Jennings, he saw the Canadian as someone whose charm and appearance would appeal to an American audience.  And in 1964, Jennings appeared in his first news segment for ABC.


During the late 1980s, Jennings anchored several highly acclaimed programs including a live series called Capital to Capital, which broadcast communications between Soviet officials and members of the American Congress. News specials on political volatility in China, Iran, and the former Soviet Union also won praise. His contributions include a live, via-satellite, town hall meeting between American citizens and Soviet leaders Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin. This show, with its question and answer format, gave Americans unprecedented exposure to the Soviet leaders.


Although Jennings' political reports have won him the most praise at World News Tonight, they do not stand alone. Jennings also anchors Peter Jennnings Reporting. These one-hour, prime-time specials address important issues facing the nation and the world. He has explored issues ranging from abortion, gun-control, and rape to funding for the arts and Ross Perot's presidential campaign. Jennings' most recent accomplishments include a series of news reports for children. In 1994 he served as moderator of a special question and answer broadcast from the White House in which American children questioned President Clinton about issues important to their lives.
== The Making of an Anchor ==


For his work, Jennings won several Emmy and Overseas Press Club Awards, and the prestigious Alfred I duPont Columbia University Award for journalism. In 1989, a Times Mirror poll found Jennings to be the most believable source of news. Jennings was also named "best anchor" by the Washington Journalism Review in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992.  
Just 27 years old in 1965, Jennings became the youngest ever ABC Evening News anchor. Competing with Huntley-Brinkley on NBC and Cronkite on CBS, however, was not easy. Three years later, Jennings was in Rome as a foreign correspondent, aiming to improve his skills as a reporter. Jennings helped establish a network news presence in the Middle East and was the Beirut Bureau Chief for ABC News for seven years.


Peter Jennings died of lung cancer on August 7, 2005.
By the 1970s, Jennings had succeeded in developing a reputation for being a serious reporter and he returned to the United States as anchor for A.M. America's five-minute Washington newscast.  From there, Jennings found his experience paying off.  At a time when war in the Middle East remained a constant possibility even when the battles ended, he was well-positioned to cover the region.  He was in the middle of the negotiations between Egypt and Israel as they attempted to make peace.  He became the first reporter for an American news organization to interview the exiled Ayatollah Khomeni in Paris. And he was there with Khomeni on his plane back to Iran.
 
Jennings had reached the top.  In 1978, ABC World News Tonight aired for the first time.  By 1983, he was the lead anchor.  And over the next two decades, he broadcast news programs featuring exchanges between the Cold War Superpowers, specials on crises in China, Iran, and the former Soviet Union.  And would oversee specials, including a town hall meeting between American citizens and Soviet leaders Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin.
 
When he died of lung cancer on August 7, 2005, Jennings had won numerous awards, including several Emmys and the DuPont Award for Journalism from Columbia University.  He had also gained acceptance from his adoptive homeland where polls and reviews regularly named him best anchor or the most believable source for news.

Revision as of 00:18, 15 November 2007

For decades, Peter Jennings broadcast live nearly every night at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Much as Cronkite and Murrow before him, Jennings was a certainty, a network news figure who was there when and if he was needed. On September 11, 2001 when the "Twin Towers" of the World Trade Center were attacked by planes and rocked with explosions, Jennings stayed on the air longer than anyone thought possible.

Early Life

In spite of his connection with America, Jennings was not born in the United States. But his father, Charles was a prominent voice on radio the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). And so while he would change his surroundings, followed a familiar path.

According to the Museum of Broadcast Communications, at ten years old Jennings took his first anchor job on "Peter's Program," a talent showcase for young people that aired on Saturday mornings. From there, he continued to excel at broadcasting. He would be known by many in the business as someone who never relied on formal education even though he always appeared erudite on television.

His professional career began in Brockville, Ontario where he was a reporter and disc jockey for a small radio station. Among his first opportunities to show how well he could manage the fast-paced world of breaking news was a train wreck that got the attention of the CBC -- and ultimately a job with CTV, the Canadian private television network. When Elmer Lower of ABC News saw the young Jennings, he saw the Canadian as someone whose charm and appearance would appeal to an American audience. And in 1964, Jennings appeared in his first news segment for ABC.


The Making of an Anchor

Just 27 years old in 1965, Jennings became the youngest ever ABC Evening News anchor. Competing with Huntley-Brinkley on NBC and Cronkite on CBS, however, was not easy. Three years later, Jennings was in Rome as a foreign correspondent, aiming to improve his skills as a reporter. Jennings helped establish a network news presence in the Middle East and was the Beirut Bureau Chief for ABC News for seven years.

By the 1970s, Jennings had succeeded in developing a reputation for being a serious reporter and he returned to the United States as anchor for A.M. America's five-minute Washington newscast. From there, Jennings found his experience paying off. At a time when war in the Middle East remained a constant possibility even when the battles ended, he was well-positioned to cover the region. He was in the middle of the negotiations between Egypt and Israel as they attempted to make peace. He became the first reporter for an American news organization to interview the exiled Ayatollah Khomeni in Paris. And he was there with Khomeni on his plane back to Iran.

Jennings had reached the top. In 1978, ABC World News Tonight aired for the first time. By 1983, he was the lead anchor. And over the next two decades, he broadcast news programs featuring exchanges between the Cold War Superpowers, specials on crises in China, Iran, and the former Soviet Union. And would oversee specials, including a town hall meeting between American citizens and Soviet leaders Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin.

When he died of lung cancer on August 7, 2005, Jennings had won numerous awards, including several Emmys and the DuPont Award for Journalism from Columbia University. He had also gained acceptance from his adoptive homeland where polls and reviews regularly named him best anchor or the most believable source for news.

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