Peter jennings last words

1. Early Life and Education
2. Entry into Broadcasting
3. Move to the United States
4. Rise to Prominence
5. The "Big Three" Era
6. 9/11 and Legacy
7. Personal Life and Death

Early Life and Education

Peter Jennings was born on July 29, 1938, in Toronto, Canada. His father, Charles, was a renowned broadcaster with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Jennings' father disapproved of nepotism, but at the age of nine, Jennings landed a 30-minute children's radio program. Academically, Jennings struggled and was expelled from high school in grade 10.

Entry into Broadcasting

After a stint as a bank teller, Jennings became a newsreader at a local radio station in Brockville, Ontario in 1959. In 1961, he joined a fledgling television station in Ottawa, where he started as an interviewer and co-producer before being moved to host a dance show called "13."

Move to the United States

In 1964, Jennings received an offer from ABC News. Despite some initial struggles due to his unfamiliarity with American culture and accent, he became an evening news anchor in 1965. In 1968, he left to hone his reporting skills and improve his accent as a foreign correspondent in the Middle East.

Rise to Prominence

Jennings' coverage of the tragic events at the 1972 Munich Olympics, in which Arab terrorists killed the Israeli athletic team, made him a household name. He returned as one of three co-anchors of "World News Tonight" in 1978 and eventually became its sole anchor. In addition to "World News Tonight," Jennings hosted numerous specials and moderated several presidential debates.

The "Big Three" Era

Together with Tom Brokaw of NBC and Dan Rather of CBS, Jennings formed the "Big Three" anchors who dominated American evening news broadcasts from the early 1980s to 2005. His death, following Brokaw's and Rather's retirements, marked the end of an era.

9/11 and Legacy

On September 11, 2001, Jennings anchored ABC's coverage of the terrorist attacks for 17 hours, an extraordinary feat that earned him accolades. He advised viewers to call their children if they had any in other parts of the country, a moment that demonstrated his empathy and connection with his audience.

Personal Life and Death

Jennings was married four times. His third wife, Kati Marton, gave birth to his two children, Elizabeth and Christopher. After their divorce, Jennings married Kayce Freed in 1997. In 2005, he announced his diagnosis of lung cancer and stepped away from his anchor role for treatment. Peter Jennings passed away on August 7, 2005.