ALTER (2005) NEWSWEEK, 8/22/49

Jennings will be remembered for 2 things. He was a premiere anchor and he was a former heavy smoker who returned to smoking after 9/11 and it killed him.

Jennings was the anchor of ABC when he was in his mid 20’s. This was his dream. His father had been a well known newscaster in Canada. Today, Peter Mansbridge holds that honor in Canada. ABC at the time was dead last in the ratings and had few resources for the news. After anchoring, he became a world news reporter and did extremely well. He was self taught and as a high school drop out he made himself known by knowing about the world by either being there or reading about it.

Finally, it was time to get on top again and he did supremely well. ABC fought it out with NBC to be the top news show. Jennings gave the news.

As a heavy smoker, he was lucky to live to his late 60’s. He resumed smoking after 9/11. That did it.

If there is a “Jennings effect” it will mean that others are stopping because of him and they will be withdrawing from a deadly and highly addictive drug.

Jennings story ends the trilogy of the three major anchors of the last 20 years. Jennings is dead and Brokaw and Rather had semi-retired.