ABC News Anchor Peter Jennings

[Guest rohale]

Peter Jennings who was the anchor for World News Tonight has died. He had been battling lung cancer and had taken a leave of absence from his job as news anchor for the last couple of months. He was at home surrounded by his loved ones at the time of his death Does anybody have any thoughts on his passing or even have any opinions on his impact on the world of journalism.

 

Rohale

[VaHawk]

"Does anybody have any thoughts on his passing or even have any opinions on his impact on the world of journalism."

 

Take a puff as it is "springtime"???. Salem cigarettes RULE!

 

BooooooHOOOOfuckingHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jackhammer91406]

And now the news

 

I posted a reply late last night but I don't see it here, so I will try again. Unfortunately, I was waxing eloquent last night (it's true, trust me) so today's reply may be less entertaining.

 

I was saddened to see that he had passed, but really I had expected it given the quick announcement last spring and his absence since.

 

I don't know that I could make a case for his impact on journalism alone. But in the past 6-8 months we have seen all three of the major networks change anchors. One retired, one was fired (as in we will retire him and that will solve the problem) and now Jennings.

The high flying days of network news have been over for a while I am afraid. Cable news is the new format. Watching the nightly network news for me had become more habit than anything else (and even now, I have taken to doing my laps in the pool during that time slot).

 

When it comes to catastrophe or event news, I turn to FOX (UGH, just kidding really). Actually I turn to MSNBC.

 

The fact is, Jennings was great at what he did, and is the last of the great ones. But people have been saying that since Edward R Murrow and Walter Cronkite.

 

 

And Hawk, nice to see you back. Tell me, HOW do you REALLY feel about Jennings' death?

[+ friendofsheila]

Did he get lung cancer from smoking? I think it would have been useful for people to know, especially those young people who have yet to decide whether to start. Albeit I've only heard the 60-second announcements of his death. (Update: The USA Today obit does say "Jennings quit smoking two decades ago, but began again after 9/11," and that's all.)

 

I remember that film composer Jerry Goldsmith and singer Rosemary Clooney were both known, heavy smokers and their obits listed, respectively, "cancer" and "lung cancer" as their cause of death, but nothing about their long-standing habit of smoking. (The only time I remember hearing of a person of celebrity dying of lung cancer WITHOUT smoking was Ozzie Nelson). To her credit, Clooney once acknowledged her habit and called it a "terrible" one in a radio interview.

 

Tobacco habits take away from us some artists and public figures some of us would have liked to have had around longer. I wish they or their families would acknowledge their choice to smoke if it brought about the end of their life so that people can see it for what it is more often. (Maybe I'm also getting my info too often from the short stories that are on the radio...)

[+ Axiom2001]

As one who would watch Peter Jennings and his coverage of the news intermittently and interchangably with NBC's and CBS's, I am saddened of his demise. When I would view his newscast, I was always taken aback and marveled in his accent; I also liked his style and productivity. But the fact that the poor fellow did not live long enough to enjoy any type of retirement is heart wrenching!

 

I've seen this happen to a few and feel sorry for them. These men who have worked long and tedious hours come to an end before they have had a "taste" of what it feels like to reap almost absolute freedom!

[Curmudgeon]

>Did he get lung cancer from smoking?

 

Unfortunately, that can never be determined with certainty. It was probably related but not all smokers develop cancer, and not all lung cancer patients are (or were) smokers. There isn't a 1:1 ratio, and it can never be conclusively proved.

 

He was in NYC during 9/11 with all the crap that was in the air. That could have contributed as well. <shrug>

 

This is a question that can never be answered conclusively.

 

 

The problem with making something foolproof is the universe keeps making better fools.

[Guest ReturnOfS]

Rest in peace Mr. Jennings.