With Peter Jenninings death it is indeed an end of a era for television evening news anchors. The legacy of the American news media has profoundly changed. In the era of 24 hour-cable news channels, the internet , blogs and Fox News the identity of the evening news anchors has been marginalized. I have to admit that I was not a huge fan of Peter Jennings (I liked Dan Rather better.) but I admired him. Jennings was the well informed of the "Big Three" anchors. His informative nature and desire to understand all the angles of the story is what he made up for his lack of a formal education. Peter Jennings was brought up during the the era of T.V. news pioneers of Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow and others. These people and Jennings every night the news and doing what the press is supposed to do: investigative reporting, and the watchdog for government accountability. The Big Three anchors Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings have anchored 20-plus years from basic jounalistic news to the advent of the internet. They were even there when CNN, MSNBC and (Oh God!) Fox News was on the screen.
At a time where the news passes for entertainment, shouting matches by the right-wing punditry, and bounds or rancor between the Bush Crime Family and the American people. The American news media forgets its roots and overdue for finding its true purpose besides being a lapdog for the Bush Crime Family. Let us remember what Pete Jennings have done for his tireless work for the American media. Let's remember without him and many others the American media would not reach the prominence it achieved before its eventual downfall of today.
Good Night, Peter Jennings. I hope to hear you report how good heaven is for you and have many conversations with God.
Rest in Peace.
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