Peter Jennings appreciation thread

[undeterred]

Please only post here if you do not feel like trashing someone on the day of their passing away.

He was an intelligent and capable journalist, the best of the major news anchors. I'd still rather hear a live report of bad news from him than from anyone else. I watched him for years, though not so much these last few, when the ABC network seemed to be much too soft on their handling of Bush.

I am sorry he's lost his fight with cancer. Condolences to his family and coworkers. He will be greatly missed.

[LaurenG]

1. I feel deep sadness at his passing

The end of an era. All the newscasters we grew up with/listened to for years are retiring and now Mr. Jennings has died. I send my deepest condolences to his family and friends.

[KitchenWitch]

2. He was truly a jewel in the field of journalism

One of the most remarkable things about him was the fact that he had skeletons in his closet (dropping out of high school) and was still able to become a successful journalist. That could never happen today, in the age of credentials and four year pieces of paper. He chose to become a US citizen in 2002...obviously he believed in this country!

[Taxloss]

3. He was probably the highest-profile US newsreader in the UK.

The BBC shares footage with ABC, so when you're watching BBC NEWS 24, you occasionally get an hour of "World News Tonight", with Jennings hosting. Consequently, I've seen far more of him than any of the other American anchors. He seemed to me to be the epitome of the old-school American anchorman, the Cronkite generation - gravitas and authority. He oozed professionalism. It is very sad to hear of his passing, and those mourning him today have my thoughts, even from so far away.

(I assume ABC viewers got some News 24 in return for World News Tonight. Also, watching American TV re-edited for the BBC was a rare pleasure; when Jennings cut to what, for American viewers, I suppose would have been an advert break, we got a BBC "sting" and the weather. It was very smoothly done.)

[rodeodance]

4. Jennings was my choice of network news (amongst the big 3).. I wish his

family well.

[KitchenWitch]

6. Unfortunately Taxloss, we in the US do not get "foreign" news

Because for some reason, our media believes the world revolves around us. Unless one has cable or satellite TV and their cable/satellite carrier includes news sources such as the BBC, we get all domestic news. No News 24. :(

[Taxloss]

11. BBC News 24 is the BBC "rolling news" service.

It's digital, not terrestrial, but when BBC1 programming finishes for the evening, you get News 24 instead.

[KitchenWitch]

12. cool

Wish we had it!

[H2O Man]

5. He had class.

And that class is something one can't learn in a classroom, buy in a high-priced store, or fake.

[Crankie Avalon]

7. He was the most dignified of all the anchors...

...one of the last of what has become a rare breed in America: A serious major media journalist.

His "first thought" would never have been to gleefully look on a terror attack as an investment opportunity, that's for sure.

[Patsy Stone]

8. I'll miss you, Peter

I didn't believe anything until you told me about it. RIP.

[undeterred]

9. On September 11, 2001

- the day Peter started smoking again -
I left work with a migraine and watched him on ABC the rest of the day. For me there was no one else.

[Patsy Stone]

32. Yep.

It's all so sad.

[papercut]

10. Farewell, and thank you, Mr. Jennings

He always struck me as the kind of fellow who could make you feel smarter just by being in the same room with him.

Thanks for loaning him to us, Canada.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

13. Watching Mr. Jennings always gave me a sense of calm

He was the end of an era.
How I long for those days again.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

14. I am so saddened by Peter Jenning's passing. Years ago, I used

to watch him exclusively and admired him greatly. He was always a class act.

Blessings to you Peter and your family.

With love,
Me

[undeterred]

15. His colleagues are talking about him on GMA right now

Walters, Koeppel, Sawywer, Gibson... :cry:

[xultar]

16. Peter is a loss of one of the last true great journalist.

Peter was AWESOME. He was a News persons reporter. He will be missed!

[babylonsister]

17. Mr. Jennings was my favorite anchor.

We watched him for years! And I watched all the tributes to him last night; he was highly respected, set the bar high, and will be sorely missed. RIP, Peter.

[Wickerman]

18. He will be missed

Truly a classy man.

R.I.P. Mr. Jennings.

[Midlodemocrat]

19. He was my favorite anchor.

I watched him from the beginning of his career at ABC. I really respected him.

I am sorry for his family and friends. He was truly one of a kind.

[gizmonic]

33. My favorite anchor, too.

I was a kid in the 70's and I remember watching ABC News w/Frank Reynolds. Although I didn't always understand the nature of the news stories, I was always intrigued with Peter Jennings broadcasting from places I had never heard of.

I give him credit for exposing my little kid mind to all sorts of different people and places.

He was a class act.

My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.

I wish he hadn't smoked. :cry:

[AussieDave]

20. A great loss to journalism and life in general

It was always a pleasure to welcome him into my home for the evening news - he told it like it was, and his work on 9/11 was extraordinary.

He will be greatly missed - R.I.P.

[bunkerbuster1]

21. My favorite mainstream media anchor

I don't mean to damn with faint praise; he did a terrific job and maintained control over an enterprise that could have been far, far worse.

I'm sorry to see him go; I know that ABC will be much poorer for this loss.

[justinsb]

22. I kept hoping he'd come home to work one day

You will be (and were) missed

[Mutley]

23. Wow. So sad!

I grew up watching Peter Jennings.

[pointblank]

24. I am saddened by this.

I guess I have been hiding under my rock too much, because I wasn't even aware that he had become seriously ill...I had heard he had cancer, but he did a special not too long ago on UFO's that I enjoyed very much and he seemed fine to me, so I assumed he had beaten it.

R.I.P Peter Jennings.

My condolences to his family.

[chimpymustgo]

26. Jennings was "skeptical" about presence of WMD's in Iraq

according to ABC News Chief, David Westin on GMA this morning.

"I said, Peter, sorry, you are WRONG on this one". Peter replied, "don't be so sure."

And he was proven right, admits David Westin this morning. Oh, if the rest of the lapdogs has a fraction of Peter Jennings' skepticism and basic journalistic integrity.

[marions ghost]

25. one of the best

:cry:
Peace, Peter.
I'll always remember him on 9-11. He did such a brilliant job that day. Condolences to those who worked with him and his family.
A real loss.

[SharonRB]

27. I cried this morning when I heard the news

Even though it wasn't a shock, it was so, so sad. He was the best of the best and we have no one comparable to replace him. A class act all the way. He definitely will be missed.

[SoCalDem]

Very nice pic of him and his wife (from 2002)

[wicket]

28. Rest in peace Mr. Jennings

:patriot:

[peekaloo]

29. R.I.P.

To be honest I rarely watch ABC News yet I'm sad to see Mr. Jennings lose his battle with cancer. I've seen his appearances on Late Night talk shows and he was always urbane, charming and witty(his humor could be quite trenchant!).

I also loved it when he referred to our Vainglorious Misleader as "Mr." instead of President. :D

Maybe it's just me but I seemed to detect a noticeable disdain for the Chimp in Charge in PJ's demeanor.

Farewell.

[Flying Dream Blues]

30. After Walter Cronkite retired, Peter Jennings became

the man I trusted and turned to for news. I'm so sorry to hear about his death. We will all miss him for his integrity and sharp, inquisitive mind. It was always easy to see he was a man of great humanity and decency, a person who truly cared about the world. Rest in peace.

[etherealtruth]

31. My condolences to all who feel his loss ...

I pray his death was peaceful ...

[Lannes]

34. Class act

He will be missed.Especially considering the new crop of anchors out there.

[blondeatlast]

35. Another true journalist passes. There are precious few that remain.

Democracy mourns the passing of another.

God bless you, Mr. Jennings.

[shifting_sands]

36. You were class

It seems to be a bad year for journalists and network News. Peter Jennings had class and he brought it to the media. There seems to be so few true journalists anymore, by that I mean people who care about the truth and will work for the truth of the story. I am sorry he is gone, I thought he contributed a great deal over the last 30 years.

[undeterred]

37. kick! for Peter

[HEyHEY]

38. Peter you're one of my heros

ANd I'm glad to have seen you deliver

[newsguyatl]

39. the news icon of my generation

the last of the three anchors to remain, yet the first to go.

he will be missed -- and it is no cliche to say of him, television news will never be the same.

godspeed.

[Booster]

40. I feel he was above the rest in his field. He brought class to the

news media, right along with Dan Rather. I didn't always agree with him, but then I seldom always agree with anyone. I did love his coverage of the millennium more than any one else's. He was a very classy guy, with honor and integrity, and he shall be missed.

[undeterred]

41. He was head and shoulders above the rest.

He obviously loved his job, and his colleagues thought the world of him.

[julialnyc]

42. I loved what his families statement was "he knew he lived a great life"

I watched all of the tributes of his life. Wow! He lived an amazing life. He sat front row to so many of this worlds most important events. I will miss him

[fresh1966]

43. Peter Jennings - September 11th, 2001

If anyone's interested. I've just posted the network footage of the first 5+ continuous hours of ABC News with Peter Jennings' coverage of the events of September 11th, beginning several minutes before the news hit the airwaves:

http://www.mininova.org/tor/87977

If you know anything about bit torrents, it's a 1 GB torrent file, so it may take a while to download at first.