Peter Jennings: A Reporter's Life Book

Told through brief interviews by the people who knew him best, we glean a little bit more about the man, the son, the brother, the father, the journalist, the reporter, the anchor, the editor, the mentor, the colleague and the friend all of whom encompass Peter Jennings.

Below are some of the things that struck a chord with me:

Peter Jennings was as complex as the world around us.

Regarding the War on Terror, the President said "if you are not with us, you're against us". Jennings believed that the "world is really more complicated" and that "nothing is black and white".

He had integrity; he was the consummate professional.

He was passionate about his role(s) in life.

He was very well read -- if he wasn't familiar with a topic or didn't know much about a country, its people or its politics; he did his homework until he was well versed in the subject matter.

He didn't believe that he could adequately convey an event unless he understood why something was happening.

He loved world politics, especially those relating to the middle-east. He often looked at the bigger picture (the world).

He was like a kid in a candy store when he was reporting abroad.

News on the home front was important, but world news was at the top of the food chain.

He hated to fly.

He was a perfectionist and as such he expected a great deal from those around him.

No tabloid journalism for Peter Jennings. He hated doing stories on O.J., Brad & Angelina, etc. There was a place for these stories and it wasn't "World News Tonight". He could almost be described as a purist -- his advice to one young journalist ... "Be clear, be fair and don't use adjectives". The type of journalism described above required adjectives. "He wanted raw facts as simply and as quickly as possible."

He was an emotional man and he worked hard to stay professional in front of the camera. The one time that he really came close to losing it was during 9/11 when he turned around to the desk behind him and found a notes that his children had called. He turned around and encouraged the public to "call their children" to make sure they were alright.

He cared greatly about his children.

Jennings loved doing documentaries -- Gretchen Barbarovic, Jennings longtime Executive Assistant said that "the nightly news was his platform, but the documentaries were his substance".

Through meticulous research, he tackled such topics as: AIDS, Children's Issues, Religion, the Tobacco Industry and more.

He liked neckties.

Somebody once asked him if it is possible to be objective. He answered "probably not, but we can be fair".

If I had to choose one word to describe this man, it would be: compassionate.

Finally, Don Hewitt, Creator of CBS News' "60 Minutes" said that there is a special talent to being an anchor. Hewitt hates the word "anchor" and he coined it. In an interview for this book, he talks about being in Chicago during the 1952 political convention where he and others were sitting around talking. They had this new kid, Walter Cronkite and they were trying to figure their strategy during the convention. They decided it would be like a relay team. "You'll hand the baton off, but Cronkite will run the anchor leg." That's where anchor came from. There are anchors today who don't have the slightest idea why they're called anchors; they think it has something to do with boats.

Peter Jennings was the ultimate anchor. He was in a class with Walter Cronkite. There is no higher compliment.