The most significant historical events have been reported by renowned American journalist and news anchor Dan Rather for the network CBS. He is best known for his reporting on the Watergate affair, the Civil Rights movement, and the Vietnam War. Dan Rather was interested in reporting and journalism from an early age despite coming from a working-class household in Texas. He followed a career in journalism academically and was hired by KTRH Radio as a local broadcaster. Later, he changed to KHOU-TV, where the producers and executives at CBS offered him a job after being pleased by his coverage of Hurricane Carla. Dan Rather has had a distinguished career with CBS since 1962 and has gained notoriety for his coverage of significant events that altered the course of history. He spent more than 24 years as CBS Evening News’ news anchor in addition to his reporting duties. He has been working as an anchor for “Dan Rather Reports” and “The Big Interview” since 2006. A number of his books and memoirs have received excellent reviews.
Early Childhood & Life
In Wharton, Texas, on October 31, 1932, Dan Rather was born to Byrl and Daniel Irvin Rather Sr. Dan Rather developed a keen interest in journalism at a young age thanks to his father’s reading and journalistic interests. He loved listening to radio shows when he was younger.
He attended Love Elementary before moving on to Hamilton Middle. He completed high school at John H. Reagan. Rather graduated with a journalism degree from Sam Houston State College in Texas in 1953.
He gained his first reporting experience while working at the local radio station KSAM during his studies. Additionally, he contributed numerous articles and served as an editor for “The Houstonian,” the campus newspaper.
He has worked as a reporter for United Press International and the Associated Press. He joined the US Marine Corps after graduating but was later released due to illness.
The Career of Dan Rather
In 1954, Dan Rather began working as a reporter full-time for “The Houston Chronicle,” where he scripted newscasts, reported, and engaged in broadcasting. Later, he began hosting the ‘Coaches Show’, a weekly program for KTRH, the radio station for the University of Houston.
He started working as KTRH’s news director in 1956 and then for KTRK-TV as a television reporter. He continued to do lead broadcasts and field reporting.
In 1960, he started working for CBS member station KHOU as its news director. He rose to fame for his coverage of Hurricane Carla in 1961, and CBS decided to add him to their main roster as a result.
CBS selected Rather as the bureau chief of the Dallas-based CBS News Southwest Bureau in 1962. He was then transferred to New Orleans’ Southern Bureau. He conducted interviews with figures including Vivian Malone and Martin Luther King Jr. as well as reporting on the Civil Rights Movement.
He was named the White House Correspondent by CBS in 1964. He relocated to London in 1965 and was appointed bureau chief for CBS News. To pursue a career as a war correspondent, he chose to relocate to Vietnam.
In order to cover the Vietnam War, Rather relocated to Saigon in Vietnam between 1965 and 1966. Later, he served as anchor of the CBS News special “The Wall Within,” in which he spoke about the terrible things he saw in Vietnam.
He returned to CBS in 1966 as a White House Correspondent after his time as a war correspondent, and he retained that post there until 1974. He covered Richard Nixon’s impeachment proceedings and the Watergate inquiry during his second tenure as White House Correspondent.
In 1968, he began making frequent appearances on news shows, such as “60 Minutes.” Over the course of nearly four decades, he served as the show’s host, editor, and correspondent. His tales emphasized political, social, and economic themes.
In 1981, he was named the “CBS Evening News” anchor. Until 2005, he held this role. He was involved in a number of disputes regarding his personal style and theatrical demeanor while serving as the anchor of the CBS Evening News. His journalistic ethics, though, stood up to the allegations.
’48 Hours’ was hosted by him from 1988 to 2002. The influence of “48 Hours on Crack Street” served as inspiration for the program, which concentrated on documenting and shooting incidents that take place within 48 hours.
He served as ’60 Minutes II’s’ correspondent and host from January 1999 to September 2005.
On June 20, 2006, just a few months before his contract expired, he left CBS News. He had spent about 44 years working for CBS.
In November 2006, he began hosting his program, “Dan Rather Reports,” for HDNET (now AXS TV). From 2006 through 2013, this news program aired for an hour.
He started hosting the self-produced program “The Big Interview” on AXS TV in 2013. The program consists of an hour-long talk with important figures. Simon Cowell, Aaron Sorkin, and Quentin Tarantino are some of his most enduring guests.
In addition, he worked on the ‘Dan Rather Presents’ series of documentaries for AXS TV. ‘America’s Mental Health Crisis’ and ‘The Shameful Side of International Adoption’ are the two most well-known documentary specials.
His production firm, “News and Guts Media,” which is closely related to his initiatives, would be established in 2015.
It was revealed in 2018 that Rather would be a part of the YouTube news and commentary show The Young Turks from the United States. Each week, he hosts a 30-minute newscast called “The News with Dan Rather” that airs on Mondays.
Deadlines and Datelines (1999) and The American Dream (2001) are only two of the acclaimed works that Rather is a co-author of. ‘Rather Outspoken’ (2013) and ‘What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism’ (2017) are two memoirs he has previously penned.
Rather continues to be a prominent figure in journalism today and frequently appears on new shows. He also contributes to print media and writes for a number of online publications. His frequent use of social media has made it easier for him to stay in touch with his supporters.
Bigger Works
Even though Dan Rather is a well-known name in the news industry, his tenure as the anchor for the venerable evening news show CBS Evening News was his most well-known and remembered. He anchored the program for 24 years, the longest tenure of any newscaster in the American television industry.
Recognition & Achievements
Sam Houston State University, where he attended college, opted to rename its communications building the Dan Rather Communications Building in his honor.
For his ongoing work in journalism, he received the Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award in 2005.
In acknowledgment of his services to journalism, Siena College in New York awarded him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 2007.
In 2013, he received the esteemed Trustees Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Personal Legacy & Life
Jean Goebel and Dan Rather have been wed since 1957. Currently, they divide their time between Austin and New York City. Dan and Robin, the couple’s two children, were born.
The Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas published ‘Dan Rather: American Journalist’ (2017) as a digital humanities project that tracked and celebrated Rather’s life.
His colorful, analogous speaking style and mannerisms, which are frequently referred to as “Ratherisms,” attest to his enduring popularity with his listeners.