Aaron Brown Dead: CNN anchor was 76
Aaron Brown, a news anchor known for his coverage on CNN’s broadcast of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, died Sunday in Washington, D.C., his family confirmed to CNN. He was 76.
Brown began his career as a radio talk show host in Minneapolis before moving to local television in Seattle, eventually becoming the anchor of ABC’s nightly news programs “World News Now” and “World News Tonight Saturday.” He joined CNN in 2001 and eventually founded “NewsNight,” which combined breaking news with in-depth analysis.
Brown was still in training when the September 11 terrorist attacks occurred, and although he was not scheduled to appear on the air that morning, he rushed to CNN’s offices in Manhattan, where he made his first appearance as an anchor and millions led viewers through the air. dramatic events of September 11.
“I felt extremely stupid at that moment,” Brown told CNN’s Brian Stelter years later in an interview about reporting live on the attacks. “A million things went through my head about what might happen… and it never occurred to me that they would happen, and it was the only time I thought, ‘Maybe you just don’t have what it takes to a story like this. ”
For his work during the attacks, Brown was honored with the Edward R. Murrow Prizewhich “recognizes outstanding achievement in broadcast and digital journalism… recognizing local and national news stories that uphold the RTDNA Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community.”
In addition to the Edward R. Murrow Prize, Brown would win three Emmys twice, including one Emmy for his report “Streets of Iraq.” He also won a DuPont, two New York Film Society World Medals and a George Foster Peabody Award.
After leaving CNN amid an upheaval in November 2005, Brown taught at Arizona State University for seven years as the school’s first Walter Cronkite professor of journalism. Brown also served as the John J. Rhodes Chair in Public Policy and American Institutions at Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University.
“He was one of the greatest anchors in CNN history,” Stelter said X. “NewsNight,” circa 2001 to 2005, was all Aaron: from his thoughtful writing and rigorous questioning, to “the whip” around the world with correspondents, to his signature preview of the morning papers.”
CNNs Anderson Cooper called Brown: “a wonderful writer and broadcaster… Thoughtful, funny and diligent, he had a truly unique talent and a beautiful way with words.”
“Aaron got to do the work he loved – and he felt fortunate to do that work as part of a community of people who were committed to good journalism and who became close friends,” Brown’s wife Charlotte Raynor said in a statement . X.
“Over the course of his career, Aaron worked morning shifts, overnight shifts and of course the ‘Overnight’ (a show he absolutely loved working on), but he always found a way to create both ordinary and special times with our daughter Gabby. and me.”
