Bernard Shaw was the first chief news anchor for CNN when the network launched in 1980.
- Died: September 7, 2022 (Who else died on September 7?)
- Details of death: Died at a hospital in Washington of pneumonia at the age of 82.
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Journalism career
Shaw got his start as a journalist working on radio in Chicago before moving to CBS News in Washington D.C. After a move to ABC News, Shaw was tapped to be a CNN anchor when the pioneering news channel debuted. He was the station’s Washington anchor and co-anchored “PrimeNews” and “Inside Politics.” Among Shaw’s most memorable achievements was his reporting from Baghdad during the Gulf War. Covering the war as missiles flew past his windows, Shaw was noted for his steady calm during the chaotic situation. He remained with CNN until his retirement in 2001, making occasional appearances on the network in later years.
Shaw on covering the Gulf War
“In all the years of preparing to being anchor, one of the things I strove for was to be able to control my emotions in the midst of hell breaking out. And I personally feel that I passed my stringent test for that in Baghdad. The more intense the news story I cover, the cooler I want to be. The more I ratchet down my emotions, even the tone of voice because people are depending on you for accuracy, dispassionate descriptions of what’s happening. And it would be a disservice to the consumers of news – be they readers, listeners or viewers – for me to become emotional and to get carried away.” —from a 2014 interview for NPR’s “Tell Me More”
Tributes to Bernard Shaw
Full obituary: CNN
