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I changed the word "on" to the word "for". Brown did not cover the 9/11 attacks on CNN. CNN was not attacked. He covered the attacks for CNN.
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{{Short description|American journalist}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Aaron Brown
| name = Aaron Brown
| image=
| image =
| caption =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|11|10}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|11|10}}
| birth_place = [[Hopkins, Minnesota|Hopkins]], [[Minnesota]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| birth_place = [[Hopkins, Minnesota|Hopkins]], [[Minnesota]], [[United States|U.S.]]
Line 14: Line 15:
| title =
| title =
| family =
| family =
| spouse = Charlotte Raynor (1982-present)
| spouse = {{marriage|Charlotte Raynor|1982}}
| children = 1<br>Gabby Brown
| children = 1
| relatives =
| relatives =
| religion =
| salary =
| networth =
| networth =
| credits = ''[[Wide Angle (TV series)|Wide Angle]]'' anchor (2008-2009)<br/>''[[NewsNight with Aaron Brown]]'' anchor (2001-2005)<br/>''[[World News Saturday]]'' anchor (2006-2007)<br/>''[[Good Morning America Weekend Edition|Good Morning America Sunday]]'' anchor (1997-1999)<br/>'' [[Nightline (US news program)|Nightline]]'' reporter (mid 1990s)<br/>''[[World News Now]]'' anchor (1992-1993)
| credits = ''[[Wide Angle (TV program)|Wide Angle]]'' anchor (2008–2009)<br/>''[[ABC World News Tonight|World News Saturday]]'' anchor (2006–2007)<br/>''[[NewsNight with Aaron Brown]]'' anchor (2001–2005)<br/>''[[Good Morning America|Good Morning America Sunday]]'' anchor (1997–1999)<br/>'' [[Nightline]]'' reporter (mid 1990s)<br/>''[[World News Now]]'' anchor (1992–1993)
| agent =
| agent =
}}
}}
'''Aaron Brown''' (born November 10, 1948) is an American [[broadcast journalism|broadcast journalist]] most recognized for his coverage of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]],<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/05/AR2006080501142_2.html | work=The Washington Post | first1=Amy | last1=Argetsinger | first2=Roxanne | last2=Roberts | title=Out, Damned Spot! | date=August 6, 2006}}</ref> his first day on air at [[CNN]]. He was a longtime reporter for ABC, the founding host of ABC's ''[[World News Now]]'', weekend [[News presenter|anchor]] of ''[[World News with Diane Sawyer|World News Tonight]]'' and the host of [[CNN]]'s flagship evening program ''[[NewsNight with Aaron Brown]].'' He was the anchor of the PBS documentary series ''[[Wide Angle (TV series)|Wide Angle]]'' from 2008 to 2009. He was a professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at [[Arizona State University]] from 2007 to 2014.<ref>http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/aaron-brown-joining-cronkite-school/16768</ref><ref name="webapp4.asu.edu">https://webapp4.asu.edu/directory/person/1002891</ref>
'''Aaron Brown''' (born November 10, 1948) is an American [[broadcast journalism|broadcast journalist]] most recognized for his coverage of the [[September 11 attacks]] for [[CNN]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/05/AR2006080501142_2.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | first1=Amy | last1=Argetsinger | first2=Roxanne | last2=Roberts | title=Out, Damned Spot! | date=August 6, 2006}}</ref> He was a longtime reporter for ABC, the founding host of ABC's ''[[World News Now]]'', weekend [[News presenter|anchor]] of ''[[ABC World News Tonight|World News Tonight]]'' and the host of [[CNN]]'s flagship evening program ''[[NewsNight with Aaron Brown]].'' He was the anchor of the PBS documentary series ''[[Wide Angle (TV program)|Wide Angle]]'' from 2008 to 2009. He was a professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at [[Arizona State University]] from 2007 to 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Aaron Brown Joining Cronkite School|url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/aaron-brown-joining-cronkite-school/16768/|access-date=2020-09-15|website=www.adweek.com|date=9 August 2007 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="webapp4.asu.edu">{{Cite web|title=Aaron Brown {{!}} iSearch|url=https://isearch.asu.edu/profile/1002891|access-date=2020-09-15|website=isearch.asu.edu}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==


===Early life and career===
===Early life and career===
Brown was born to a [[American Jews|Jewish]] family in Minnesota,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=QH7MftSWNUcC&pg=PA174 ''Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish'' By Abigail Pogrebin] 2005</ref><ref>[http://www.interfaithfamily.com/arts_and_entertainment/popular_culture/Interfaith_Celebrities_The_Story_Behind_Eliot_Spitzers_Intermarriage.shtml Interfaith Family: "Interfaith Celebrities: The Story Behind Eliot Spitzer's Intermarriage"] By [[Nate Bloom]] 2012</ref> the third of five children of Rose, a home-maker, and Morton, a scrap-metal dealer.<ref name=PeopleCoolHand>[http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20135906,00.html People: "Cool Hand - Two Months on the Job, CNN's Aaron Brown Awoke to the Story of a Lifetime" by Michael A. Upton] December 13, 2011</ref> Aaron Brown is an American broadcast journalist who received much acclaim for his coverage of the September 11, 2001 attack.<ref name=rediff>{{cite web|title=Aaron Brown Biography|url=https://www.7infi.com/aaron-brown-biography-age-weight-height-friend-like-affairs-favourite-birthdate-other/ |work=7infi.com}}</ref> In the late 1960s, Brown dropped out of the [[University of Minnesota]] as a political science major and signed up for active duty in the [[U.S. Coast Guard]]. He began his broadcasting career as a radio talk show host in Minneapolis and later in Los Angeles. Before his time at the national news networks, Brown was a [[Seattle]] broadcasting staple, spending more than 15 years at television stations there, first at the [[NBC]] affiliate and then the [[CBS]] affiliate. He was hired by Seattle's [[KING-TV]] in 1976, initially working as an assignment editor but soon becoming a reporter and eventually anchor. In 1986 he moved to [[KIRO-TV]], where he anchored the evening newscast, and remained with KIRO until December 1991.<ref name="seatimes-dec1991">{{cite news|last=Boss|first=Kit|title=Aaron Brown Will Leave Kiro-TV News Friday|date=December 4, 1991|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19911204&slug=1320934|accessdate=November 1, 2010}}</ref>
Brown was born to a [[American Jews|Jewish]] family in Minnesota,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=QH7MftSWNUcC&pg=PA174 ''Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish'' By Abigail Pogrebin] 2005</ref><ref>[http://www.interfaithfamily.com/arts_and_entertainment/popular_culture/Interfaith_Celebrities_The_Story_Behind_Eliot_Spitzers_Intermarriage.shtml Interfaith Family: "Interfaith Celebrities: The Story Behind Eliot Spitzer's Intermarriage"] By Nate Bloom 2012</ref> the third of five children of Rose, a home-maker, and Morton, a scrap-metal dealer.<ref name=PeopleCoolHand>[http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20135906,00.html People: "Cool Hand - Two Months on the Job, CNN's Aaron Brown Awoke to the Story of a Lifetime" by Michael A. Upton] December 13, 2011</ref> In 1966, Brown dropped out of the [[University of Minnesota]] as a political science major and joined the [[U.S. Coast Guard]] reserves. He began his broadcasting career as a radio talk show host in Minneapolis and later in Los Angeles. Before his time at the national news networks, Brown was a [[Seattle]] broadcasting staple, spending more than 15 years at television stations there, first at the [[NBC]] affiliate and then the [[CBS]] affiliate. He was hired by Seattle's [[KING-TV]] in 1976, initially working as an assignment editor but soon becoming a reporter and eventually anchor. In 1986 he moved to [[KIRO-TV]], where he anchored the evening newscast, and remained with KIRO until December 1991.<ref name="seatimes-dec1991">{{cite news|last=Boss|first=Kit|title=Aaron Brown Will Leave Kiro-TV News Friday|date=December 4, 1991|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19911204&slug=1320934|access-date=November 1, 2010}}</ref>


===ABC===
===ABC===
Brown was brought to [[New York City]] to be the founding anchor of the late-night news program ''[[World News Now]]''. He also worked as a reporter for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s news operation. He left World News Now to work as a reporter for ''[[World News with Charles Gibson|World News Tonight]]'' with [[Peter Jennings]], as well as ''[[Nightline (US news program)|Nightline]]'' and various other ABC programming. He became the substitute anchor for Jennings and the permanent anchor of ABC's ''World News Tonight Saturday'' and ''Good Morning America Sunday''.
Brown was brought to [[New York City]] to be the founding anchor of the late-night news program ''[[World News Now]]''. He also worked as a reporter for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s news operation. He left ''World News Now'' to work as a reporter for ''[[ABC World News Tonight|World News Tonight]]'' with [[Peter Jennings]], as well as ''[[Nightline]]'' and various other ABC programming. He became the substitute anchor for Jennings and the permanent anchor of ABC's ''World News Tonight Saturday'' and ''Good Morning America Sunday''.


===CNN===
===CNN===


====9/11====
====9/11====
Although Brown's first day at CNN was July 1, 2001, his first on-air broadcast was [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001]]. He received international recognition as well as winning the Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting of the attacks from CNN's rooftop in Manhattan, as well as the [[World Trade Center site]] and the areas surrounding the remains of the [[World Trade Center (1973-2001)|Twin Towers]] in [[New York City]]. When the South Tower collapsed he interrupted a field reporter and uttered the words "I cannot see the tower." As the second tower fell on live television, Brown fell silent, until he quietly said, "...good Lord...there are no words..." and resumed reporting after several seconds.
Although Brown's first day at CNN was July 1, 2001, his first on-air broadcast was [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001]]. (Aaron Brown himself states that this is not a fact.)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Most Difficult Part Of Reporting On 9/11 & How To Watch News (Aaron Brown Interview) from The Rubin Report|url=https://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=63812855|access-date=2020-09-15|website=www.stitcher.com|language=en}}</ref> He received international recognition as well as winning the Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting of the attacks from CNN's rooftop in Manhattan, as well as the [[World Trade Center site]] and the areas surrounding the remains of the [[World Trade Center (1973-2001)|Twin Towers]] in [[New York City]].

When the South Tower collapsed, Brown was listening to a report from the site of [[The Pentagon]], where there was [[AA 77|another attack]]. The building started to fall while Brown was offcamera, and he had to interrupt the reporter so he could report on what he had seen. Brown remarked that there was another massive explosion and that he could not see the building anymore (he was not aware that the entire building had fallen yet). As the second tower fell on live television, Brown fell silent, until he quietly said, "...good Lord...there are no words..." and resumed reporting after several seconds.
[[CNN]] saw Brown as a protégé of [[Peter Jennings]] and wanted to duplicate Jennings' success for their network. CNN branded their flagship evening program ''[[NewsNight with Aaron Brown]]''. Brown also served as host of ''[[CNN Presents]]'' and was assigned the lead anchor during breaking news and special events.
[[CNN]] saw Brown as a protégé of [[Peter Jennings]] and wanted to duplicate Jennings' success for their network. CNN branded their flagship evening program ''[[NewsNight with Aaron Brown]]''. Brown also served as host of ''[[CNN Presents]]'' and was assigned the lead anchor during breaking news and special events.


====Post 9/11====
====Post 9/11====
He covered numerous other news events for CNN, including the [[War on Terrorism]], the [[United States House of Representatives elections, 2002|2002 House]] and [[United States Senate elections, 2002|Senate elections]], the [[Beltway sniper attacks]] and the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster]]. During the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], Brown anchored from the [[CNN Center]] in [[Atlanta]], providing viewers with the latest information from frontline reports as well as from [[Washington, D.C.]] and [[United States Central Command]] in [[Doha]], [[Qatar]].
He covered numerous other news events for CNN, including the [[War on Terrorism]], the [[United States House of Representatives elections, 2002|2002 House]] and [[United States Senate elections, 2002|Senate elections]], the [[Beltway sniper attacks]] and the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster]]. During the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], Brown anchored from the [[CNN Center]] in [[Atlanta]], providing viewers with the latest information from frontline reports as well as from [[Washington, D.C.]], and [[United States Central Command]] in [[Doha]], [[Qatar]].


In 2003, he garnered negative press attention for continuing to play in the [[Bob Hope Chrysler Classic|Bob Hope Classic]] golf tournament in [[Palm Desert, California]], after the ''Columbia'' Space Shuttle disaster occurred. While other major news anchors such as [[Tom Brokaw]], [[Peter Jennings]], and [[Dan Rather]] immediately left their vacations, Brown did not come into the studio and instead continued playing golf. The ''[[New York Times]]'' reported that Brown had actually been trying to get back to the studios, but CNN didn't go to special lengths to move Mr. Brown into position because Miles O'Brien, the channel's space expert, was anchoring the unfolding events.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE6D81138F937A35751C0A9659C8B63&scp=2&sq=aaron+brown+cnn+&st=nyt | work=The New York Times | first=Bill | last=Carter | title=LOSS OF THE SHUTTLE: TV NEWS; CNN's Anchor Was Caught At Golf Event | date=February 4, 2003}}</ref>
In 2003, he garnered negative press attention for continuing to play in the [[Bob Hope Chrysler Classic|Bob Hope Classic]] golf tournament in [[Palm Desert, California]], after the ''Columbia'' Space Shuttle disaster occurred. While other major news anchors such as [[Tom Brokaw]], [[Peter Jennings]], and [[Dan Rather]] immediately left their vacations, Brown did not come into the studio and instead continued playing golf. ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Brown had actually been trying to get back to the studios, but CNN didn't go to special lengths to move Mr. Brown into position because Miles O'Brien, the channel's space expert, was anchoring the unfolding events.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE6D81138F937A35751C0A9659C8B63&scp=2&sq=aaron+brown+cnn+&st=nyt | work=The New York Times | first=Bill | last=Carter | title=LOSS OF THE SHUTTLE: TV NEWS; CNN's Anchor Was Caught At Golf Event | date=February 4, 2003}}</ref>


During the [[United States presidential election, 2004|United States 2004 presidential election]], CNN used the [[NASDAQ]] Market Site for its election coverage, which some point to as the birth of the idea for [[Wolf Blitzer]]'s ''[[The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer|The Situation Room]]''. Brown was tasked to periodically make commentaries on the trends of the evening's results, while [[Anderson Cooper]] was then tasked at monitoring key [[United States Senate elections, 2004|Senate]] and [[United States House of Representatives elections, 2004|House races]].
During the [[2004 United States presidential election|United States 2004 presidential election]], CNN used the [[NASDAQ]] Market Site for its election coverage, which some point to as the birth of the idea for [[Wolf Blitzer]]'s ''[[The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer|The Situation Room]]''. Brown was tasked to periodically make commentaries on the trends of the evening's results, while [[Anderson Cooper]] was then tasked at monitoring key [[United States Senate elections, 2004|Senate]] and [[United States House of Representatives elections, 2004|House races]].


Brown won three Emmys, including one Emmy for his report "Streets of Iraq" during the Iraq War. In addition, Brown won a DuPont, two New York Film Society World medals and a George Foster Peabody Award.
Brown won three Emmys, including one Emmy for his report "Streets of Iraq" during the Iraq War. In addition, Brown won a DuPont, two New York Film Society World medals and a George Foster Peabody Award.


On November 3, 2005, CNN announced that Brown would be leaving the network, with [[Anderson Cooper]]'s program ''[[Anderson Cooper 360°]]'' replacing NewsNight as the flagship program in CNN's evening lineup in an effort to shift toward a younger demographic. The two had shared anchoring duties in the 10:00 PM time slot through the early fall after Cooper's break out success covering [[Hurricane Katrina]]. Many said Brown's cerebral "news for grown-ups" style would be missed.<ref>[http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0516goody0516.html Former CNN anchor Brown welcomes job at ASU]</ref><ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/07/09/aaron-brown-on-his-way-ou_n_3923.html Aaron Brown On His Way Out]</ref>
On November 3, 2005, CNN announced that Brown would be leaving the network, with [[Anderson Cooper]]'s program ''[[Anderson Cooper 360°]]'' replacing NewsNight as the flagship program in CNN's evening lineup in an effort to shift toward a younger demographic. The two had shared anchoring duties in the 10:00 PM time slot through the early fall after Cooper's break out success covering [[Hurricane Katrina]]. Many said Brown's cerebral "news for grown-ups" style would be missed.<ref>[https://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0516goody0516.html Former CNN anchor Brown welcomes job at ASU]</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/aaron-brown-on-his-way-ou_n_3923|title=Aaron Brown On His Way Out?|date=Mar 28, 2008|publisher=[[HuffPost]]|accessdate=Dec 5, 2022}}</ref>


===Public broadcasting===
===Public broadcasting===
Brown was under contract with CNN until June 2007, which prevented him from doing interviews or returning to television.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117968137.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 | work=Variety | first=Michael | last=Learmonth | title=Aaron Brown speaks his mind | date=July 6, 2007}}</ref> In 2008, he returned to television as the host of PBS's ''[[Wide Angle (TV series)|Wide Angle]]''. Brown was anchor of the series, and did reports from the field through the end of the series on September 2, 2009.<ref>[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g5JYAIjncUIzOpRcjrTKM94K7TnAD90AKRDO4 Ex-CNN anchor Aaron Brown returns to TV on PBS' `Wide Angle'] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501194941/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g5JYAIjncUIzOpRcjrTKM94K7TnAD90AKRDO4 |date=May 1, 2008 }}</ref>
Brown was under contract with CNN until June 2007, which prevented him from doing interviews or returning to television.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117968137.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 | work=Variety | first=Michael | last=Learmonth | title=Aaron Brown speaks his mind | date=July 6, 2007}}</ref> In 2008, he returned to television as the host of PBS's ''[[Wide Angle (TV program)|Wide Angle]]''. Brown was anchor of the series, and did reports from the field through the end of the series on September 2, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g5JYAIjncUIzOpRcjrTKM94K7TnAD90AKRDO4|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501194941/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g5JYAIjncUIzOpRcjrTKM94K7TnAD90AKRDO4|url-status=dead|title=Ex-CNN anchor Aaron Brown returns to TV on PBS' 'Wide Angle'|archivedate=May 1, 2008|accessdate=Dec 5, 2022}}</ref>


==In academia==
==In academia==
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==External links==
==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{Commonscat-inline}}
*[http://aaronbrown.kjzz.org/ The Aaron Brown Show]
*[http://aaronbrown.kjzz.org/ The Aaron Brown Show]
*[https://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2005-11-02-media-mix_x.htm "Cooper to Replace Brown on CNN's NewsNight", 11.02.05]
*[https://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2005-11-02-media-mix_x.htm "Cooper to Replace Brown on CNN's NewsNight", 11.02.05]
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{{CNN Anchors}}
{{CNN Anchors}}

{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Aaron}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Aaron}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:University of Minnesota alumni]]
[[Category:University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts alumni]]
[[Category:People from Hopkins, Minnesota]]
[[Category:People from Hopkins, Minnesota]]
[[Category:American broadcast news analysts]]
[[Category:American broadcast news analysts]]
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[[Category:Arizona State University faculty]]
[[Category:Arizona State University faculty]]
[[Category:Television anchors from Seattle]]
[[Category:Television anchors from Seattle]]
[[Category:United States Coast Guard personnel]]
[[Category:United States Coast Guard enlisted]]
[[Category:People from Scarsdale, New York]]
[[Category:Journalists from Scarsdale, New York]]
[[Category:Jewish American journalists]]
[[Category:Jewish American journalists]]
[[Category:CNN people]]
[[Category:CNN people]]
[[Category:United States Coast Guard reservists]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]

Latest revision as of 11:29, 3 April 2024

Aaron Brown
Born (1948-11-10) November 10, 1948 (age 75)
Hopkins, Minnesota, U.S.
OccupationBroadcast journalist
Years active1976–present (in television)[1]
Notable credit(s)Wide Angle anchor (2008–2009)
World News Saturday anchor (2006–2007)
NewsNight with Aaron Brown anchor (2001–2005)
Good Morning America Sunday anchor (1997–1999)
Nightline reporter (mid 1990s)
World News Now anchor (1992–1993)
Spouse
Charlotte Raynor
​
(m. 1982)​
Children1

Aaron Brown (born November 10, 1948) is an American broadcast journalist most recognized for his coverage of the September 11 attacks for CNN.[2] He was a longtime reporter for ABC, the founding host of ABC's World News Now, weekend anchor of World News Tonight and the host of CNN's flagship evening program NewsNight with Aaron Brown. He was the anchor of the PBS documentary series Wide Angle from 2008 to 2009. He was a professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University from 2007 to 2014.[3][4]

Career

[edit]

Early life and career

[edit]

Brown was born to a Jewish family in Minnesota,[5][6] the third of five children of Rose, a home-maker, and Morton, a scrap-metal dealer.[7] In 1966, Brown dropped out of the University of Minnesota as a political science major and joined the U.S. Coast Guard reserves. He began his broadcasting career as a radio talk show host in Minneapolis and later in Los Angeles. Before his time at the national news networks, Brown was a Seattle broadcasting staple, spending more than 15 years at television stations there, first at the NBC affiliate and then the CBS affiliate. He was hired by Seattle's KING-TV in 1976, initially working as an assignment editor but soon becoming a reporter and eventually anchor. In 1986 he moved to KIRO-TV, where he anchored the evening newscast, and remained with KIRO until December 1991.[1]

ABC

[edit]

Brown was brought to New York City to be the founding anchor of the late-night news program World News Now. He also worked as a reporter for ABC's news operation. He left World News Now to work as a reporter for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, as well as Nightline and various other ABC programming. He became the substitute anchor for Jennings and the permanent anchor of ABC's World News Tonight Saturday and Good Morning America Sunday.

CNN

[edit]

9/11

[edit]

Although Brown's first day at CNN was July 1, 2001, his first on-air broadcast was September 11, 2001. (Aaron Brown himself states that this is not a fact.)[8] He received international recognition as well as winning the Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting of the attacks from CNN's rooftop in Manhattan, as well as the World Trade Center site and the areas surrounding the remains of the Twin Towers in New York City.

When the South Tower collapsed, Brown was listening to a report from the site of The Pentagon, where there was another attack. The building started to fall while Brown was offcamera, and he had to interrupt the reporter so he could report on what he had seen. Brown remarked that there was another massive explosion and that he could not see the building anymore (he was not aware that the entire building had fallen yet). As the second tower fell on live television, Brown fell silent, until he quietly said, "...good Lord...there are no words..." and resumed reporting after several seconds. CNN saw Brown as a protégé of Peter Jennings and wanted to duplicate Jennings' success for their network. CNN branded their flagship evening program NewsNight with Aaron Brown. Brown also served as host of CNN Presents and was assigned the lead anchor during breaking news and special events.

Post 9/11

[edit]

He covered numerous other news events for CNN, including the War on Terrorism, the 2002 House and Senate elections, the Beltway sniper attacks and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Brown anchored from the CNN Center in Atlanta, providing viewers with the latest information from frontline reports as well as from Washington, D.C., and United States Central Command in Doha, Qatar.

In 2003, he garnered negative press attention for continuing to play in the Bob Hope Classic golf tournament in Palm Desert, California, after the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster occurred. While other major news anchors such as Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, and Dan Rather immediately left their vacations, Brown did not come into the studio and instead continued playing golf. The New York Times reported that Brown had actually been trying to get back to the studios, but CNN didn't go to special lengths to move Mr. Brown into position because Miles O'Brien, the channel's space expert, was anchoring the unfolding events.[9]

During the United States 2004 presidential election, CNN used the NASDAQ Market Site for its election coverage, which some point to as the birth of the idea for Wolf Blitzer's The Situation Room. Brown was tasked to periodically make commentaries on the trends of the evening's results, while Anderson Cooper was then tasked at monitoring key Senate and House races.

Brown won three Emmys, including one Emmy for his report "Streets of Iraq" during the Iraq War. In addition, Brown won a DuPont, two New York Film Society World medals and a George Foster Peabody Award.

On November 3, 2005, CNN announced that Brown would be leaving the network, with Anderson Cooper's program Anderson Cooper 360° replacing NewsNight as the flagship program in CNN's evening lineup in an effort to shift toward a younger demographic. The two had shared anchoring duties in the 10:00 PM time slot through the early fall after Cooper's break out success covering Hurricane Katrina. Many said Brown's cerebral "news for grown-ups" style would be missed.[10][11]

Public broadcasting

[edit]

Brown was under contract with CNN until June 2007, which prevented him from doing interviews or returning to television.[12] In 2008, he returned to television as the host of PBS's Wide Angle. Brown was anchor of the series, and did reports from the field through the end of the series on September 2, 2009.[13]

In academia

[edit]

In 2006, Brown assumed the John J. Rhodes Chair in Public Policy and American Institutions at Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University. He taught a course called "Turning Points in Television News History" at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at ASU from 2007 to 2014.[4]

Personal life

[edit]

While working in Seattle in 1980, Brown met fellow newscaster Charlotte Raynor. They wed in 1982.[7] They have one daughter, Gabby (b. 1988).[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Boss, Kit (December 4, 1991). "Aaron Brown Will Leave Kiro-TV News Friday". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  2. ^ Argetsinger, Amy; Roberts, Roxanne (August 6, 2006). "Out, Damned Spot!". The Washington Post.
  3. ^ "Aaron Brown Joining Cronkite School". www.adweek.com. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  4. ^ a b "Aaron Brown | iSearch". isearch.asu.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  5. ^ Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish By Abigail Pogrebin 2005
  6. ^ Interfaith Family: "Interfaith Celebrities: The Story Behind Eliot Spitzer's Intermarriage" By Nate Bloom 2012
  7. ^ a b c People: "Cool Hand - Two Months on the Job, CNN's Aaron Brown Awoke to the Story of a Lifetime" by Michael A. Upton December 13, 2011
  8. ^ "Most Difficult Part Of Reporting On 9/11 & How To Watch News (Aaron Brown Interview) from The Rubin Report". www.stitcher.com. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  9. ^ Carter, Bill (February 4, 2003). "LOSS OF THE SHUTTLE: TV NEWS; CNN's Anchor Was Caught At Golf Event". The New York Times.
  10. ^ Former CNN anchor Brown welcomes job at ASU
  11. ^ "Aaron Brown On His Way Out?". HuffPost. Mar 28, 2008. Retrieved Dec 5, 2022.
  12. ^ Learmonth, Michael (July 6, 2007). "Aaron Brown speaks his mind". Variety.
  13. ^ "Ex-CNN anchor Aaron Brown returns to TV on PBS' 'Wide Angle'". Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Retrieved Dec 5, 2022.
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Media related to Aaron Brown (journalist) at Wikimedia Commons

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