“Turn on your television.” On September 11, 2001, this urgent directive echoed across America, a stark acknowledgment that something profoundly terrible was unfolding. In an era predating ubiquitous social media and with online news still in its nascent stages, television became the primary lens through which the world witnessed the horrific attacks that would claim nearly 3,000 lives. Even within the besieged World Trade Center, individuals reached for phones, seeking answers from the unfolding news reports to decipher the tremors and smoke that engulfed them. As a nation grappled with the unimaginable, three trusted figures emerged as beacons of clarity and reassurance: Tom Brokaw of NBC News, Dan Rather of CBS, and Peter Jennings of ABC.
Garrett Graff, author of “The Only Plane in the Sky,” aptly described their role: “They were the closest thing that America had to national leaders on 9/11.” These anchors transcended their journalistic roles, becoming moral compasses for a nation reeling from shock and grief. At a moment when political leadership was largely absent from the immediate public conversation, these seasoned newsmen stepped into a historical role, counseling and comforting a nation through unimaginable tragedy. Among them, Peter Jennings, with his calm demeanor and articulate delivery, became a defining voice, guiding millions through the unfolding horror and its immediate aftermath.
Peter Jennings: A Career Forged in Global News
By September 11, 2001, Peter Jennings was already a titan of broadcast journalism. For roughly two decades, he had helmed ABC’s evening newscast, earning a reputation as a sophisticated and globally-minded anchor. Unlike some of his contemporaries who rose through domestic reporting ranks, Jennings honed his expertise as a foreign correspondent. This international experience shaped his worldview and provided him with a unique perspective that would prove invaluable on 9/11. He had reported from global hotspots, navigating complex political landscapes and delivering nuanced accounts of world events. This background instilled in him a calm authority and an ability to contextualize events within a broader framework, qualities that would resonate deeply with viewers seeking understanding amidst chaos.
While other journalists like CNN’s Aaron Brown provided compelling coverage, the established networks of ABC, CBS, and NBC, led by their veteran anchors, were the undisputed authorities for breaking news. In a media landscape vastly different from today’s fragmented and often cacophonous environment, these networks and their anchors held a position of singular trust. As Tom Brokaw noted, “The three of us were known because we had taken the country through other catastrophes and big events. The country didn’t have to, if you will, dial around to see who knew what.” This established credibility was paramount as the gravity of the attacks became chillingly clear.
9/11 Unfolds: Jennings Takes the Helm
On that fateful morning, all three anchors were in New York. Within an hour of the first plane crashing into the North Tower at 8:46 a.m., Jennings, along with Brokaw and Rather, were racing to their respective studios. Initial reports were tentative, questioning whether it was a horrific accident. But the second plane obliterating the South Tower in a fiery explosion, coupled with alarming news from the Pentagon, shattered any illusions of accident. America was under attack.
While seasoned journalists like Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer initially reported on the unfolding events, it was the gravitas of the legendary anchor trio – Brokaw, Rather, and Jennings – that quickly became the faces of the tragedy. This reflected an era in broadcasting where experience and established authority were paramount, and these men, each with decades of experience, embodied that trust. Marcy McGinnis, then in charge of breaking news at CBS, explained the rationale: “You want the most experienced person in that chair because they bring so much. They bring all of their life experience, they bring all of their anchoring experience.”
Jennings stepped into this maelstrom of confusion and fear, tasked with making sense of the senseless. The pace of events was overwhelming. As Brokaw himself pondered aloud whether the towers might need to be deliberately demolished, a horrifying reality unfolded – the towers were collapsing on their own, faster than anyone could comprehend.
David Westin, then president of ABC News, articulated the crucial need Jennings and his peers fulfilled: “The country needed some sort of stability, some sort of ground. Where are we? What’s going on? How bad can this get? It needed some sense of, ‘There’s some things we do know and some things we don’t know. But this is how we go forward from here.’” This was a role typically filled by political leaders during national crises. However, on 9/11, government leaders were largely out of public view for much of the day. President George W. Bush remained airborne on Air Force One, with limited and intermittent access to television news. This absence amplified the significance of the television anchors, placing them squarely in the national spotlight as sources of information and reassurance.
Alt text: Peter Jennings anchoring ABC News coverage on 9/11, his calm and authoritative presence guiding viewers through the unfolding tragedy.
Jennings’ Anchoring Style: Clarity and Compassion
Each of the three anchors brought distinct strengths to their coverage on 9/11. Brokaw, fresh from authoring “The Greatest Generation,” immediately provided historical context, framing the attacks as a watershed moment, the most significant assault on American soil since the War of 1812. Rather, known for his seasoned reporting and sometimes folksy style, emphasized caution and the importance of verifying facts amidst the swirling rumors.
Peter Jennings, however, excelled as the consummate anchorman, seamlessly weaving together the disparate threads of the unfolding tragedy into a coherent narrative. He skillfully synthesized eyewitness accounts, expert analysis, and breaking bulletins with the raw, visual horror unfolding on screens across the nation. Kayce Freed Jennings, his widow, described it as his element: “That’s what he was born to do. He was in a zone. He was a great communicator and, perhaps, great communication was the most important thing he could offer that day.”
In an era where emotional restraint was still a hallmark of broadcast news, Jennings maintained a composed demeanor. Yet, he also allowed moments of genuine human emotion to surface. Notably, after a report from ABC’s Lisa Stark, Jennings’ eyes welled with tears as he revealed he had just spoken with his own deeply stressed children. In a moment of relatable humanity, he advised viewers, “So if you’re a parent and you’ve got a kid in some other part of the country, call ’em up.” This small gesture of personal vulnerability resonated deeply, bridging the gap between the anchor on the screen and the anxious viewers at home. As MSNBC’s Brian Williams observed, “For Peter to do that kind of instantly included all of us.”
As the second tower imploded, the scale of the devastation became undeniable. The anchors shifted from reporting to preparing viewers for the grim reality of mass casualties. Rather, his voice heavy with emotion, declared, “There are no words to describe this. It’s a time to watch, absorb and think. What we had hoped and prayed would not happened, could not happen, has happened. New York’s World Trade Center, in effect, has been destroyed. The loss of life will be high.” Brokaw echoed this somber tone, stating, “It’s going to be horrendous… The damage is beyond what we can say.”
Brokaw later reflected on the delicate balance anchors had to strike: “We’re all human, even those of us who are journalists who spend our lives trying to put things into context and add to the viewers’ understanding. We have to be both empathetic and help the viewer through what they are seeing.” For Peter Jennings, this empathy, combined with his journalistic rigor and clear communication, made him a vital anchor for a nation in shock.
A Legacy of Trust in a Fragmented Media World
Peter Jennings’ performance on 9/11 is widely regarded as a career-defining moment, a testament to his skill, experience, and unwavering commitment to informing the public. David Westin, reflecting years later, considers Jennings the “best television news anchor ever” and 9/11 his “crowning achievement.” Russ Mitchell, then at CBS, echoed this sentiment, stating, “All of their careers had led up to that point.”
In the years since 9/11, the media landscape has undergone a seismic shift. The dominance of network news has been challenged by the rise of cable news and the pervasive influence of social media. In a hypothetical 9/11-style attack today, the media environment would be vastly different. Cable news, now more opinion-driven, might offer immediate coverage but through a more partisan lens. Social media, while providing instant updates, would also be rife with misinformation and unfiltered graphic content.
Brian Williams suggests that much of today’s breaking news coverage would be spent “knocking down misinformation on social media.” David Friend, author of “Watching the World Changes: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11,” believes that with today’s technology, the experience would be “far more heart-wrenching,” potentially overwhelming viewers with unfiltered and traumatic imagery.
The traditional gatekeepers of information that existed in 2001, the editorial decisions that were made to protect viewers from the most graphic horrors, would be largely absent in a social media-dominated environment. This raises questions about the role of anchors like Peter Jennings in today’s media ecosystem. Would their calm authority and measured delivery still hold the same sway in a world saturated with instant, often unverified, information and polarized opinions?
Despite these changes, the legacy of Peter Jennings’ anchoring on 9/11 remains potent. He exemplified the crucial role of a trusted, authoritative voice in times of crisis. While the media landscape continues to evolve, the need for clear, accurate, and empathetic communication, the very qualities Peter Jennings embodied, remains as vital as ever. His coverage on that horrific day serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of responsible journalism and the enduring impact of a truly great anchor.
Neither Peter Jennings, nor Brokaw or Rather, ever revisited their extensive coverage of 9/11. For Jennings, according to his wife, “That wasn’t his way.” Brokaw feared finding mistakes, and Rather’s reason was simple: “Living through the day once was enough.” For them, and for a nation, the memories of that day, and the voices that guided them through it, remain indelibly etched in history.
