Television pioneer and "60 Minutes" creator Don Hewitt has died

[sabra]

Source: CBS News

BREAKING NEWS > Television pioneer and "60 Minutes" creator Don Hewitt has died

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com /

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more:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/19/60minutes/mai...

(CBS) Don Hewitt, recognized as a father of modern television news and the creator of the medium's most successful broadcast, 60 Minutes, died today. He was 86

Hewitt was executive producer of CBS News, the title he took when he stepped down from 60 Minutes in 2004. For the past several years, he had been involved in a variety of broadcast projects, mostly outside of CBS, including producing a primetime documentary about the Radio City Music Hall's annual Christmas show.

Hewitt's remarkable career in journalism spanned over 60 years, virtually all of it at CBS. As a young producer/director assisting at the birth of television news, it was usually Hewitt behind the scenes directing legendary CBS News reporters like Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite, using a playbook he had to write himself. He played an integral role in all of CBS News' coverage of major news events from the late 1940s through the 1960s, putting him in the middle of some of history's biggest events, including one of politics’ seminal moments: the first televised presidential debate in 1960.

Hewitt produced and directed coverage for the three networks of the debate between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy, an event that instantly transferred the political king-making powers print news once held to a new and more powerful medium where appearances mattered. Critics have long maintained that Kennedy won the debate because he looked better.

[LuckyLib]

1. A pioneer in journalism, someone with brains and cojones.

Not like these idjots connected to television news today.

[Octafish]

2. A great man who used the power of the press to make life better for all.

People who care for the Truth will miss Mr. Hewitt.
May his soul find rest, peace and the Light.

[Dennis Donovan]

3. A great man, gentleman and journalist/broadcaster.

Cross gently, Don.

[Yavin4]

4. Back in the 80s when Reagan was President, the TV Media Took a Lot of Flack

for being too soft on Reagan, for going along with the Reagan/Michael Deaver photo-opps, and for not explaining the true nature of Reagan's policies.

I clearly remember Hewitt rising to defend big network media at the time by saying that network news only had a half hour every night. They simply did not have the time to fully explain all of Reagan's policies. He made this statement before CNN was launched.

Every time I see Faux News and CNN ripped apart by Jon Stewart, I think back to what Hewitt said.

[Dulcinea]

5. Vaya con Dios.

Thank you for all your good work, Mr. Hewitt.

[Botany]

6. '60 Minutes' Creator Don Hewitt Dies

Source: CBS

'60 Minutes' Creator Don Hewitt Dies
NEW YORK (CBS News) ―




"60 Minutes"spokesman Kevin Tedesco confirmed 86-year-old Don Hewitt has died. Earlier this year, Hewitt was diagnosed with a small, contained tumor.

Hewitt was already a veteran CBS newsman in 1968 when he created "60 Minutes," pioneering the TV newsmagazine format. He served as executive producer of the program until his retirement in 2004.

Hewitt has been honored with the second annual Lifetime Achievement Emmy presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 1995, he was awarded the Founders Emmy by the International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

He's also won the Director's Guild Association Honor for contributions to American culture (June 2002), the 2001 Carr Van Anda Award for his contribution to journalism, bestowed by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, and the 2000 Fred Friendly First Amendment Award from Quinnipiac College.

Read more: http://cbs4denver.com/entertainment/don.hewitt.dead.2.1 ...

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Thanx to GreatCaesarsGhost for posting this news first

[Dennis Donovan]

7. He was a GIANT in network news. Cross gently, Don, and THANK YOU!

[Vidar]

8. RIP Mr. Hewitt.

[shadowknows69]

9. Good journey Mr. Hewitt

Can't count the important stories that 60 Minutes helped bring to light.

[Faygo Kid]

13. Produced the Kennedy-Nixon debate. A giant indeed. CBS loses Cronkite, Hewitt.

Within a month of each other. Amazing. And that pipsqueak Novak will probably get more press.

Don Hewitt was a game changer. RIP.

[question everything]

10. CBS News pioneer Don Hewitt dies at 86

Source: AP

NEW YORK – Don Hewitt, the CBS newsman who invented "60 Minutes" and produced the popular newsmagazine for 36 years, died Wednesday. He was 86.

He died of pancreatic cancer at his Bridgehampton home, CBS said. His death came a month after that of fellow CBS legend Walter Cronkite.

He made his mark in the late 1960s when CBS agreed to try his idea of a one-hour broadcast that mixed hard news and feature stories. The television newsmagazine was born on Sept. 24, 1968, when the "60 Minutes" stopwatch began ticking.

He dreamed of a television version of Life, the dominant magazine of the mid-20th century, where interviews with entertainers could co-exist with investigations that exposed corporate malfeasance.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090819/ap_on_en_tv/us_obit...

[gauguin57]

11. We've lost one of the good guys. He and Uncle Walter can swap stories in journo. heaven.

Cuz they're both going to Journalism Heaven, if such a place exists ... a Hall of Fame for the souls of journalists of accomplishment and integrity.

They can have a chat with Ed Murrow while they're there. And Huntley and Brinkley, while they're at it.

[Ishoutandscream2]

12. Yeah, I can see them now

"Can you believe the shit that passes for 'journalism' down there? Unbelievable!"

[Paladin]

14. A Real Giant. RIP. (n/t)