TV News and Current Affairs in History

TV News and Current Affairs: 20/20 - 60 Minutes - Nightline

Events in Film & TV


Event of interestEvent of Interest

1969-11-13 Vice President Spiro Agnew accuses network TV news departments of bias and distortion

Vice President of the United States Spiro Agnew
Vice President of the United States
Spiro Agnew
  • 1974-07-15 TV news reporter Christine Chubbuck shoots herself live on WXLT-TV, Florida, first person to commit suicide in a live broadcast
  • 1981-03-09 Dan Rather becomes primary anchorman of CBS-TV News
  • 1985-12-01 Noraly Beyer becomes Neth's 1st black TV newscaster

Historic DiscoveryPripyat: Nuclear Wasteland

1986-04-28 Soviet TV news program Vremya announces a nuclear accident at Chernobyl nuclear power station, 2 days after the event

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'I Love You Pripyat, Forgive Me!' scrawled on the walls of a Pripyat clinic during its hasty evacuation after the Chernobyl disaster
'I Love You Pripyat, Forgive Me!' scrawled on the walls of a Pripyat clinic during its hasty evacuation after the Chernobyl disaster
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  • 1989-01-05 2 French TV newsmen arrested for trying to plant fake bombs on 3 airlines at JFK airport in security test
  • 1995-06-27 Mason City Iowa's TV news personality Jodi Huisentruit disappears
  • 2019-03-25 Apple introduces new TV streaming platform Apple TV+, news service Apple News+ and an Apple credit card at star-studded event featuring Oprah

Birthdays in Film & TV

  • 1910-12-02 Robert Paige, American actor, TV newscaster and political correspondent (Son of Dracula, Pardon My Sarong, Colgate Comedy Hour), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 1987)
  • 1914-05-12 Howard K. Smith, American TV newsman and journalist (ABC, Moderated Kennedy-Nixon debate), born in Ferriday, Louisiana (d. 2002)
  • 1927-06-21 Carl Burton Stokes, African American politician (51st mayor of Cleveland) and TV newscaster, born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1996)
  • 1931-11-08 Morley Safer, Canadian-American TV newscaster (60 Minutes), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2016)
  • 1935-08-22 Morton Dean, American TV newscaster (CBS, ABC), born in Fall River, Massachusetts
  • 1936-05-09 Terry Drinkwater, American TV newsman (CBS), born in Denver, Colorado (d. 1989)
  • 1944-03-29 John Suchet, British TV journalist (Independent TV News), born in London
  • 1946-07-22 Steve Friedman, American Emmy Award winning TV news executive (NBC, 1977-87, 1990-95; CBS, 1997-2002), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • 1947-08-15 Brian Hulls, British TV news cameraman, born in London (d. 1996)
  • 1949-03-22 Brian Hanrahan, British TV newsman (BBC), born in Middlesex, England (d. 2010)
  • 1950-02-15 Donna Hanover Giuliani, TV news anchor (WPIX)/wife of Mayor Giuliani
  • 1951-05-13 Selina Scott, TV newscaster (West 57th)
  • 1957-01-07 Katie Couric, American journalist & author (Today), born in Arlington, Virginia
  • 1969-02-11 Mary Stoker Smith, Miss Wisconsin & TV news reporter, born in La Crosse, Wisconsin
  • 1976-03-01 Dave Malkoff, American TV News Reporter

Weddings in Film & TV

  • 1992-12-31 WCBS TV news anchor Carol Martin weds Joe Terry
  • 1997-10-04 MTV news anchor Tabitha Soren (30) weds "Liars Poker" author Michael Lewis (37) in Garrison, New York

Deaths in Film & TV

  • 1974-07-15 Christine Chubbuck, American TV news reporter, commits suicide live on TV at 29
  • 1987-12-21 Robert Paige, American actor, TV newscaster and political correspondent (Son of Dracula, Pardon My Sarong, Colgate Comedy Hour), dies 77
  • 1996-03-13 Brian Hulls, British TV news cameraman, dies at 48
  • 2008-03-08 Carol Barnes, former ITV news presenter (b. 1944)
  • 2016-05-19 Morley Safer, Canadian-American TV newscaster (60 Minutes), dies at 84

Famous Journalists