One Year Ago Today
EmailExecutive Producer Jon Banner reflects on the year since Peter’s announcement. It’s hard to believe one year ago today Peter gathered the senior staff in my office to tell us he had lung cancer. I remember like it was yesterday. It was an emotional meeting and after he told us there was silence in the room. Sometime later that morning I went to his office to speak to him privately. Before I could open my mouth he said to me "I won’t make you cry if you don’t make me cry – deal?" It didn’t work. (At left, Jon with Peter on Election Night 2004.) Peter, with amazing support and love from his wife Kayce and his children Chris and Lizzie, put up a heroic fight against this horrible disease but it was just too much. Peter passed away 4 months later. We were all in disbelief. I still expect him to walk through the door at any moment. Throughout Peter’s illness we wanted to report and explore lung cancer and smoking and all the issues that surround these very weighty topics but it was just too difficult. It wasn’t until after Peter passed away that we were able to take it on. We did a month-long series titled "Quit to Live." It was a significant challenge. Dr. Tim Johnson helped guide us in reporting on lung cancer and we tried to answer the question of why lung cancer research receives so little funding compared to breast cancer and other cancers. In addition, 4 of our producers embedded themselves with people trying to quit. We learned a lot from the series, I hope you did too. Tonight we’ll revisit some of those ex-smokers – at least that’s what we hope they are. We’ll also talk to Dr. Tim to see if Peter’s death and that of Dana Reeve had any effect on the amount of money going to research. It has been quite a year. Luckily for me we have the best team in the business here. That team has done amazing work throughout these troubled times…Working tirelessly to uphold the standards that Peter ingrained into us over the years and continuing to focus on what was so important to him – the broadcast. So back to the broadcast. Thanks for watching.
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It may be hard to believe, but I still turn ont he boradcasts hoping Peter will be there. sadder still, is knowing as hard as itis for me who only seek to treasure someone who taught me much about being ahuman being and a journalist, the sense of loss for you is ten times greater. My heart goes out toyou and Peter’s family, and my heart grieves for the journalist ideas that left the world with Peter. It is clear that your comitment to bringing important stories remains, as hard as elizebeath is working and bob before his acident, it isjust not the same. I did not feel this as much when charles Gibson was filling in, perhaps because he brought so much authority and trustworthyness to his efforts. Now it seems like they are trying to fill an impossible space. When you covered theorgan regrowing the other night I thought, not in time to save Peter. I keep wondering why Tobaco remains legal when it does so much harm? Still today know that one fan, certainly millions of us remember with you and cry withyou as we reflect on the beginning of what turned out to be the end.
Posted by: Karen Lewellen | April 5, 2006, 5:19 pm 5:19 pm
Jon – sorry to change the subject, but I just finished watching WNT, at the end of which Elizabeth welcomed another “woman” (K. Couric) to the prime time news anchor desk position. Is that Katie’s leading qualification? What about her previous news experience? Her previous network experience? Her journalistic credentials? As long as broadcasts like that draw attention to the “he vs. she” scorecard, you will only perpetuate the divide. Let’s elevate the discussion. What do you say?
Posted by: mike | April 5, 2006, 7:14 pm 7:14 pm
Great Points. Here is hoping my lack of a spell check does not defeat me so much this time. I was weeping when I posted at first. To be honest, I thought Elizabeth’s comments were tasteless given the day and of course the fact that her so called compition is no compition at all in some ways at least. Granted MS. Vargas has admited that she is not the best ancor, even that others have told her to avoid this, and I can agree. But for CBS to raise Katti to this level is beyond insane. I read too that she will be managing editor? for what with what background? To be a real ancor one must have realjournalisthistory, to be able to understand where the reporter is coming from, add to their story, remain the focus at times of crisis etc. I recall during Today’s coverage of the Thanksgiving day parade last year there was a tragic incident involving one of the baloons and a cild. NBC thought so little of Katti’s abilities that she was not even told. Nevermind the gender factor, which is why I did not care for the mention tonight. to raise this business to the level that can even suggest this person is a reasonable choice let alone a welcome edition to the evening news miss the fact that it means something to sit in that chair regardless of network, and journalist skill not gender is how that value should be measured. Any other view underminds what this role means both to thenews and the audience….sorry for the mess.
Posted by: Karen Lewellen | April 5, 2006, 10:50 pm 10:50 pm
Jon Banner-Executive Producer,
Thank you for providing your personal story and feelings about Peter Jennings. It is really refreshing to hear this from someone that is so essential to the broadcast. It is a perspective many haven’t heard before. At 24, I hardly make up your typical demographic, however I am an avid viewer of World News Tonight. I’ve grown up on the broadcast with it in my home every night. Peter inspired me to have an inquiring interest about the world. I am not quite sure how or exactly why, but there is just something about his presence that had an impact on me. I guess that was just the unexplainable charisma that was Peter. I want to let you know that I have stayed loyal to your broadcast and will continue to do so throughout my adult life. I think Elizabeth Vargas is doing a fantastic job; she has that same seriousness in her delivery that Peter did. Despite the fact that Peter’s absence is felt, I think that you and the staff of WNT have done a great job. Maybe you just don’t hear that enough from a regular viewer like me. I am sure Peter is feeling proud.
Thanks, Elise
Posted by: Elise | April 6, 2006, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
Oh, mostly still tears and missing him. Thank you for the article. I, too, still wish I could turn on the TV and see him, and then to lose Bob Woodruf so soon was just too much. I don’t know why we fall in love with our anchors, but I still miss Frank Reynolds, Walter Cronkite and others. I think one of the most precious things he did was tell us the truth. Few people in the world today tell us the truth and he did.
Posted by: Wendy Benedetti | April 6, 2006, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm