Aaron Brown: Former CNN News Anchor Dies at 76

Legendary CNN anchorman Aaron Brown died on Sunday at the age of 76 according to his family, as reported by the network. Newsweek contacted CNN for comment via email on Tuesday outside of regular office hours. Why It Matters Brown shot to national prominence with his coverage of the September 11, 2001 attacks. He was widely praised for his calm and somber reporting, which included commenting “Good Lord, there are no words” as the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. What To Know Brown was born into a Jewish family on November 10, 1948 in Minnesota. He studied at the University of Minnesota for around a year in 1966 before dropping out and joining the Coast Guard Reserve. Brown began his long journalism career in Seattle, where he worked for a number of local networks, becoming at the time the highest-paid anchor in Seattle history when he joined KIRO-TV in 1986 according to The Seattle Times. He left KIRO-TV in 1991 and joined ABC News in New York, where he was a founding anchor of its show World New Tonight Saturday and also reported for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. CNN anchor Aaron Brown delivers the news in Atlanta on October 9, 2001. Brown, who died on Sunday, shot to prominence covering the 9/11 attacks. CNN anchor Aaron Brown delivers the news in Atlanta on October 9, 2001. Brown, who died on Sunday, shot to prominence covering the 9/11 attacks. Erik S. Lesser/GETTY Brown anchored coverage of the 9/11 attacks to a shocked nation on his first on-air day at CNN, making a deep impression. According to fellow CNN reporter John Vause, the following week Brown went to Washington, D.C., where “he walked to a hotel foyer and everybody in that foyer stood up and applauded” though “he didn’t like being in the spotlight outside of his office hours.” Brown went on to cover a number of historic events for CNN including the 2003 Columbia space shuttle disaster, the U.S. invasion of Iraq of the same year and the 2004 U.S. presidential election. Brown hosted evening show NewsNight with Aaron Brown until his departure from CNN was announced in November 2005. After leaving the network he joined PBS’ Wide Angle, reporting on a range of subjects before joining Arizona State University as a professor of journalism in 2007. What People Are Saying Former CNN producer Jon Auerbach: “Aaron was first and foremost a writer and a craftsman. That was one of his many skills that earned the respect of his colleagues across the media landscape. “He had a biting sense of humor, and in the days before people spoke of a work-life balance, Aaron knew its value. Anchoring a program at 10 p.m. can be brutal, but Aaron was able to make time for what was important to him outside the studio, whether it be his wife and daughter or a round of golf.” Fellow CNN reporter John Vause, talking of Brown’s coverage of the 9/11 attacks: “When he was live on air, he just stopped and looked at it. And paused. And he shared this moment that everybody was thinking, ‘Good Lord, there are no words.'” Amanda Turnbull, who worked with Brown as a CNN producer: “His storytelling was driven by the facts, but his delivery was always deeply human.” David Fitzpatrick, another former CNN producer: “[Brown] always wanted the very best of people. “It was remarkable when we received a compliment from him. “He was a signature anchor during his prime time. His legacy will mean concise writing, concise presentation, and a calm demeanor in the face of crisis. Impactful, insightful, and measured.”