(LIbertySociety.com) – Broadcast television lost one of its greatest anchors on January 23. Charles Osgood worked for CBS for 45 years, most memorably as the face of “CBS Sunday Morning” for 22 of those years. He was 91 years old and died from dementia, according to his family. Osgood began his broadcasting career after leaving the Army in 1958 when he was hired as a general manager to launch WHCT, the first cable channel in the United States. After the startup failed, he moved to New York and began reporting for ABC Radio. He went on to work for WCBS NewsRadio 88 as an anchor-reporter in 1967.
He began his television career with CBS in 1971. He worked as a reporter and an anchor for “CBS Sunday Night News” from 1981 to 1987. He moved to “CBS Morning News” as a co-anchor until 1992. He also anchored “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather” on occasion. In 1994, he began anchoring “CBS Sunday Morning” and stayed there until his retirement in 2016. Osgood earned the Walter Cronkite Excellence in Journalism Award, four Emmy Awards, and numerous others during his career. He also hosted a radio program called “The Osgood File,” which aired several times a day on various radio stations.
Osgood’s motto was “Short words, short sentences, short paragraphs.” During his radio broadcasts, he often rhymed his words when speaking about the events of the day. Osgood’s voice is also likely known by younger audiences. He narrated the 2008 Dr. Seuss film “Horton Hears a Who.” He also authored several books, including a memoir recounting his childhood during World War II. Osgood is survived by his wife Jean Crafton, whom he was married to for 50 years, five children, a sister, and a brother. His family released a statement in honor of his life and expressed thanks to his viewers and listeners. A special broadcast honoring Osgood will air on “CBS News Sunday Morning” on January 28.
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