Dan Rather has followed the news wherever he goes, in a career that highlights 75 years of evolving journalism

Dan Rather anchored the ‘CBS Evening News’ for over 20 years, starting on March 9, 1981. But he always seemed more in his element as a reporter, and now as a news analyst on social media.

By: Walter Podrazik, University of Illinois Chicago, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 1, 2026

Words: 1,548

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 3 days ago

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By Walter Podrazik, University of Illinois Chicago

In television news, there are two roles in front of the camera: reporter and anchor.

During four decades at CBS, Dan Rather played both roles. On March 9, 1981, he took over the position of nightly news anchor from Walter Cronkite, one of the most influential faces in network television. Although Rather held that job for 24 years, first and foremost he embraced being a reporter.

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