Douglas Edwards

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Douglas Edwards (born July 14, 1917 — October 13, 1990) was America's first network news television anchor, anchoring the CBS Evening News broadcast from 1948-1962.

Edwards joined CBS Radio in 1942, eventually becoming anchor for the regular evening newscast The World Today as well as World News Today on Sunday afternoons. Not exactly one of "Edward R. Murrow's boys", but a competent broadcaster, Edwards was chosen to present the first nightly CBS television news program. (The term "anchor" would not be used until 1952, when CBS News chief Sig Mikelson would use it to describe Walter Cronkite's role in the network's convention coverage.)

In the mid 1950s, Edwards's broadcast was watched by nearly 30 million viewers. At first, he would be eclipsed by John Cameron Swayze of NBC News, but would eventually regain his ratings lead. Among the events he covered were the Miss America Pageant (five times), the attempted assassination of Harry S. Truman in 1950, and the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1952. Viewership levels for the Edwards broadcast weakened severely in the late 50s, as the Huntley-Brinkley Report began to attract a larger audience. Ultimately, Edwards was replaced by Walter Cronkite.

Edwards subsequently moved to CBS Radio, where he delivered the network's flagship evening newscasts for many years. During the 1980s he clung to a small role within CBS television news, anchoring a short, mid-day newsbreak.

Edwards died of cancer in 1990.

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