Peter Jennings dies

Anchor of ABC News World News Tonight, Peter Jennings died of lung cancer Sunday at age 67. "Peter died with his family around him, without pain and in peace. He knew he'd lived a good life," his family said in a statement.

"Peter has been our colleague, our friend, and our leader in so many ways. None of us will be the same without him, said ABC News President David Westin.

Along with Tom Brokaw of NBC and Dan Rather of CBS, Jennings occupied one of the "Big Three" pinnacles in American TV journalism, presenting the news to millions of viewers each night.

His first broadcast on ABC was Feb. 1, 1965. Critics pounded on him. He lasted three years before being reassigned as a foreign correspondent -- an area in which he thrived. The Middle East became his special bailiwick. He earned a Peabody Award for a 1974 profile of Anwar Sadat. In 1978, Jennings returned to the anchor desk as part of a three-person team. But when Frank Reynolds, one of the other anchors, died from cancer, Jennings was made sole anchor, starting Sept. 5, 1983. Fans responded to his intelligent, controlled style. Jennings said in one interview the anchor should keep his or her emotions under control.

Peter Jennings is survived by his wife, Kayce Freed, and two children, Elizabeth, 25, and Christopher, 23.