Charles Jennings

Who was Charles Jennings?

Charles Jennings was a journalist for the CBC and the father of ABC news anchor, Peter Jennings.

Born in Toronto, Ontario Canada, Jennings was educated at North Toronto Collegiate and then Trinity College, University of Toronto.

In 1928, he started a job as a radio announcer at CKGW in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Then, he worked in New York briefly before returning to Canada to work for the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission where he became chief announcer and was Canada's first national news anchor reading the nightly Canadian Press News. He stayed with the CRBC's successor, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and, in 1964, he became vice-president of the CBC, retiring in 1971.

At the time of his death, Charles Jennings left behind his wife, Elizabeth, and his children, the youngest, Sarah, and the oldest, broadcaster Peter.