Poynter Online's Links to the News column compiles Web resources on current and previous news topics. This page links to information about Dan Rather. In addition to a short timeline, we also have a list of online resources and a bibliography.

See Also: 
Early TV Anchors: A History of Network Evening News

TIMELINE

October 31, 1931
Born in Wharton, Texas, to Irvin and Byrl Rather.
The family soon moves to Houston Heights.

1950-1953
While attending Sam Houston State Teachers College in Huntsville, Texas, he works for:

The Houstonian (school newspaper)
KSAM radio
Associated Press
United Press International

1953
Graduates from Sam Houston State Teachers College with a Bachelor's degree in journalism.

1954-1955
Houston Chonicle
KTRH radio, Houston (News Director)

1956
KTRH radio (News Director)

1959-1962
KTRK-TV, Houston (Reporter)
KHOU-TV, Houston (News Director)

September 1961
While at CBS affiliate KHOU-TV, Rather reports on Hurricane Carla.

1962
CBS News, Chief of Southwest Bureau, Dallas

1963
CBS News, Chief of the Southern Bureau, New Orleans
(November 22, 1963 -- He reports on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas.)

1960s / 1970s
White House Correspondent (1964) (1966...)
(Rather covers all of the Democratic and Republican conventions beginning in 1964. While trying to interview someone on the floor of the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, he is punched by a convention security officer. Afterwards, Walter Cronkite says there are "a bunch of thugs down there.")

Bureau chief, London (1965)
Bureau chief, Saigon (1965/1966)
Anchor, CBS Weekend News
Anchor, CBS Reports documentaries (1974)

1972-1974
CBS News reports on the White House Watergate scandal.

March 19, 1974
Richard Nixon presidential news conference excerpt:
RATHER: "...Thank you, Mr. President. Dan Rather, of CBS News. Mr. President..." (Applause, mixed with jeers.)
PRESIDENT: "Are you running for something?"
RATHER: "No sir, Mr. President, are you?"

1976
Co-Editor, 60 Minutes

1980
After the Soviet Union's invasion, Dan Rather reports from Afghanistan.

March 9, 1981
Anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News
(He replaces Walter Cronkite who had served as anchor since 1962.)

"Dan Rather Reporting" radio program begins.

January 28, 1986
CBS News reports on the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion.

September 11, 1987
During a remote broadcast in Miami, Dan Rather walks away from the anchor set for six minutes at the beginning of the CBS Evening News.

January 19, 1988
Anchor, 48 Hours

January 25, 1988
Dan Rather and Vice-President George H.W. Bush's confrontational interview.

June 3, 1989
CBS News is in China when the Tiananmen Square assault begins.

1990
Dan Rather interviews Saddam Hussein for the first time. Rather will interview him again in 2003.

1993-1995
Co-anchors the CBS Evening News program with Connie Chung

1999
Correspondent, 60 Minutes II

September 11, 2001
CBS News reports on the September 11 terrorist attacks.

February 1, 2003
CBS News reports on the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

September 8, 2004
60 Minutes II report on President George W. Bush's Air National Guard service. (Poynter Online coverage)

November 23, 2004
Dan Rather announces his retirement as anchor of the CBS Evening News.

March 9, 2005
Dan Rather retires as the anchor of the CBS Evening News.

June 20, 2006
Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports, announces that Dan Rather will be leaving CBS.

July 11, 2006
It is announced that Dan Rather will produce and host Dan Rather Reports for HDNet.
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Additional Online Resources 

Writing The Rather Story For The "Evening News"
(Includes Anthony Mason's CBS video about Rather)
CBS Public Eye, June 21, 2006
CBS to Rather: Good Night, And Good Luck
Washington Post, June 21, 2006
Harsh words as Rather leaves CBS
CNN / AP, June 21, 2006
Dan Rather Leaves CBS After 44 Years
PBS NewsHour, June 20, 2006
As Rather Departs, Collateral Damage at CBS
NPR, June 20, 2006
A Tip of the Stetson...
NBC Anchor Brian Williams
The Daily Nightly, June 20, 2006
Dan Rather severs his ties with CBS
MSNBC / AP, June 20, 2006
US News Legend Rather Leaves CBS
BBC, June 20, 2006
Rather Leaves CBS News
CBS Public Eye, June 20, 2006
CBS Press Release
CBS News, June 20, 2006
Dan Rather Signs Off
CBS News, June 20, 2006
Dan Rather's Last Day?
Forbes, June 19, 2006
Moving Ahead, Rather Throws Sad Look Back
New York Times, June 17, 2006
Stopwatch Ticking for Dan Rather
Washington Post, June 15, 2006
The Changing Face of U.S. News
BBC News, March 9, 2005
Rather's Curtain Closer: 'Courage'
CBS, March 9, 2005
Rather Anchors Final 'Evening News
NPR, March 9, 2005
Dan Rather, Leaving By the High Road
The Washington Post, March 9, 2005
Cronkite: News Industry 'Vastly Different'
CNN, March 8, 2005
CBS Ousts 4 For Bush Guard Story
CBS, Jan. 10, 2005
Dan Rather to Step Down at CBS
Washington Post, Nov. 24, 2004
Dan Rather to Leave Anchor Desk in March
CNN, Nov. 24, 2004
Who Will Replace Dan Rather?
CBS, Nov. 24, 2004
Anchor Changes
PBS NewsHour, Nov. 23, 2004
Rather to Step Down as 'CBS Evening News' Anchor
NPR, Nov. 23, 2004
Rather Interviewed by Terence Smith (video)
PBS NewsHour, Feb. 2, 2001

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Poynter Online 

End of an Era: Rather Leaves CBS
Bill Mitchell, June 20, 2006
Good Night, Dan, and Good Luck 
Amy Gahran, June 20, 2006
Dan Rather's Statement
Romenesko, June 20, 2006
Fast Frame: Reading the CBS Report
Various authors, January 11, 2005
CBS U: What Have You Learned?
Jill Geisler, January 11, 2005
E-mail from Dan Rather to CBS Staff
Posted on Poynter Online, January 11, 2005
Timeline: The Unraveling of Rather's Report
Larry Larsen, multimedia project, January 2005
CBS Breakdown: How it Happened
Al Tompkins, January 10, 2005
Mapes: Decision to Air National Guard Story Was Made
by CBS Superiors, Including Heyward
Al Tompkins, January 10, 2005
CBS Affiliates Await "60 Minutes II" Investigation Report
Al Tompkins, January 7, 2005
Rather to step down as CBS News anchor in March 2005
Romenesko, November 23, 2004
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Books by Dan Rather

The Palace Guard, New York: Harper & Row, 1974.
The Camera Never Blinks, New York: Ballantine Books, 1977.
I Remember, Boston: New York: Little, Brown, 1991.
The Camera Never Blinks Twice, New York: W. Morrow, 1994.
Deadlines and Datelines, New York: Morrow, 1999.
The Further Adventures of a Television Journalist,
New York: W. Morrow, 1994.
Profiles in Journalism, New York: William Morrow, 2000.
The American Dream, New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2002.