Don Hewitt, creator of '60 Minutes', dies at 86
Diagnosed with cancer, Don Hewitt, creator of the ground-breaking American news program '60 Minutes', died on Wednesday at the age on 86.
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REUTERS - Don Hewitt, the creator of CBS News’ ground-breaking “60 Minutes” program and one of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in U.S. television journalism, died on Wednesday at the age of 86, CBS News said.
He had been diagnosed with cancer.
Hewitt worked as producer or director for CBS legends Edward R. Murrow, Douglas Edwards and Walter Cronkite but his strongest legacy was the television news magazine format on “60 Minutes” starting in 1968.
The show featured mini-documentaries segments based on investigative reporting by seasoned journalists like Mike
Wallace, Dan Rather, Morley Safer and Harry Reasoner.
“60 Minutes” proved to be a profitable and steady ratings winner for CBS and the magazine format was widely copied by other networks.
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