Edwin Newman Dead: TV Correspondent Edwin Newman Dies

Edwin Newman, who served as an NBC newscaster for more than three decades, died Monday Aug. 13 at the age of 91.

In this Sept. 14, 1976 file photo, Edwin Newman, an NBC commentator and moderator for the first Ford Carter debate sits in his New York office. Newman, who brought literacy, wit and energy to NBC newscasts for more than three decades, and battled linguistic pretense and clutter in his best sellers "Strictly Speaking" and "A Civil Tongue," has died. He was 91. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)

Newman died of pneumonia at his home in Oxford, England. He is survived by his wife, Rigel, and his daughter, Nancy. According to Newman’s lawyer, the family delayed announcing Newman’s death so they could have time to grieve privately.

Newman worked at NBC from 1952 until he retired in 1984 and covered politics and foreign affairs as well as anchoring Meet The Press, Today and Nightly News. He announced the death of President Kennedy on radio, and anchored on TV when President Reagan was shot.

He also narrated and wrote several documentaries, and wrote on linguistics in two books: Strictly Speaking and A Civil Tongue.

Click here to see more photos of Edwin Newman.

Born in New York City in 1919, Newman started reporting for his high school paper. His brother, M.W. Newman, was an award-winning reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. He died in 2001.

Newman began his journalism career working for the Washington bureau of the International News Service. He took dictation from reporters for 12 hours when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

After serving in the Navy during World War II, he held various journalism jobs, including the CBS Washington bureau, before joining NBC.

He served as NBC bureau chief in London, then Rome, then Paris before returning to the United States permanently in 1961, covering a variety of assignments for NBC until his retirement.