Former CNN anchor Aaron Brown dies; helped viewers through Sept. 11 attacks in first day at network

Aaron Brown, a veteran television news anchor whose steady hand helped guide CNN viewers through the unfolding tragedy of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has died.

CNN, citing a statement from Brown's family, reported that he died Sunday. A cause of death was not given. He was 76.

Brown began his career in Minneapolis as a radio talk show host. His career in TV began in Seattle before he was named the founding anchor of ABC's "World News Now." He also anchored "ABC's World News Tonight Saturday," and was a reporter for "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings," "Nightline," and other ABC news programs.

But it was at CNN where he made a lasting mark — even before he was supposed to be on the air.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Brown started his career at the network earlier than expected, anchoring from a Manhattan rooftop as the attacks were happening. When the second tower of the World Trade Center fell that morning, Brown responded with the horror most viewers no doubt felt.

"Good lord," he said. "There are no words."

His coverage of the attacks earned Brown the Edward R. Murrow Award. He also won three Emmy awards during his career, along with other honors.

Brown's quirky, cerebral 10 p.m. CNN newscast "NewsNight" had a following with fans who enjoyed his commentaries and "The Whip," a quick review of top international stories, but he lost ratings ground to Greta Van Susteren of Fox News.

Brown left CNN during a shakeup in November 2005, when his time slot went to rising star Anderson Cooper.

Looking back at this time at CNN, Brown said he was confronted by the challenge of doing serious journalism while also being in a "very ratings-driven environment."

"I don't want to get into the business of indicting cable TV, but some of what went on was just television, not journalism," he told The Associated Press in 2008.

"I didn't practice the 'high church' of journalism all the time, but I think there was some sense that I was uncomfortable in that other, tabloidy world, and I think viewers knew that and I couldn't pull it off," Brown said in that 2008 interview.

After leaving CNN, Brown taught for years at Arizona State University as its first Walter Cronkite professor of journalism. In 2008, he came back to TV on PBS' "Wide Angle," a weekly public affairs show.

"Aaron got to do the work that he loved - and he felt lucky to do that work as part of a community of people who were dedicated to good journalism and who became good friends," Brown's wife, Charlotte Raynor, said in a statement.

She noted Brown worked varying shifts over his career, but "he always found a way to make both ordinary and special times with our daughter Gabby and me."

Contributing: Associated Press writers Jim Salter reporting from O'Fallon, Missouri and R.J. Rico reporting from Atlanta.