Eyewitness to History become executive producer of "ABC Evening News" and, later, "20/20". http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=eyewitnessto Eyewitness to History Eyewitness to History was a CBS Friday night public affairs program which was initially hosted by veteran broadcaster Charles Kuralt (1960-'61), followed by Walter Cronkite (1961-'62), and Charles Collingwood (1962-'63). It aired from September 30, 1960 through July 26, 1963, sponsored by Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. This show concentrated on the most significant news story or stories, reviewing the events. The show's title was shortened to Eyewitness in 1961. Coincidentally, many local CBS affiliates adopted the branding "Eyewitness News" for their local newscasts in the
Walter Cronkite he ended the newscast with opinion or commentary. Beginning with January 16, 1980, Day 50 of the Iran hostage crisis, Cronkite added the length of the hostages' captivity to the show's closing in order to remind the audience of the unresolved situation, ending only on Day 444, January 20, 1981. Cronkite is vividly remembered for breaking the news of the Assassination of John F. Kennedy on Friday, November 22, 1963. Cronkite had been standing at the United Press International wire machine in the CBS newsroom as the bulletin of the President's shooting broke and he clamored to get on the