Remembering Charles Osgood
• Legendary journalist Charles Osgood, who hosted the venerable CBS Sunday Morning for more than two decades, as well as the long-running radio feature, The Osgood File, died Tuesday, Jan. 23 at the age of 91, due to complications from dementia, as reported by CBS News and Variety.
Like many broadcast professionals, Osgood got his foot in the door in college radio — Fordham University’sWFUV in the 1950s. After a stint as a Classical music jock at WGMS/Washington, DC, Osgood enlisted in the U.S. Army as a band announcer. After his discharge in 1958, Osgood returned to WGMS before being tapped as general manager to help start the nation’s first pay cable channel, WHCT/Hartford, CT. That short-lived venture ended in 1963, and Osgood joined ABC Radio in New York as a general assignment reporter.
In 1967 Osgood transitioned to WCBS NewsRadio 88/New York, where he anchored the first morning drive shift when the station became an all-news outlet. He would eventually make his way to CBS News, where he launched The Osgood File for radio, a feature that ran from 1971 until 2017. In all, Osgood spent 45 years at CBS News before retiring in 2016.
During his tenure as host of Sunday Morning, the show earned some of its highest ratings in three decades, winning three Daytime Emmy as Outstanding Morning Program. The show usually ended with Osgood’s signature sign-off, “I’ll see you on the radio.”
“To say there’s no one like Charles Osgood is an understatement,” said Rand Morrison, the longtime executive producer of Sunday Morning. “He embodied the heart and soul of Sunday Morning. His signature bow tie, his poetry… just his presence was special for the audience, and for those of us who worked with him.”
“Short words, short sentences, short paragraphs,” Osgood was known to say — advice we could all take to heart. “There’s nothing that can’t be improved by making it shorter and better.”
In response to Osgood‘s passing, NAB President & CEO Curtis LeGeyt issued the following statement: “Charles Osgood was a true icon in the world of broadcasting. His distinctive voice and unique storytelling ability made him a beloved figure in homes across America, particularly through his work on CBS Sunday Morning. As an inductee of the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Charles’ contributions to radio and journalism were extraordinary, leaving an indelible mark on the industry. NAB extends our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the countless listeners and viewers who were touched by his remarkable work. Charles Osgood’s legacy will forever be a beacon of excellence in broadcasting.”
