Byron Pitts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Byron Pitts
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Pitts in 2011
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| Born | October 21, 1960 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Education | Ohio Wesleyan University |
| Occupation | Television journalist |
| Years active | 1983–present |
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Notable credit(s)
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CBS Evening News 60 Minutes Nightline |
| Children | 3 |
Byron Pitts was born on October 21, 1960. He is a well-known American journalist and author. Today, he works for ABC News. He is a co-anchor for their late-night news show, Nightline. Before joining ABC, he was a main national reporter for The CBS Evening News. He also often reported for the famous news program 60 Minutes until March 2013.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Baltimore
Byron Pitts was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His parents were Clarice and William Pitts. He grew up in a regular neighborhood. His mother raised him by herself.
Overcoming Challenges
In his book, Pitts shared some personal challenges. As a child, he had a hard time speaking clearly because of a stutter. He also found reading and writing very difficult. He said he was "functionally illiterate" until he was about 12 years old. This means he struggled with basic reading and writing skills.
School and College Years
Byron Pitts went to Archbishop Curley High School. This was an all-boys Catholic school in Baltimore. After high school, he attended Ohio Wesleyan University. He spent his summers in Apex, North Carolina. In 1982, he earned a bachelor's degree. He studied journalism and speech communication.
A Career in Journalism
Starting His Journey
Byron Pitts always dreamed of being a journalist. From the age of 18, his goal was to report for the CBS show 60 Minutes. He started by interning at WTVD in Durham, North Carolina. After college, he worked at different TV stations along the East Coast.
Early Reporting Jobs
From 1983 to 1984, he reported and anchored sports news at WNCT-TV in Greenville, North Carolina. He then became a military reporter for WAVY-TV in Portsmouth, Virginia (1984–1986). Next, he worked as a reporter for WESH-TV in Orlando (1986–1988). He also reported and filled in as an anchor for WFLA-TV in Tampa (1988–1989).
Moving Up in News
Pitts then moved to Boston. He was a special assignment reporter for WCVB-TV (1989–1994). His last local news job was in Atlanta, Georgia. He worked as a general assignment reporter for WSB-TV (1994–1996).
Joining CBS News
In 1997, Pitts joined CBS Newspath in Washington, D.C. This is a 24-hour news service for CBS affiliates. In May 1998, he became a full CBS News correspondent. He worked from bureaus in Miami (1998–1999) and Atlanta (1999–2001). In January 2001, he moved to New York City.
Covering Major Events
Byron Pitts was a lead reporter for CBS News during the September 11 attacks. He won a national Emmy Award for his excellent coverage. He also reported from the Iraq War. He was recognized for his brave work during the fall of the Saddam Hussein statue.
He covered many other important stories. These include Hurricane Katrina, the war in Afghanistan, and the military buildup in Kuwait. He also reported on the Florida fires, the Elian Gonzalez story, and the Florida Presidential recount. Other major events he covered were mudslides in Central America and the refugee crisis in Kosovo.
Awards and Recognition
Pitts has received many awards for his journalism. He won another national Emmy Award for his reporting on a Chicago train wreck in 1999. In 2002, he received a National Association of Black Journalists Award. He has also won four Associated Press Awards and six regional Emmy Awards.
Author and Educator
Byron Pitts is also an author. He published his memoir, Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life's Challenges, on September 29, 2009. In 2018, High Point University named Byron Pitts as their Journalist in Residence. This means he helps teach and guide journalism students.
Personal Life
Byron Pitts has a daughter named Christiani Pitts, born in 1998. She is an actress who works in TV and theater. Byron Pitts is also a very religious person and a devout Christian.
See also
- New Yorkers in journalism
Websites
- Byron Pitts Biography on ABCNews.com
