Bill Plante

Bill Plante
Name	Bill Plante
Birth date	June 24, 1938
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Death date	February 28, 2017
Death place	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupation	Journalist, Correspondent
Years active	1960s–2016
Employer	CBS News
Spouse	Ann Hawkins

Bill Plante was an American television journalist and long-serving national correspondent for CBS News. Known for on-the-ground reporting from the White House, Congress, and international hotspots, he covered presidential administrations from Lyndon B. Johnson through Barack Obama. Plante's career intersected with major events including the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, and the 9/11 attacks.

Early life and education

Plante was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Everett, Washington and Duluth, Minnesota, attending local schools and gaining early exposure to regional newspapers such as the Chicago Tribune and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. He studied at Loyola University Chicago and later pursued journalism at institutions connected with the Missouri School of Journalism and regional broadcasting programs, developing skills used by correspondents at outlets like NBC News, ABC News, and The New York Times.

Journalism career

Plante began his career in radio and local television, working at stations affiliated with networks like CBS Radio and demonstrating the reporting techniques used by journalists at The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times. He joined CBS News and became part of a roster that included correspondents such as Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, Ed Bradley, and Morley Safer. Plante served as a national correspondent, frequently reporting from the White House, the United States Congress, and international posts alongside producers and anchors like Dan Rather, Bob Schieffer, Katie Couric, and Scott Pelley.

Major reporting and notable coverage

Plante covered presidential administrations and critical events: he reported on policy debates in the Kennedy administration aftermath, the escalation of the Vietnam War, and legislative fights during the Johnson administration. He reported on the Watergate scandal and the resignation of Richard Nixon, covered the Iran hostage crisis and the presidency of Jimmy Carter, and chronicled foreign policy developments involving Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Plante reported from sites associated with crises such as the Assassination of John F. Kennedy memorials, the Iran–Contra affair hearings, the Gulf War, and the September 11 attacks, providing context alongside legal reporting exemplified by coverage of the Supreme Court of the United States and congressional oversight like the House Judiciary Committee. His work intersected with international diplomacy involving figures and events such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Yitzhak Rabin, and summits like those at Camp David.

Awards and honors

Over his career Plante received recognition from institutions and awards including those administered by the National Press Foundation, the Peabody Awards community, and journalism societies connected to the Radio Television Digital News Association. His colleagues at CBS News and professional organizations established commendations reflecting standards also honored by the Pulitzer Prize committees, the Emmy Awards for news coverage, and lifetime achievement acknowledgments akin to those given by the White House Correspondents' Association.

Personal life

Plante was married to announcer and voice artist Ann Hawkins, and they raised four children while residing in the Washington metropolitan area. Friends and colleagues included figures from broadcast journalism such as Mike Wallace, Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, and producers tied to programs like 60 Minutes and the CBS Evening News. Plante was active in civic circles intersecting with institutions like Georgetown University forums, cultural events at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and gatherings connected to the National Press Club.

Illness and death

Plante announced a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 2014 and subsequently retired from active reporting, joining other public figures who revealed neurodegenerative conditions such as Ronald Reagan and Muhammad Ali in differing contexts. He died in Washington, D.C. on February 28, 2017, after a long illness, mourned by colleagues at CBS News, peers at the National Press Club, and multiple news organizations including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and broadcast outlets like CNN and NBC News.

Category:1938 births Category:2017 deaths Category:American television journalists Category:CBS News people