Peter Van Sant
Encyclopedia
Peter Van Sant is an American
television news reporter and correspondent for 48 Hours Mystery
.
Van Sant was born on February 21, 1953 in Seattle, Washington. He graduated cum laude from Washington State University
in 1975 with a Bachelor's degree in Communications.
in Port Angeles. He joined KMVT-TV in Twin Falls, Idaho in 1975. From 1976 through 1977 he worked for Cedar Rapids-based KCRG-TV
and from 1977 through 1978, for Omaha-based KETV
. In 1978, he joined Fox
-owned KOOL-TV in Phoenix, Arizona as weekend anchor and reporter. In 1982, he moved to Dallas and worked at WFAA-TV
until 1984.
In 1984, Van Sant joined CBS News
and worked in Atlanta as a correspondent for CBS Evening News
for the next six years. His investigative report on high number of medical helicopter crashes won him his first Emmy Award in 1986. In 1989 he was assigned to the London bureau from where he reported on the collapse of Soviet Union, the first Gulf War
, reunification of Germany and famine in Africa.
In 1991, he moved to New York and reported for CBS News magazines Street Stories until 1993, and America Tonight
until 1994. He was then assigned to CBS Evening News where he worked until 1997 and received his second Emmy Award for his report on the economic and social collapse in Albania. In 1997-1998, Van Sant was named a correspondent for Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel. He was the first TV journalist who reported on devastating famine in North Korea, a documentary which won him his third Emmy Award. He was also a part of the CBS News undercover investigative team which taped an indicted war criminal in Bosnia. Van Sant reported on major national events including September 11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina
, Virginia Tech massacre
and interviewed many celebrities such as Julie Andrews
, Christopher Plummer
, Garth Brooks
, Nick Nolte
, LeAnn Womack, and Ronnie Dunn
and Kix Brooks
. He also reported 48 Hours Special on Oklahoma City bombing
in a documentary called Day of Reckoning.
Throughout his career, Van Sant always liked to focus on stories involving "controversy and confrontation", following stories from early stages to their concurrent status, such as one on Lori Berenson
, an American jailed in Peru since 1995.
, premiered on Tribeca Film Festival
. Narrated by Julia Roberts
, the film won Van Sant his fourth Emmy Award
and was named one of the top documentaries of 2006. The documentary also won the most prestigious Golden Word Award of Russia.
Van Sant has won numerous awards throughout his reporting career. Among them four Emmy Awards, three Edward R. Murrow Award
s for his 48 Hours Mystery reports, Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for his reports on collapse of Soviet Union, Overseas Press Club
Award for his investigative reports on sale of human organs in Peru and report on Lori Berenson, American Women in Radio and Television Award for his report on rapes in war torn Bosnia and Sigma Delta Chi Award
for the report on worldwide human trafficking awarded in 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television news reporter and correspondent for 48 Hours Mystery
48 Hours (TV series)
48 Hours is a documentary and news program broadcast on the CBS television network since January 19, 1988. The program originally presented documentaries of various events related to a particular subject occurring within a 48-hour period, and is credited as one of the first to air a "reality show"...
.
Van Sant was born on February 21, 1953 in Seattle, Washington. He graduated cum laude from Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
in 1975 with a Bachelor's degree in Communications.
Career
After gradutation, Van Sant worked for KAPY-LPKAPY-LP
KAPY-LP is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Port Angeles, Washington, USA, the station is currently owned by Dry Creek Community Broadcasting....
in Port Angeles. He joined KMVT-TV in Twin Falls, Idaho in 1975. From 1976 through 1977 he worked for Cedar Rapids-based KCRG-TV
KCRG-TV
KCRG-TV, channel 9, is a television station, operating as the ABC affiliate for the Cedar Rapids, Iowa metropolitan area, and the nearby cities of Waterloo, Iowa City and Dubuque....
and from 1977 through 1978, for Omaha-based KETV
KETV
KETV, digital channel 20 , is the ABC affiliate television station in Omaha, Nebraska and is owned by Hearst Television...
. In 1978, he joined Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
-owned KOOL-TV in Phoenix, Arizona as weekend anchor and reporter. In 1982, he moved to Dallas and worked at WFAA-TV
WFAA-TV
WFAA, channel 8, is an ABC-affiliated television station serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the top ten media markets in North America. The station is the flagship of Belo Corporation and the largest ABC affiliate not owned and operated by the network...
until 1984.
In 1984, Van Sant joined CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
and worked in Atlanta as a correspondent for CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
for the next six years. His investigative report on high number of medical helicopter crashes won him his first Emmy Award in 1986. In 1989 he was assigned to the London bureau from where he reported on the collapse of Soviet Union, the first Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, reunification of Germany and famine in Africa.
In 1991, he moved to New York and reported for CBS News magazines Street Stories until 1993, and America Tonight
America Tonight
America Tonight was a late-night news program on CBS. It aired on weeknights at 11:30pm ET from October 1, 1990 to March 29, 1991. It was hosted by Charles Kuralt and Lesley Stahl...
until 1994. He was then assigned to CBS Evening News where he worked until 1997 and received his second Emmy Award for his report on the economic and social collapse in Albania. In 1997-1998, Van Sant was named a correspondent for Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel. He was the first TV journalist who reported on devastating famine in North Korea, a documentary which won him his third Emmy Award. He was also a part of the CBS News undercover investigative team which taped an indicted war criminal in Bosnia. Van Sant reported on major national events including September 11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Virginia Tech massacre
Virginia Tech massacre
The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
and interviewed many celebrities such as Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
, Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
, Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
, Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte
Nicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor whose career has spanned over five decades, peaking in the 1990s when his commercial success made him one of the most popular celebrities of that decade.-Early life:...
, LeAnn Womack, and Ronnie Dunn
Ronnie Dunn
Ronnie Gene Dunn is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn. In 2011, Dunn began working as a solo artist following the breakup of Brooks & Dunn...
and Kix Brooks
Kix Brooks
Leon Eric "Kix" Brooks III , is an American country music artist, best known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn.-Early life:...
. He also reported 48 Hours Special on Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
in a documentary called Day of Reckoning.
Throughout his career, Van Sant always liked to focus on stories involving "controversy and confrontation", following stories from early stages to their concurrent status, such as one on Lori Berenson
Lori Berenson
Lori Helene Berenson is an American convicted in Peru of unlawful collaboration with the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement , which the Peruvian government regarded as a terrorist organization, and which had committed numerous attacks in attempting to overthrow the government...
, an American jailed in Peru since 1995.
Works and Awards
Van Sant has co-authored the book Perfectly Executed, based on a story featured on the 48 Hours Mystery television show. In 2006, he also wrote the script and produced the documentary Three Days in September about Beslan school hostage crisisBeslan school hostage crisis
The Beslan school hostage crisis of early September 2004 was a three-day hostage-taking of over 1,100 people which ended in the deaths of over 380...
, premiered on Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
. Narrated by Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
, the film won Van Sant his fourth Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
and was named one of the top documentaries of 2006. The documentary also won the most prestigious Golden Word Award of Russia.
Van Sant has won numerous awards throughout his reporting career. Among them four Emmy Awards, three Edward R. Murrow Award
Edward R. Murrow Award
The Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio-Television News Directors Association in recognition of what the Association terms "outstanding achievements in electronic journalism."-Judging:...
s for his 48 Hours Mystery reports, Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for his reports on collapse of Soviet Union, Overseas Press Club
Overseas Press Club
The Overseas Press Club of America was founded in 1939 in New York City by a group of foreign correspondents. The wire service reporter Carol Weld was a founding member...
Award for his investigative reports on sale of human organs in Peru and report on Lori Berenson, American Women in Radio and Television Award for his report on rapes in war torn Bosnia and Sigma Delta Chi Award
Sigma Delta Chi Award
The Sigma Delta Chi Awards are presented annually by the Society of Professional Journalists for excellence in journalism.- History :The Awards, according to the SPJ, did not begin in 1932 when the society chose six individuals for their contributions to journalism. In 1939 the awards program began...
for the report on worldwide human trafficking awarded in 2005.