Ruth Ashton Taylor, a pioneering journalist and the West Coast’s first female television newscaster has died at the age of 101. The news of her sudden passing was confirmed by her family, who revealed that she died on Thursday at an assisted living facility in San Rafael, California. Taylor’s remarkable career spanned over 50 years, during which she became a trailblazer in the industry.
Born in Long Beach in 1922, Taylor graduated from Scripps College and went on to earn a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. She began her career as a news writer and producer at CBS radio in New York, making history as the only woman in a documentary unit led by Edward R. Murrow. Taylor conducted notable interviews over the years, including with iconic figures like Jimmy Durante, Albert Einstein, and President Jimmy Carter. In 1951, she became an anchor for the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles, solidifying her legacy in journalism. Taylor received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award in 1982 and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990. She retired in 1989 after spending most of her career at TV station KNXT. Taylor is survived by her daughters, a stepson, a grandson, a granddaughter-in-law, and a great-grandson.
Ruth Ashton Taylor, the groundbreaking journalist who shattered gender barriers as the first female television newscaster on the West Coast, has passed away at the age of 101. With a career spanning radio and television news for more than half a century, Taylor’s contributions to the field were unparalleled. Born in 1922, she graduated from Scripps College and later earned a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University before joining CBS Radio in New York. As one of the original members of a documentary unit led by Edward R. Murrow, Taylor quickly became known for her insightful interviews, engaging notable personalities like physicist Albert Einstein and President Jimmy Carter. Taylor’s legacy includes her role as a CBS anchor in Los Angeles from 1951, earning her a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award in 1982 and a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990.
The journalism community mourns the loss of Ruth Ashton Taylor, a trailblazing figure who made history as the West Coast’s first female television newscaster. Taylor’s sudden passing at the age of 101 leaves behind a remarkable legacy that spans over five decades in radio and television news. Beginning her career as a news writer and producer at CBS radio in New York, Taylor was the sole woman in a documentary unit led by the renowned Edward R. Murrow. Her on-air presence and insightful interviews, including conversations with Jimmy Durante, Albert Einstein, and President Jimmy Carter, solidified her reputation. Joining the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles in 1951, Taylor became a household name, earning a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award in 1982 and later a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990. Her retirement in 1989 marked the end of a pioneering career that paved the way for future generations of female journalists. Taylor is survived by her daughters, a stepson, a grandson, a granddaughter-in-law, and a great-grandson.
Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
