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Hosted by: Al Filreis

BOB SCHIEFFER has been a reporter all his adult life. He got his first job in journalism in 1957 at age 20, the summer of his sophomore year at Texas Christian University. The job was in the news department of KXOL, a small radio station in Fort Worth. He was paid one dollar an hour and worked there 44 hours a week until he graduated.

Since that first job he has received a weekly pay check for a variety of jobs in journalism, including the three years he spent in the Air Force where he edited a series of military newspapers and other publications. He returned to Fort Worth in 1962 and joined the Fort Worth Star Telegram which sent him to cover the Vietnam War in 1965. That led to local television which led to CBS News in Washington. From the time he won his first writing award at J.P. Elder Junior High School Schieffer wanted to be a reporter, but most of his professional recognition came after he turned 65, when most people retire.

Someone once said if he were a race horse, the handicappers would describe him as having “late foot.” When Schieffer turned 65, he was just hitting his stride. He served for nearly two years as anchor of the CBS Evening News, a period that saw the largest ratings increase in over a decade, wrote four books including his most recent OVERLOAD: Finding Truth in the Deluge of News, and the 2003 New York Times best seller, This Just In. During that time, he was designated a “living legend” by the Library of Congress, was inducted into the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences Hall of Face, won two Emmys (one for life time achievement), took Face the Nation to number one in the ratings and moderated three presidential debates. Schieffer officially stepped down as moderator of Face the Nation in May of 2015 after heading the broadcast for a record 24 years but has continued offering commentary and analysis. He has been associated with CBS News for 52 years.

Schieffer has won virtually every award in broadcast journalism including eight Emmys. He says his most meaningful recognition came when TCU designated its communication college the “Bob Schieffer College of Communication.” Schieffer has also been awarded 15 honorary degrees, is a proud graduate of Texas Christian University and was awarded a fellowship to Harvard’s Kennedy School in 2015. He and his wife Pat celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary, April 15. They have two daughters and three granddaughters. He marked his 84th birthday February 25, looks forward to the next one and says he’s finally going to dial back. But he always says that.