Jerry Rosholt
Encyclopedia
Karlton Jerome Rosholt (January 20, 1923 – April 4, 2008) was an American journalist and author.
. His parents were Carl Lauritz Rosholt (1881–1952) and Ida Emilia Solem (1893–1926). He has one younger brother, Norman Tegnear Rosholt.
Rosholt attended Luther College
, but was interrupted by World War II
. During the war, he served with the 95th Infantry Division. After the war, he was graduated from Luther with a degree in mathematics
in 1948.
During college, Rosholt twice won national forensic championships in extemporaneous speech, both times winning the college division and then representing the college division in the university division and winning it. Luther College later honored him with the first Oliver Eittreim Award for Excellence in Broadcast Media (1977) and a Distinguished Service Award (1998).
at WCCO. He also worked for the Associated Press
in Minneapolis. In 1957, following the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union
, Rosholt was the first American journalist to report that the successful launch was the dawn of a new age of the human race, not just a defeat of the United States
in the race to be first to enter space. For this report, Rosholt was awarded the Distinguished Journalist Award by Sigma Delta Chi (now known as the Society of Professional Journalists
Sigma Delta Chi Award
.) From 1960 to 1962, Rosholt represented Lutheran Film Associates in the distribution of the motion picture Question 7
.
In 1962, Rosholt started working for NBC News
in Philadelphia at WRCV-TV
. In 1964, he represented NBC
for the News Election Service, supervising the collection of votes for NES in three states. In 1966, he transferred to New York City
, writing for WNBC radio. His reports during the August 1967 riots in Newark, New Jersey, were well received, and as a result he was promoted to the Huntley-Brinkley Report
.
During the final years of the Huntley-Brinkley Report and during the period of time that David Brinkley
was anchor of the NBC Nightly News
, Rosholt was a field producer, notably covering the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
, which won Emmys in every category of television news coverage. He also covered the U.S. - U.S.S.R. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT
), the Sadat
-Begin Peace Talks, the William Calley
trial, several Civil Rights
demonstrations, anti-Vietnam War
protests and national political conventions from 1964 to 1988.
In 1972, when John Chancellor
took over as anchor of the NBC Nightly News
, Chancellor selected Rosholt as his personal producer and head editor. They worked together until Chancellor was replaced by Tom Brokaw
. Transferring to NBC News Computers, Rosholt finished his career rising to the level of director and retiring in 1988.
In September 2006, Rosholt was awarded the St Olav's medal
by King Harald V of Norway
“in recognition of [his] great services to Norway, in particular [his] active involvement with the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum on its Civil War project." The medal was presented on October 21 in Decorah, Iowa
, by Norwegian Consul General Rolf Hansen.
Background
Rosholt was born during 1923 in Glasgow, MontanaGlasgow, Montana
Glasgow is a city in and the county seat of Valley County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,253 at the 2000 census.-History:Glasgow was founded in 1887 as a railroad town by James J. Hill, who was responsible for creating many communities along the Hi-Line. The town was named after...
. His parents were Carl Lauritz Rosholt (1881–1952) and Ida Emilia Solem (1893–1926). He has one younger brother, Norman Tegnear Rosholt.
Rosholt attended Luther College
Luther College (Iowa)
Luther College is a four-year, residential liberal arts institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Decorah, Iowa, USA...
, but was interrupted by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the war, he served with the 95th Infantry Division. After the war, he was graduated from Luther with a degree in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
in 1948.
During college, Rosholt twice won national forensic championships in extemporaneous speech, both times winning the college division and then representing the college division in the university division and winning it. Luther College later honored him with the first Oliver Eittreim Award for Excellence in Broadcast Media (1977) and a Distinguished Service Award (1998).
Career
As a journalist in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, Rosholt was head writer for well-known radio personality Cedric AdamsCedric Adams
Cedric Adams was an American broadcaster, well known in the Midwestern United States from the 1930s until his death He was inducted into the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame in 2002...
at WCCO. He also worked for the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
in Minneapolis. In 1957, following the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Rosholt was the first American journalist to report that the successful launch was the dawn of a new age of the human race, not just a defeat of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the race to be first to enter space. For this report, Rosholt was awarded the Distinguished Journalist Award by Sigma Delta Chi (now known as the Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
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...
.) From 1960 to 1962, Rosholt represented Lutheran Film Associates in the distribution of the motion picture Question 7
Question 7
Question 7 is a 1961 film directed by Stuart Rosenberg and starring Michael Gwynn, Margaret Jahnen and Christian de Bresson. It won the National Board of Review Award for Best Film. It was also entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival....
.
In 1962, Rosholt started working for NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
in Philadelphia at WRCV-TV
KYW-TV
KYW-TV, virtual channel 3, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. KYW-TV shares a studio facility with its sister station, CW flagship WPSG just north of Center City Philadelphia...
. In 1964, he represented NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
for the News Election Service, supervising the collection of votes for NES in three states. In 1966, he transferred to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, writing for WNBC radio. His reports during the August 1967 riots in Newark, New Jersey, were well received, and as a result he was promoted to the Huntley-Brinkley Report
Huntley-Brinkley Report
The Huntley-Brinkley Report was the NBC television network's flagship evening news program from October 29, 1956 until July 31, 1970. It was anchored by Chet Huntley in New York City, and David Brinkley in Washington, D.C...
.
During the final years of the Huntley-Brinkley Report and during the period of time that David Brinkley
David Brinkley
David McClure Brinkley was an American newscaster for NBC and ABC in a career lasting from 1943 to 1997....
was anchor of the NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
, Rosholt was a field producer, notably covering the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
, which won Emmys in every category of television news coverage. He also covered the U.S. - U.S.S.R. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
), the Sadat
Sadat
- See also :* Anwar Sadat, former President of Egypt* Sadat * Saadat* Sadat. Term also used for the descendents of Holy Prophet Muhammad through Imam Ali and Bibi Fatima progeny....
-Begin Peace Talks, the William Calley
William Calley
William Laws Calley is a convicted American war criminal and a former U.S. Army officer found guilty of murder for his role in the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War.-Early life:...
trial, several Civil Rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
demonstrations, anti-Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
protests and national political conventions from 1964 to 1988.
In 1972, when John Chancellor
John Chancellor
John William Chancellor was a well-known American journalist who spent most of his career with NBC News...
took over as anchor of the NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
, Chancellor selected Rosholt as his personal producer and head editor. They worked together until Chancellor was replaced by Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
. Transferring to NBC News Computers, Rosholt finished his career rising to the level of director and retiring in 1988.
Vesterheim Museum
In 1996, Rosholt was asked by Darell Henning, curator of Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, to compile a database of Norwegian immigrants who fought in the U.S. Civil War. In 2003, Vesterheim opened an exhibit on Norwegian-American soldiers. Accompanying the exhibit was the database and a book, also written by Rosholt, titled Ole Goes to War: Men from Norway Who Fought in America's Civil War. The book contained stories and pictures Rosholt had found during his research.In September 2006, Rosholt was awarded the St Olav's medal
St Olav's medal
The St. Olav's Medal and the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch were instituted by King Haakon VII of Norway on 17 March 1939. They are awarded in recognition of "outstanding services rendered in connection with the spreading of information about Norway abroad and for strengthening the bonds between...
by King Harald V of Norway
Harald V of Norway
Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...
“in recognition of [his] great services to Norway, in particular [his] active involvement with the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum on its Civil War project." The medal was presented on October 21 in Decorah, Iowa
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
, by Norwegian Consul General Rolf Hansen.