Marilyn Berger
Encyclopedia
Marilyn Berger Hewitt is an American broadcast and newspaper journalist and author. She worked for newspapers including the New York Times and Washington Post, and hosted local television news programs in New York City
.
on Long Island
from 1965-1970. From there she moved on to the Washington Post where she became a bit player in the Watergate Scandal
. Berger reported that Richard Nixon
White House staffer Ken Clawson had bragged to her about authoring the Canuck Letter
, a forged letter to the editor of the Manchester Union Leader that played a large part in ending the campaign of Senator Edmund Muskie
. She also reported on the Cold War
arms race and China
. She would later contribute to the New York Times.
, hosted a the public television news program The Advocates, and was an anchor on the nightly news on public television station WNET
in New York.
, creator of 60 Minutes
. They remained married until his death in August 2009. The couple had no children, but in 2009 right before Hewitt's death the couple took over the job of raising a young boy from Ethiopia
who Berger had discovered begging on the street while she was working on the Hodes book.
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...
.
Newspaper career
Berger worked as a foreign correspondent for NewsdayNewsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
from 1965-1970. From there she moved on to the Washington Post where she became a bit player in the Watergate Scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
. Berger reported that Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
White House staffer Ken Clawson had bragged to her about authoring the Canuck Letter
Canuck Letter
The Canuck letter was a forged letter to the editor of the Manchester Union Leader, published February 24, 1972, two weeks before the New Hampshire primary of the 1972 United States presidential election. It implied that Senator Edmund Muskie, a candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential...
, a forged letter to the editor of the Manchester Union Leader that played a large part in ending the campaign of Senator Edmund Muskie
Edmund Muskie
Edmund Sixtus "Ed" Muskie was an American politician from Rumford, Maine. He served as Governor of Maine from 1955 to 1959, as a member of the United States Senate from 1959 to 1980, and as Secretary of State under Jimmy Carter from 1980 to 1981...
. She also reported on the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
arms race and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. She would later contribute to the New York Times.
Television
After leaving the Post Berger went to work for NBC NewsNBC 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...
, hosted a the public television news program The Advocates, and was an anchor on the nightly news on public television station WNET
WNET
WNET, channel 13 is a non-commercial educational public television station licensed to Newark, New Jersey. With its signal covering the New York metropolitan area, WNET is a primary station of the Public Broadcasting Service and a primary provider of PBS programming...
in New York.
Author
In 2010 Berger wrote This is a Soul, covering the journey of Dr. Rick Hodes into Africa to help sick children.Personal
Berger holds a Masters Degree from the Columbia School of Journalism. In April 1979 she married Don HewittDon Hewitt
Donald Shepard "Don" Hewitt was an American television news producer and executive, best known for creating 60 Minutes, the CBS television news magazine, in 1968, which at the time of his death, was the longest-running prime-time broadcast on American television...
, creator of 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
. They remained married until his death in August 2009. The couple had no children, but in 2009 right before Hewitt's death the couple took over the job of raising a young boy from Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
who Berger had discovered begging on the street while she was working on the Hodes book.