Connie Chung is a well-known journalist and news anchor from America. She became the first woman to co-anchor the CBS Evening News, making history. Additionally, she is the first Asian woman and only the second woman in the U.S. to anchor a major network newscast.
Connie has received both Emmy and Peabody awards for her work. Throughout her career, she has been with CBS, ABC, NBC, and CNN. Connie is married to Maury Povich, who is a talk show host. In September 2024, she published her memoir titled Connie: A Memoir.
Quick Facts About Connie Chung
| Full Name | Constance Yu-Hwa Chung |
| Date of Birth | August 20, 1946 |
| Birthplace | Washington D.C. |
| Education | University of Maryland (Journalism) |
| First Major Job | WTTG-TV in Washington D.C. |
| Co-anchor of | CBS Evening News |
| Notable Shows | Eye to Eye with Connie Chung |
| Spouse | Maury Povich |
| Children | One son, Matthew |
| Awards | Emmy and Peabody Awards |
| First Major Interview | President Richard Nixon during Watergate |
| Book Released | Connie: A Memoir (September 2024) |
| Last Show | Weekends With Maury & Connie |
Early Years of Connie Chung
Constance Yu-Hwa Chung known as Connie Chung. She was born on August 20, 1946. She grew up in Washington, D.C., as one of five daughters of a Chinese diplomat.
Cunnie began her career at WTTG-TV in Washington, working her way up to reporter. In 1971, she joined CBS News as a Washington correspondent. She had her first major interview with President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal there.
From 1976 to 1983, Connie worked as the lead news anchor at KCBS in Los Angeles. There, she started dating Maury Povich, a talk show host and old friend. They married in 1984 after dating for seven years.
Maury recalled that Connie called him one autumn day to say they could get married because she found a dress. It took 18 months for their careers to let them live together.
Face to Face With Connie Chung
In 1983, Connie Chung joined NBC. By 1989, she was one of the most popular journalists on TV. After a bidding war, she signed a three-year contract with CBS. There, she created a show called Face to Face With Connie Chung.
The show combined serious news with celebrity interviews, which viewers liked. However, some critics felt she focused too much on entertainment. The New York Times asked if the show was news.
A few months after the show started, Connie decided to leave. She wanted to focus on starting a family. At 44, she felt she was running out of time to have a baby. Unfortunately, her efforts to conceive didn’t work out. In June 1995, Connie and Maury Povich adopted a son named Matthew.
CBS Controversy
In June 1993, CBS announced that Connie Chung would co-anchor the nightly news with Dan Rather. She was only the second woman after Barbara Walters to hold a main network anchor position. She also started a news magazine titled Eye to Eye with Connie Chung.
Like her previous show, Face to Face, it combined serious news with lighter pop-culture stories, such as the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
In 1995, Connie received backlash for asking Kathleen Gingrich, the 68-year-old mother of Speaker Newt Gingrich, about something he had said. She prompted her to reveal that he had called First Lady Hillary Clinton “a bitch.”
Connie playfully said, “Why don’t you just whisper it to me, just between you and me?” While she intended to be light-hearted, many viewers felt she had trapped Gingrich into commenting.
Faltering Career
Decline of the Partnership with Dan Rather
Concerns about Connie Chung’s interview style, along with Dan Rather’s reported resentment over sharing the anchor role, led to the downfall of their partnership. In May 1995, CBS informed Chung that she would be removed from the co-anchor position and offered a lower role as a weekend anchor. She declined the offer and requested to be released from her contract.
Attempts at a New Show
Following her departure from CBS, Chung attempted to create her own news program with Maury Povich, but it was unsuccessful. In December 1997, she joined ABC News to anchor 20/20, where she conducted the first interview with Congressman Gary Condit after the 2001 disappearance of intern Chandra Levy.
Move to CNN
In 2002, Connie moved to CNN to host a new show competing with Bill O’Reilly from Fox News. The program struggled to gain traction, and CNN founder Ted Turner described it as “just awful.” In March 2003, CNN unexpectedly dropped Chung. A “very shocked and extremely disappointed” Chung took a break from television to focus on raising her son.
Return to Television
In 2006, Connie made her return to television alongside Maury, hosting a Saturday morning show called Weekends With Maury & Connie. The show was canceled after six months, but a viral video clip of Connie in a slinky white dress singing a parody song gained popularity.
Viral Moment
- “Thanks for the memories”
- “We came to do a show”
- “For very little dough”
- “By little I mean”
- “I could do more working on skid row.
FAQs
What was Connie Chung’s role in the 70s?
Connie Chung was a prominent news reporter and anchor in the 70s.
What is Connie Chung’s age?
Connie Chung is 77 years old, born on August 20, 1946.
Does Connie Chung have children?
Yes, Connie Chung has one adopted son named Matthew.
Who is Connie Ching?
“Connie Ching” is a common misspelling of Connie Chung’s name.