Jim Cummins (reporter)
Encyclopedia
Jim Cummins was an American
television reporter for the NBC News
network. He became a somewhat recognizable member of the network, having worked there for nearly 30 years.
. He was a basketball player and member of the Regis Catholic High School
1962 state champion squad. From 1963 to 1967, Cummins attended Northwestern University
's Medill School of Journalism and earned both his Bachelors and Masters degrees. He was also a forward at NU.
in Mason City, Iowa
in 1969. From there, his career took him to WOTV
(Grand Rapids, Michigan
), WTMJ-TV
(Milwaukee) and WMAQ
(Chicago
).
He joined NBC News
in 1978 working out of their Chicago
bureau. In 1989, Cummins reopened NBC's Southwest bureau in Dallas
, becoming its correspondent. Over the years, he reported on various stories including U.S. political coverage, plane crashes, the Iran hostage crisis
, the Salvadoran Civil War, the Oklahoma City bombing
, many hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes, and live coverage of the Waco Siege
. Cummins' work manifested itself when he won an Award
for his coverage of the Midwest floods in 1993
. He also earned two National Emmy nominations for his coverage of Hurricane Hugo
and the Salvadoran Civil War.
Cummins retired from his NBC position in 2007 but shortly after was diagnosed with cancer. He died at the Presbyterian Hospital of Plano on October 26, 2007, aged 62, and was buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park
in Dallas. Cummins is survived by his widow and six children.
; three sons, John Cummins of Dallas, Billy Cummins, a student of University of Oklahoma
, and Doug Cummins of Waco; two brothers, Richard Cummins of New York
and Bob Cummins of Sarasota
; and two grandchildren. He also coached youth baseball and basketball teams for his six children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television reporter for the 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...
network. He became a somewhat recognizable member of the network, having worked there for nearly 30 years.
Education
Cummins was born in Cedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
. He was a basketball player and member of the Regis Catholic High School
Regis High School (Cedar Rapids)
Regis Catholic High School was a Catholic high school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, located at 735 Prairie Drive NE. Opened in 1958 as a successor to Immaculate Conception High School, it drew students from the parishes of All Saints, Immaculate Conception, St. Joseph , St. Matthew, St. Pius X, and St....
1962 state champion squad. From 1963 to 1967, Cummins attended Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
's Medill School of Journalism and earned both his Bachelors and Masters degrees. He was also a forward at NU.
Career
Cummins began his professional career at KGLO-TVKIMT
KIMT is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Driftless Area of North Central Iowa and Southeastern Minnesota. Licensed to Mason City, Iowa, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 42 from a transmitter near Meyer, Iowa south of the Minnesota state line...
in Mason City, Iowa
Mason City, Iowa
Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties....
in 1969. From there, his career took him to WOTV
WOTV
WOTV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southwestern Michigan that is licensed to Battle Creek. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a transmitter in Orangeville Township. The station can also be seen on Charter and Comcast channel 4. There is a high...
(Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
), WTMJ-TV
WTMJ-TV
WTMJ-TV, digital channel 28 ; branded as "Today's TMJ4", is the NBC-affiliated television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the flagship station of the Journal Broadcast Group. Its signal covers most of southeastern Wisconsin and parts of northeastern Illinois, including Racine, Kenosha,...
(Milwaukee) and WMAQ
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
(Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
).
He joined 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 1978 working out of their Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
bureau. In 1989, Cummins reopened NBC's Southwest bureau in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, becoming its correspondent. Over the years, he reported on various stories including U.S. political coverage, plane crashes, the Iran hostage crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
, the Salvadoran Civil War, the Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
, many hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes, and live coverage of the Waco Siege
Waco Siege
The Waco siege began on February 28, 1993, and ended violently 50 days later on April 19. The siege began when the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to execute a search warrant at the Branch Davidian ranch at Mount Carmel, a property located east-northeast of Waco,...
. Cummins' work manifested itself when he won an Award
Award
An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons...
for his coverage of the Midwest floods in 1993
Great Flood of 1993
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages...
. He also earned two National Emmy nominations for his coverage of Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
and the Salvadoran Civil War.
Cummins retired from his NBC position in 2007 but shortly after was diagnosed with cancer. He died at the Presbyterian Hospital of Plano on October 26, 2007, aged 62, and was buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park
Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery
Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 7405 West Northwest Highway in north Dallas, Texas . Among the notable persons interred here are:*Sawnie Robertson Aldredge , mayor of Dallas, Texas...
in Dallas. Cummins is survived by his widow and six children.
Personal life
Jim Cummins had an extensive family consisting of his wife, Connie of Dallas; three daughters, Chrissy Cummins and Molly Cummins, both of Dallas, and Kim of LafayetteLafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
; three sons, John Cummins of Dallas, Billy Cummins, a student of University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, and Doug Cummins of Waco; two brothers, Richard Cummins of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Bob Cummins of Sarasota
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
; and two grandchildren. He also coached youth baseball and basketball teams for his six children.