In a sad turn of events, Robert MacNeil, the creator of the highly respected PBS newscast "The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour," has died at the age of 93. MacNeil, who co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades, passed away on Friday from natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, according to his daughter, Alison MacNeil.

MacNeil first gained prominence for his coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings for the public broadcasting service and later launched the "Robert MacNeil Report" on PBS in 1975. Joined by Lehrer as the Washington correspondent, their broadcast eventually became the renowned "MacNeil-Lehrer Report." In 1983, the program was expanded to an hour and renamed the "MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour." It became the nation's first one-hour evening news broadcast, receiving numerous Emmy and Peabody awards. Today, the show continues with Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz as anchors.

The creation of "The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour" stemmed from MacNeil's and Lehrer's disillusionment with the style and content of rival news programs on ABC, CBS, and NBC. They aimed to provide news without the need for sensationalism or hype. MacNeil explained in a 1983 interview, "The networks hype the news to make it seem vital, important. What's missing is context, sometimes balance, and a consideration of questions that are raised by certain events."

After two decades as co-anchors, MacNeil left his anchoring duties in 1995 to pursue full-time writing. Lehrer took over the newscast alone until 2009. Lehrer sadly passed away last year.

MacNeil visited the show in October 2005 to celebrate its 30th anniversary and fondly recalled the early days when cable television was not yet prevalent. He expressed how their newscast aimed to fulfill a journalistic need while offering a distinct alternative to commercial network news programs.

Throughout his career, MacNeil's contributions extended beyond television news. He co-wrote a book on language titled "Do You Speak American?," which was later adapted into a PBS documentary in 2005. In 2007, he served as the host of "America at a Crossroads," a PBS package that explored the challenges facing the United States in a post-9/11 world.

Born in Montreal in 1931, MacNeil grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa in 1955. He began his journalism career with Reuters in London before transitioning to TV news in 1960 when he joined NBC as a foreign correspondent. MacNeil covered significant events such as the Civil Rights movement, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the 1964 presidential campaign between Lyndon Johnson and Barry Goldwater.

In 1971, MacNeil joined PBS as a senior correspondent and partnered with Lehrer to co-anchor the Emmy-winning coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973. His impactful contributions to journalism throughout his career have left an indelible mark on the industry.

The passing of Robert MacNeil signifies the end of an era for "The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour," but his legacy as a trailblazer in responsible and unbiased news reporting will continue to shape the field for years to come.