The U.S. television network CBS has announced that veteran newsman Dan Rather is leaving the company after 44 years.
The president of CBS news, Sean McManus, said Rather had an "extraordinary and singular" role at CBS News and in broadcast journalism.
Highlights of Rather's career include covering the war in Vietnam and the assassination of President Kennedy, and interviewing world figures including Saddam Hussein and President Clinton.
But the 74-year-old had also faced controversy, including having to apologize for a discredited report in 2004 that questioned President Bush's National Guard service.
Rather stepped down in March of 2005 as anchor of the CBS Evening News. The Texas native has told The New York Times newspaper he is considering doing a weekly news program for a high-definition cable channel called HDNet.