H(ans) V(on) Kaltenborn

Radio commentator, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. After working as a journalist, specifically for the Brooklyn Eagle (1902–5), he took time off to attend Harvard, then returned to the Brooklyn Eagle (1909–30). Known for his analyses of foreign affairs, he was hired by CBS (1930) and became widely known as the first American radio news analyst. He broadcast from a haystack during the Spanish Civil War. In 1940–55 he broadcast for National Broadcasting Company radio, and his clipped Oxford-style diction was a favourite of imitators and parodists.

Hans von Kaltenborn (July 9, 1878 - June 14, 1965) was an American radio commentator.

Kaltenborn was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Kaltenborn was one of the first news readers to provide analysis and insight into current news stories. His vivid reporting of the Spanish Civil War and the Czech Crisis of 1938 helped established the credibility of radio news in the public mind and helped to overcome the nation's isolationist sensibilities. Kittross wrote, Kaltenborn reported on the Spanish Civil War "while hiding in a haystack between the two armies.

Kaltenborn, who became a CBS Radio Network analyst in 1936, was known as a commentator who never read from a script.

He had an international reputation and was able to speak intelligently about events because he had interviewed many of those involved. From the contacts he developed in his travels and his ability to speak fluent German and French, Kaltenborn seemed chosen for the role he developed at CBS.

During the Munich crisis in September 1938, much of what listeners heard was Kaltenborn speaking without scripts even after sometimes having been up for most of a night covering the breaking news. Some claimed that when Kaltenborn was awakened during the Munich vigil, one merely had to utter "Munich" and Kaltenborn could talk for hours on the subject. (Kaltenborn virtually lived at CBS's New York headquarters during the crisis, resting on a cot in Studio 9 during the rare times he was not broadcasting.)

Kaltenborn had very specific views about radio’s role in presenting the news.

Kaltenborn joined NBC in 1940. On election night in 1948, he and Bob Trout (a former CBS colleague) were at the NBC news desk to broadcast the returns of the White House race between President Harry S. As the evening progressed, Kaltenborn could see a swing in Dewey’s favor. What Kaltenborn didn’t foresee was another swing in the votes going to Truman. As evening turned to early morning, Kaltenborn retracted his original projection and announced Truman as the winner.

On his newscast, Kaltenborn described how Truman did an impersonation of the journalist describing how he (Truman) was losing the election. Kaltenborn took the President’s comments with class as he stated, “We can all be human with Truman. Beware of that man in power who has no sense of humor.” Kaltenborn laughed at himself as everyone else laughed with him.

Though Kaltenborn left full-time broadcasting in 1953, he provided memorable analyses during NBC's television coverage of the Republican and Democratic conventions in 1956. Kaltenborn was in his mid-70's when the television age arrived and some see his time in TV as a disappointment. Forever the radio news man Kaltenborn would report everything including the movement of the news subject despite the fact people millions were watching it.