Death of Marlene Sanders

On July 14, 2015, Marlene Sanders died of cancer in New York City at the age of 84. Her death marked the end of a six‑decade career during which she helped transform the role of women in American television news.

By the time of her passing, Sanders was widely recognized as a pioneer: the first woman to anchor an evening network newscast, the first woman network correspondent to report from Vietnam, and the first woman vice president of ABC News. She had also produced influential documentaries, co‑authored a key history of women in television news, and spent decades mentoring students as an adjunct professor at New York University.

Obituaries and tributes from major outlets, including national newspapers and public radio, highlighted not only her trailblazing achievements but also her reputation for rigor, fairness, and quiet determination. Colleagues remembered her as a "tough cookie" who insisted that women belonged at the center of serious journalism, not confined to lifestyle or "soft" news.

Her death prompted reflection on the distance the industry had traveled—and the barriers that remained. Many of the women anchoring and managing news programs in the 2010s traced their opportunities back to doors Sanders helped open. The date thus stands as both a conclusion and a historical marker in the ongoing story of gender equity in media.