Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, Carol Lin, the first network television anchor to announce the tragedy, is reflecting on the day the world changed.
Lin was anchoring CNN's morning show on September 11, 2001, when the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Time. Three minutes later, as the network went live to the developing scene, Lin delivered the initial news to viewers. "It was the first announcement that the world had changed forever," Lin recalled.
At the time of the first impact, Lin was off-set, warming up a guest for an upcoming interview. She recalled an executive rushing past her toward the control room, an unusual sight that signaled something was amiss. "There's a report of a plane into the World Trade Center..." she was told. Initially, she thought it was a small plane, as the idea of anything else seemed impossible.
As she returned to the anchor desk, with no script, Lin saw a live feed of the North Tower engulfed in flames. She informed the nation, "This just in. You are looking at, obviously, a very disturbing live shot there. That is the World Trade Center, and we have unconfirmed reports this morning that a plane has crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center."
Lin described the newsroom as being in shock, with initial uncertainty about whether the incident was an accident or a deliberate act. She noted that during the initial moments, her knowledge was limited to what viewers saw, stating, "What you saw, I saw, what you knew, I knew." She attempted to find context by researching the World Trade Center's location and employee numbers while on air.
Sean Murtaugh, a CNN executive in New York, confirmed on air that it was a large passenger jet, not a small plane. Lin emphasized the adherence to journalistic standards of the era, which prioritized verification. "We did not report what we could not verify," she said. "But the difference being that, what you were looking at, was absolutely catastrophic."
Lin recalled the palpable shock in the newsroom, particularly after the second plane hit, which solidified the collective understanding that the event was terrorism. She also detailed the influx of rumors, including reports of body bags and the evacuation of the White House, and the decision-making process regarding what information to share. "There's more of a philosophy today of let's say it and then we can always correct it later," Lin observed, contrasting it with the previous standard of withholding unverified information.
Following her time anchoring the coverage, Lin reported from near the Afghanistan border in Quetta, Pakistan, where she observed the porous border and questioned Pakistan's assurances of cooperation in the war on terror. She stated, "There was no border. And if Osama bin Laden was in fact using the southern border to travel, he would be able to make it through easily."
A Personal Turning Point
For Lin, like many others, 9/11 served as a profound personal turning point. The widespread death and destruction spurred her and her husband, journalist William Robinson Jr., to decide to start a family. "The scenes that were broadcast out of New York... really made us think about how you want to live your life," she said.
However, their joy was met with tragedy when Robinson was diagnosed with a fatal cancer six months into Lin's pregnancy. She described this as a moment where "the universe laughs," reflecting on the fragility of life and how personal struggles can eclipse career achievements or public events.
Lin has continued to explore the personal impact of 9/11, collecting and sharing stories from others on Substack about how the attacks altered their lives. She finds these narratives of reflection, courage, and heroism to be "untold stories."
As the 25th anniversary approaches, Lin believes it is a time for deep reflection on the lasting changes brought about by the event. "To hear from these people, it's incredible," she said of the individuals sharing their experiences. "These are kind of these untold stories but they're just small moments of of reflection, and bits of courage and heroism and tribute."