▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁anchor ▁on ▁a ▁local ▁television ▁news ▁program , ▁and ▁the ▁new sc ast ▁took ▁off . ▁During ▁that ▁time , ▁he ▁was ▁so ▁well - lik ed ▁by ▁view ers ▁that ▁when ▁H ana fi ▁Muslim s ▁took ▁host ages ▁at ▁the ▁B ' na i ▁B ' r ith ▁building ▁in ▁Washington ▁they ▁would ▁speak ▁only ▁with ▁Robinson . ▁ ▁ABC ▁News ▁and ▁World ▁News ▁Ton ight ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁when ▁Ro one ▁Ar ledge ▁was ▁looking ▁to ▁rev amp ▁ABC ▁News ' ▁night ly ▁news ▁broadcast ▁into ▁World ▁News ▁Ton ight , ▁he ▁remembered ▁Robinson ▁from ▁a ▁ 6 0 ▁Min utes ▁interview , ▁and ▁h ired ▁him ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁new ▁three - anchor ▁format . ▁Robinson ▁would ▁anchor ▁national ▁news ▁from ▁Chicago , ▁while ▁Peter ▁Jenn ings ▁would ▁anchor ▁international ▁news ▁in ▁London ▁and ▁Frank ▁Reyn olds ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁main ▁anchor ▁from ▁Washington . ▁ ▁Robinson ▁thus ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁black ▁man ▁to ▁anchor ▁a ▁night ly ▁network ▁news ▁broadcast . ▁The ▁three - man ▁co - anchor ▁team ▁was ▁a ▁ratings ▁success , ▁and ▁launched ▁spo of s ▁regarding ▁how ▁the ▁three ▁would ▁pitch ▁stories ▁to ▁each ▁other ▁during ▁the ▁tele cast ▁by ▁saying ▁the ▁other ' s ▁name : ▁ ▁" Fran k " ..." Max " .... " Peter ," ▁etc . ▁ ▁Robinson ' s ▁ABC ▁ten ure ▁was ▁marked ▁by ▁conflicts ▁between ▁himself ▁and ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁ABC ▁News ▁over ▁view