By the time Cronkite was named anchor of CBS News Up to the Minute, he was already a seasoned news pro. Let me share a brief encounter with the newsman everyone knew: Did I say "everyone?" As Lulu Guadalupe said, he truly laid out the foundation of what great newscasters should be like but alas, they are not. Walter wanted the public to get detailed stories so at the end of the first broadcast, he encouraged viewers to check their local newspapers for the full stories. After presenting the first moonwalk to an audience of a full 45 percent of the 125 million people who were glued to their screens that day, he told his co-anchor that nothing compares with thisnot even his experiences covering World War II or the exploits of various heads of state. Walter had that effect on people." Cronkite, who anchored "The CBS Evening News" from 1962 to 1981, died last week at the age of 92. Lyndon B. Johnson to state, "If I've lost . Walter Cronkites iconic sign-off and thats the way it is was taken at face value by the nation. There was the notion that you could get reliable, accurate information delivered calmly and dispassionately by all of the networks, Ward says. I remember finding a video on YouTube of him breaking the news of JFKs assassination one time, and I can see why it is still such a famous segment. Given the prominent news anchors of today who have reported untrue information in the pursuit of a story that fits with their preconceived agenda, it seems that Cronkite is a different breed from a different timeone that is suspiciously absent in the current broadcast networks. If Cronkite were alive today, he would tearfully lament the political tribalism that permeates through news organizations. He then moved to Houston Texas where he lived out his childhood. In 1974, before the Cronkite-equals-trust clich took root, the Phillips-Sindlinger organization conducted a nationwide poll to determine viewers attitudes toward the top TV newscasters. Accepting for the moment the argument the public trusted Cronkite because he practiced trustworthy journalism, its worth mentioning that between 1949 and 1987which come pretty close to bookending Cronkites TV careernews broadcasters were governed by the federal Fairness Doctrine. The doctrine required broadcast station licensees to address controversial issues of public importance but also to allow contrasting points of view to be included in the discussion. | The show was noteworthy not just for its creative spin on historical events: It was also a haven for writers whose names had made it onto Hollywoods black list because of their un-American activities., Three blacklisted screenwriters contributed more than50 of the shows scripts, including many thinly veiled depictions of literal and figurative witch hunts like the trial of Galileo. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. This story is about the most trusted man in America. But when he joined the United Press and left the country to cover World War II, he made his mark as a journalist capable of reporting stories in difficult conditions. "Helping set the day's agenda and deciding what we used and editing it, that was a journalistic high point. Yet the "most trusted man in America" seemed rather pleased he wasn't recognized at his own front door. Walter Cronkite was at the center of a fascinating moment in the history of American mass media, and the television news that he came to embody was fleeting and highly unusualan attempt to produce serious journalism in a medium associated with escapism. Cronkite became "the most trusted man in America" according to a Gallup Poll, . - Walter Cronkite. At the CBS News Broadcast Center, and throughout the news business, Walter Cronkite largely defined the ethical and journalistic standards that engendered the trust of a nation. Walter Cronkite was a great man, a great journalist, and a great reporter. Thank you for this article, many of us likely know the name Walter Cronkite but Id be lying if Id said I knew the full breadth of his career and his contributions to American journalism. The avuncular Cronkite anchored CBS Evening News for 19 years until 1981 when he retired. Walter Cronkite Writes For His School Newspapers So much so that a poll taken in 1972 named him the most trusted man in America more so than the president at that time, Richard M. Nixon. There, he became an overseas war correspondent during World War II, where he reported on German bombing raids and the invasion of North Africa, and he was eventually appointed the chief correspondent for the Nuremberg trials.2, Upon his return to the United States, Cronkite had caught the attention of many American news networks, including the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). Seek the complete storyIn Cronkites own words In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story.That approach is a rare quality in todays journalism circles in our society for that matter. The CBS legendary Anchorman Walter Cronkite lived the last four years of his life enjoying life with his gal pal Joanna Simon but didn't include her in his testament. Cronkite won the best-known category, but John Chancellor took the honors for best-liked and most-watched TV newsperson. He began his career with a commitment to journalism as well. One way around the Fairness Doctrine was to tamp down controversy, which all three networks often did. #1 Honesty. Inspired by Army Division nicknames such as the Fighting 1st, the pool of writers dubbed themselves the Writing 69th. Your email address will not be published. Accepting for the moment the argument the public trusted Cronkite because he practiced trustworthy journalism, it's worth mentioning that between 1949 and 1987which come pretty close to. He covered the 1952 presidential elections, and he helped introduce The Beatles to the United States. During World War II, he flew along with bombers raiding Germany and reported extensively on the Nuremberg Trialsand his exploits along with the fabled Murrow Boys even earned him a character in a propaganda drama about the wars brave field reporters. Walter Cronkite, the CBS newsman so revered by Americans that they considered him the "most trusted man in America," died today. No satellite dish. He says CBS then used the survey results to promote the network. It was the same place and a similar thing happened. " This he saw as a natural outgrowth of professional principles; it also fit his personality like a glove. It was his integrity and commitment to fair reporting which established him as the most trusted man in America. News no longer waits for a single trusted voice and "the way it is" depends on who you choose to believe. These results came about because Walter Cronkite was a fearless brand. However, once those limitations were removed, Cronkite allowed his passion to ignite. Without such faith, democracy cannot flourish. That is simply basic journalism. Sadly thats a rather quaint concept today. Nick Gillespie and Tracy Oppenheimer Cronkite was committed to delivering accurate news, refusing to report stories until they were validated and vetted. I remember siting with my mom watching the news with her. Part of HuffPost Media. The idea was that this was a very serious job, performed by various serious men.. | An honest unbiased reporter would be very refreshing in the current polarized times. Start spreading the news: The townhouse that formerly belonged to the late CBS anchor Walter Cronkite will hit the market for $7.7 million. Integrity would not allow that. During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after . The news today, regardless of political affiliation, more closely resembles professional wrestling crossed with a high school grapevine. Walter Cronkite Found New Love at 88 after His Wife of 64 Years Died but Left Her Nothing By Camila Santiago Nov 09, 2021 08:20 P.M. | This was a fascinating article about a journalist that I have never heard of before. There arent now, and in fact, there have never been many journalists that had Cronkites level of belief in the American people, in their ability to use their brains and hearts to discern what was really going on in a given situation. Of those attributeshonesty, selflessness, integrity, and vocal cordsperhaps its only his voice that we cannot aspire to. This means not just that he didnt tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Like obscenity, trust is awfully hard to define; but as Justice Potter said, you can recognize it when you see it. Well, almost everyone. Cronkite has changed how people deliver news forever now. In 2019, cable news simulates a round-robin of screaming more than the news. In moments that shocked the country, Cronkite was able to deliver hard news with diligence. Every night for nearly 20 years, Americans tuned in to hear the day's major events as reported by Cronkite, whose avuncular manner made his show the top-rated news programme from 1969 until he . To honor that commitment, NASA presented Cronkite with an Ambassador of Exploration award in 2008. Subscribe to Reason Roundup, a wrap up of the last 24 hours of news, delivered fresh each morning. "There never was and there never will be another Walter Cronkite. If the nostalgia for Cronkitian news values were genuine, youd expect PBSs soporific News Hour would be drawing huge and growing numbers of viewers. Other reasons we shouldnt have trusted Cronkite. As I discussed in an earlier post Want to know that youre right? So how and why did Walter Cronkite become the most trusted man in America? Advertising Notice The sophisticated and the well-schooled are vulnerable, too. Yet the "most trusted man in America" seemed rather pleased he wasn't recognized at his own front door. He was offered a job with CBS television, which he initially turned down. That element of implicit authority, we just dont have anymore.. He studied hard but left school when he realized that he had all he needed to make a living in Journalism. Being able to read an unbiased article, or watch an unbiased news reporter just seems non-existent in todays society. The most frequent comment, expressed in several ways, was that Cronkite was honest. That move was right for Cronkite he was true to himself. Cronkite taught all of us the way things were. He began his career with a commitment to journalism as well. On the contrary, he kept that passion in check until the time was right. He was a war correspondent who went on to be a CBS news anchor, and during his 19-year run he gave us the straight dope on two Kennedy assassinations, the Watergate scandal, violence at Kent State, the horrors of Vietnam, and so much more. He wasnt the most educated or the best-looking newsman, but he was perhaps the most diligent. He gave suburb news with honesty of facts. I also didnt know that he had traveled to Vietnam to report on the war, I think that was very brave of him. Working on the desk was.". Haven't got the Fieldbook yet? Cronkite also witnessed D-day from above, covered Operation Market after landing by paraglider with paratroopers, and witnessed the Battle of the Bulge. Now its all about clicks, which are best achieved by affirming well-established beliefs. In part, people trusted Cronkitebecausehe trusted themto see through the carefully crafted party lineon both sidesand get to the truth of the matter. He died on July 17, 2009, at age 92. Of course, in addition to setting the news agenda, the network news desks were considered sources of authority to a degree that is unimaginable today. Permanent disclosure: Slate is owned by the Washington Post Co.). His unassuming manner and sincerity were two reasons why people liked and trusted him so much. March on the Pentagon 50 Years Later. These are all key aspects of being a true journalist and it showed when it came to Walter Cronkite. 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