Veronique de Rugy He was an example of what an exemplary journalist should be like. Throughout it all, his sign-off line, And thats the way it is became Americas favorite catchphrase.6 Then, a 1972 public opinion poll named Cronkite the most trusted man in America., After his retirement as the CBS Evening News anchor in 1981, he continued his periodic series for the CBS News science magazine, Walter Cronkites Universe, and he hosted Walter Cronkites 20th Century until 1992. On the contrary, he kept that passion in check until the time was right. - Walter Cronkite. In 1968, he goes to Vietnam and does a documentary, Ward says. 6.26.2012 11:34 AM. Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. was born Nov. 4, 1916, in . His unassuming manner and sincerity were two reasons why people liked and trusted him so much. Why Was Walter Cronkite So Well Respected? Walter Cronkite was a great man, a great journalist, and a great reporter. Well, in he came to the same building he hosted his broadcast for 19 years. Thats where the family lived until moving to Houston, Texas when Walter was 10-years-old. In today's atmosphere of media partisanship and fake news it seems a bygone notion, but Cronkite was known as "the most trusted man in America.". Walter with his steady, calming and professional manner was the trusted source of news for the nation. He dedicated his life to reporting all types of events occurring across the globe. Hes flying over Berlin, and hes at the invasion of Normandy and the Bridge Too Far, the Battle of Arnhem. Have you watched the news lately? 399 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116 +1-617-564-3443. Walter Cronkite, longtime anchor of the CBS Evening News. By then, Mr. Cronkite had retired. During his time at CBS, he was selected for the Television Hall of Fame, being only the second newsman to ever be chosen, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter. Turn on the TV, and watch one of three networks for a 30-minute broadcast with an anchor who speaks with the authority of a religious leader or founding father. For years I tried to improve on it, and never could. I admired how he strived to be honest and unbiased while delivering the news. Walter was very lucky, because soon after moving, he read an article inBoys Lifemagazine which chronicled the adventures and assignments of reporters working around the world. No one said it better than Cronkite, the CBS Evening News anchor from 1962 to '81: We all have our likes and our dislikes. He hears one thing from the generals, and then he walks around and talks to GIs and Vietnamese, and he realizes theres a disconnect.. So I stepped outside for a few moments for a smoke. Well, almost everyone. As Lulu Guadalupe said, he truly laid out the foundation of what great newscasters should be like but alas, they are not. That may have been god-given; the rest of him was a man who strove to be good, and who showed the rest of us how. Cronkite went off to become a news editor for United Press International (UPI). Shot by Jim Epstein and Tracy Oppenheimer, and edited by Oppenheimer. Ever genial and humble, Walter Cronkite laughed. It was his integrity and commitment to fair reporting which established him as the most trusted man in America. The program was, as its co-founder Robert MacNeil just testified, one that Cronkite adored. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Cronkite, " I said as I turned to the clueless guard. As the world saw a boot finally touch lunar dust, words briefly failed Walter Cronkite. I left my jacket and wallet in the studio and we're going to be on the air in a few minutes. In 1968, there were plenty of people who were protesting the war in Vietnam. Because he did. Terms of Use Now its all about clicks, which are best achieved by affirming well-established beliefs. Walter Cronkite defined the role of a newsman on television. He gave suburb news with honesty of facts. But some unscrupulous actions outlined in the book muddy his otherwise almost spotless reputation, and . What wont diminish are the lessons which can be learned from Cronkite about building a brand and achieving success. And he was way too into the space program for a grown man. A student organization of St. Marys University of San Antonio, Texas, featuring scholarly research, writing, and media from students of all disciplines. Required fields are marked *. My grandmother used to tell me about Cronkite and his reporting. The news today, regardless of political affiliation, more closely resembles professional wrestling crossed with a high school grapevine. Surface. No satellite dish. He did not let his political views get in the way of his reporting. Soon he would be named host of the Morning Show on CBS. Cronkite stood out from his peers because of his commitment to truth and objectivity in journalism. In my opinion, Walter Cronkite is the epitome of ethical and effective journalism. "When the Eagle landed on the moon, I was speechless - overwhelmed, like most of the world. But when we're doing news, it is our duty to be sure that we do not permit our prejudices to show. Cookie Policy With quiet clarity and some ferocity, I let the security guard know the man before him was the Walter Cronkite, and we would not be showing him any identification and we would, right now, be on our way. Cronkite also witnessed D-day from above, covered Operation Market after landing by paraglider with paratroopers, and witnessed the Battle of the Bulge. What a great read, I wish there were more Walter Cronkites in todays society. The award, which is named for the late CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite, honors leading figures in journalism. Walter covered significant events of the war, including the bombing of Germany and D-Day. Today, the job he perfected has largely lost its relevance. Walter Cronkite seems to be as notable as todays ABC news anchor David Muir. 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. A few weeks later he announced that . Cronkite's heartbreaking report on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy became one of the most famous news reports in television history. Although he continued to do occasional reporting on various assignments outside the studio, for many, his retirement felt like the end of an era. He claimed, I built my reputation on honest, straightforward reporting. I enjoyed this article, had good history of someone who made history. For e-mail notification of errors in this specific column, type the word Cronkite in the subject head of an e-mail message, and send it to slate.pressbox@gmail.com. Privacy Policy | Walter Cronkite had come a long way from the little-known World War II and Moscow correspondent whom the old United Press had tried to promote to its London bureau at the magnificent salary . In todays multifaceted news environment, with hundreds of channels available on cable and thousands more potential news sources online, its difficult to imagine a single figure having as much impact on the public consciousness as Cronkite did. A bright blue flower in her hair, matching her blue outfit. He sailed. No cable news. Cronkite is laughing now: "So, I tried to explain but the guard wouldn't budge. After all, true journalists worked in print and radio. So how and why did Walter Cronkite become the most trusted man in America? The February 1968 assessment by Walter Cronkite, the anchor of the CBS Evening News (known as "the most trusted man in America"), that the conflict was "mired in stalemate" was seen by many as the signal of a sea change in reporting about Vietnam, and it is said to have inspired Pres. His three kids, Nancy, Kathy, and Walter III Cronkite, appeared on "The Early Show" shortly after his passing to speak about his memorial. I dedicate my time to researching and raising awareness about epidemics, injustices, and other conflicts that occur in other countries. Nick Gillespie and Tracy Oppenheimer Yet, much as I wished it might one day be my foot that stepped out beyond this Earth, being an astronaut didn't seem as much fun as doing what Walter Cronkite was doing. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine In 1927, his family relocated to Houston, Texas where he grew in admiration of journalism after reading an article in American Boy magazine.1 After this, his interest encouraged him to avidly work at his middle school and high school newspapers. In 1981, CBSs mandatory retirement age of 65 required that Cronkite step down from his post. As the war raged on. I am currently a senior at St. Marys University in San Antonio, Texas. Full red lips. Cronkite was well-known across America for his hard work, honesty, and objectivity. This means not just that he didnt tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. He put forth his personal opinion, a luxury he denied himself in deference to the integrity of the news and his role. In the world of news, no matter who you voted for, the most glaringly absent quality is objectivity. His funeral was held Thursday in New York. And they'll be looking for me." Its telling that Walter Cronkite, The most trusted man in America, held objectivity as the most vital quality for journalists. As I prepared to whisk him off, a security guard at the front desk stopped him. Cronkite refused to allow his personal beliefs to affect his job of reporting accurate news. 1 Colonization and Settlement (1500-1763), 2 Revolution and Early Republic (1754-1801), 4 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877), 5 Emergence of Modern America (1877-1929), 4 Late Middle Ages-Renaissance-Reformation Europe (1300-1648), 3 Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE), HS 1302 United States History since 1877, SP 3392 Language Variation and Dialectology of Spanish, https://www.biography.com/media-figure/walter-cronkite, https://www.notablebiographies.com/Co-Da/Cronkite-Walter.html, Jeff Cunningham, Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr.,, Joseph Epstein, A Face Only a Nation Could Love,, College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. Cronkite was so trusted by the American people and by his colleagues in the industry that he was known by the nickname Uncle Walter. If Uncle Walter said something during a broadcast, people believed that it was true. The Most Trusted Man in America didnt get there by calling himself the Most Trusted Man in America. We trusted him and that . The legendary anchorman Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. was the voice of truth for millions of Americans. If Cronkite were working in todays news environment, painting the news from the same palette he used when he anchored the CBSprogram, would viewers still invest their deep trust in him? Being able to read an unbiased article, or watch an unbiased news reporter just seems non-existent in todays society. As a newsman, his passion was limited to his role of reporter. Very nice article! Cronkite won the best-known category, but John Chancellor took the honors for best-liked and most-watched TV newsperson. Essays by over 30 trust experts. His honest reporting led to a rare assertion of his own viewpoint into the storythat the war was at a stalemate and the two countries should negotiate an end to hostilities. Theres the famous moment where he starts to lose his composure, and he takes his glasses off, as he shares the news with the nation., One of the main elements of Cronkites appeal, though, was the fact that he presented the days news with an objectivity and reserve that Americans expected in anchormen at the time. Send your reasons for Cronkitian distrust to slate.pressbox@gmail.com and subscribe to my untrustworthy Twitter feed. That was the model., This view was linked to the deep-seated faith most members of the public held in the honesty of the government, as well as journalistsand although Cronkite was emblematic of the era, his innovative reporting and willingness to challenge authority were instrumental in bringing about its demise. It was this Cooper-like reserve that gave him such power on the few occasions he did weigh in with a Big Opinion. 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. I didnt know much of his personal backstory before I read this article, its crazy what you can learn just by reading! Cronkite, the main influence at CBS News, chose to err on the side of valid news rather than being first to break a story. He covered events such as the moon landing, the assassination of JFK, and Vietnam. It seemed miraculous for a Brooklyn kid that our babysitter's mom worked for Mr. Cronkite at CBS News. He began his career with a commitment to journalism as well. July 2, 2012. 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. That element of implicit authority, we just dont have anymore.. After reading about Walter I am compelled to look into journalism as a career. Fuel your passion After he retired, Cronkite began to openly pursue causes he believed in. Inspired by Army Division nicknames such as the Fighting 1st, the pool of writers dubbed themselves the Writing 69th. It was a total disaster, and hes lucky to get out of there alive, Ward says. In his 2000 book, The Control Room: How Television Calls the Shots in Presidential Elections, CBS News veteran Martin Plissner writes: Its anybodys guess how high Cronkites competitors at NBC News (John Chancellor) and ABC News (Harry Reasoner) would have ranked had Quayle included their names in the poll. Some claim to be "fair and balanced" and are clearly neither. LBJ, a great judge of politics, said, "If Ive lost Cronkite, Ive lost middle America." Advertising Notice The idea was that this was a very serious job, performed by various serious men.. One Womans Charge Change How News is Reported. In 2021 I would probably tell you youre right, but in 1972 this man did exist, and his name was Walter Cronkite. Learn everything you can about a topic to ensure that you are known as a valid and trusted resource. "It's safe to say that Walter Cronkite was not the most trusted man in America, and it's safe to say he was not even the most trusted man among newsmen," says American University Professor Joseph Campbell, author of Getting it Wrong. After the war, as the TV news era blossomed, Cronkite was there to become one of its key figures. 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. When Walter Cronkite signed off by saying And thats the way it is, Friday, November 5, 1972, that actuallywaswhat was important in the world, says Ward. ( UPI ) Tracy Oppenheimer, and man in America. ; the. 4, 1916, in he came to the same building he hosted his broadcast 19... 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