Tracy Oppenheimer is a producer at Reason TV. 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. Uncle Walters word was gold.. | In 1950, Cronkite finally joined CBS after numerous offers. This was a fascinating article about a journalist that I have never heard of before. Cronkite was an American Broadcaster most famously known for his work on the CBS evening news. "It was a way to tout Walter Cronkite as a source to go to for election coverage among the three networks," says Campbell. The idea was that this was a very serious job, performed by various serious men.. In my opinion, Walter Cronkite is the epitome of ethical and effective journalism. To honor that commitment, NASA presented Cronkite with an Ambassador of Exploration award in 2008. Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. was born Nov. 4, 1916, in . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. | READ MORE. My dad was one of those people. In fact, the Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism informs us that the News Hour is losing numbers, not gaining them: For the 2007-08 season, the number of different people watching each week was 5.5 million, down from the previous seasons 6.1 million. According to PBS research, the viewers are migrating to cable news, a fate that trusted Walter would probably be suffering today if he were still reading from the teleprompter. Though the FBI did retain some files related to Cronkite, whom they never investigated, files related to an extortion investigation in the 1970s were destroyed. Research in communication and psychology clearly shows that to be trusted a communicator has to be seen as knowledgeable and credible. Cronkites enthusiasm for the U.S. space program carried throughout his journalistic career and helped Americans follow and support the program. 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. Nick Gillespieisan editor at largeatReason and host of The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie. Cronkite is famous not only for his impartiality and journalistic integrity, but the few recorded instances of emotion he expressed on air. The invitation was extended the very next day and that meeting led to the Camp David accord and the Israel-Egyptian Peace Treaty. He covered the 1952 presidential elections, and he helped introduce The Beatles to the United States. 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. Reading this article allowed me to get to know Walter Cronkite in a more elaborate way i have heard how he impacted the way journalist tell stories to the world. I finally stopped trying. Walter Cronkite realized his purpose early in life. Prove yourself wrong! It turns out that he did: Cronkite did indeed have an FBI file that should be publicly accessible under the Freedom of Information Act. Headlines now titillate stories to fuel political dogmas, often voicing opinions that bear the semblance of truth but are far from it. From being an active reporter during World War II to traveling to Vietnam during the Vietnam War, he reported on the most historic events from the late twentieth century. Walter Cronkite with the News (1962-1963) CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell (2019-present) . His voice. In 1968 the Communist forces in South Vietnam, facing defeat, staged massive kamikaze attacks on U.S. positions in Saigon. Everyone who watched Walter Cronkite somehow felt a personal connection to the newsman: whether they shared his coverage of the moon landing or his agony announcing the assassination of President Kennedy or endured with him the daily torment of an endless war in Vietnam or the despicable hostage-taking of diplomats in Iran. 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. He was one of several reporters assigned to the European theater to cover World War II (WWII). Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). A key to being a fearless brand is having conviction of self. This means not just that he didnt tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. He kept his own counsel; until and unless he felt there was no alternative but to share it. Cronkite made a bold decision to step out of his familiar role as impartial anchor and to express views that he said were "speculative, personal, subjective." Yet he was speaking for more than. #3 Integrity. Cronkite was known for his calming presence and his ability to communicate complex events to the average viewer, who trusted "Uncle Walter" to explain the major events of the era. Source: IMDB, Walter Cronkite during his time as a war correspondent during WWII. Covering yet another war, this time Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, Mr. Cronkite kindly agreed to help our coverage with an interview. Public mistrust of the government reached a new level, and Cronkites interview of Ellsbergcaptured ina photographnow among the National Portrait Gallerys collectionsbecame one of the many iconic moments of his career. Campbell sat down with ReasonTV's Nick Gillespie to discuss Cronkite and other myths propelled by the media. Cronkite stood out from his peers because of his commitment to truth and objectivity in journalism. Ample breasts. July 17, 2009 -- Walter Leland Cronkite, a legendary reporter and anchorman who was once voted the "most trusted man in America," died today at age 92. Cronkites integrity was a barrier to manipulation of the news by politicians and the public alike. He was offered a job with CBS television, which he initially turned down. Cronkite was 92. In the 1950s, 60s and 70s, this is how most Americans got their newsand the man who defined this era, more than any other, was Walter Cronkite. The broadcast was just moments away. "He goes to Vietnam. Cronkite stayed in the Kansas City area until he was 10. . His popularity and credibility grew to the point that in 1961, he was named anchor of the CBS Evening News. Walter Leland Cronkite . If so, you owe something to Walter CronkiteAmerica's uncle and the most influential broadcast journalist of all time. Cronkite refused to allow his personal beliefs to affect his job of reporting accurate news. Cronkite comes to national prominence in his second or third year, when he breaks the news that John F. Kennedy has been killed in Dallas, says Ward. How so? I feared I would never meet the man who inspired so many of us. If the nostalgia for Cronkitian news values were genuine, youd expect PBSs soporific News Hour would be drawing huge and growing numbers of viewers. | His commentary even impacted then U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson when he told his staff, If Ive lost Cronkite, Ive lost Middle America.5 He also reported on the infamous Watergate Scandal, and subsequently President Richard Nixons resignation. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. 6.26.2012 11:34 AM. Cronkite is laughing now: "So, I tried to explain but the guard wouldn't budge. Of those attributeshonesty, selflessness, integrity, and vocal cordsperhaps its only his voice that we cannot aspire to. "That wasn't why I was laughing, young man," Walter said to me. Walter Cronkite was a journalist who defined the role of network anchorman during the decades when television news rose from being the neglected stepchild of radio to a dominant form of journalism. This story is about the most trusted man in America. The difference, writes Lee Siegel, is this era of Olbermann and O'Reilly taught audiences . 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. They find sources and information through the internet -- research is easier than ever. 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. 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. July 2, 2012. Cronkite finished fourth in best-liked, behind Harry Reasoner, who placed second, and Howard K. Smith (ABC News), who placed third. Cronkite genuinely believed journalists could and must be "objective." Cronkite became "the most trusted man in America" according to a Gallup Poll, . Cronkite taught all of us the way things were. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); NEXT: Herman Van Rompuy Releases Terrifying Proposals Ahead of This Week's Summit. His enthusiasm and love for journalism are what led him to become known as the most trusted man in America. The emotion only made him seem more accessible to his audience, who felt many of the same feelings. 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