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. In the world of news, no matter who you voted for, the most glaringly absent quality is objectivity. Cronkite's Big Three Trust Factors #1 - Honesty. Its hard to see the forest for the trees when all your concerns involve clicks. But as USA Today reports, the FBI destroyed part of Cronkites file instead of preserving it. Prove yourself wrong!, we cant be certain of our stance if we dont learn the entire story. So how and why did Walter Cronkite become . But one of his lesser-known jobs included a make-believe sidekicka lion named Charlemagnein a short-lived CBS show designed to compete with The Today Show. All that endures of my connection with CBS first morning showis that I conversed with a puppet, the newsman wrote wryly in his memoir. He claimed, "I built my reputation on honest, straightforward reporting. Coach, International Speaker and Thought Partner - Bills mission is to add value to the world one brand at a time. He died on July 17, 2009, at age 92. 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. He's being remembered as the "father of television news," as . He gave suburb news with honesty of facts. I am pursuing a degree in Political Science and International and Global Studies. 'Most trusted'? Destructive 'Super Pigs' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. Did an Ancient Magnetic Field Reversal Cause Chaos for Life on Earth 42,000 Years Ago? Now, all . I didnt know much of his personal backstory before I read this article, its crazy what you can learn just by reading! 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. 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. Erin Blakemore Cronkites enthusiasm for the U.S. space program carried throughout his journalistic career and helped Americans follow and support the program. The New York Posts Robert P. Post died when his plane was shot down on the same mission. What a great read, I wish there were more Walter Cronkites in todays society. The man who anchored . Despite his objective persona, it was clear to his viewers that Cronkite was a real person with real interests and feelings. What do you think? Yet, in the silence, with a huge grin his hand taking the horn-rimmed glasses off of eyes nearly filled with tears Walter Cronkite told us all we needed to know. For almost two decades, after all, weve been meeting like this in the evenings, and Ill miss that., Joseph Stromberg Your Privacy Rights Walter Cronkites legacy continues. Uncle Walters word was gold.. He truly laid out the foundation of what great newscasters should be like. And they'll be looking for me." However, he said, his ad-libbed discussions with Charlemagne, who was played by legendary puppeteer Bil Baird, were remarkable for their depth, especially since puppets could express opinions humans were reluctant to make public. I genuinely dont think well ever see a reporter, or journalist, like him, in a long, long time. 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. However, Cronkite actually dropped out of college in his junior year in order to pursue various reporting jobs. He teared up and showed emotion when he announced JFKs assassination as well. | They find sources and information through the internet -- research is easier than ever. 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. Though Rather never said so publicly, CBS News insiders said he did not approve of her appointment. Oprah Winfrey: Overcoming Adversity to Become a Master Communicator, How Zappos Used Customer Engagement to Build a $2B Brand. 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. What were they? One way around the Fairness Doctrine was to tamp down controversy, which all three networks often did. Walters influence, trust and journalistic accomplishments he won virtually every award the industry offered set the standard for journalism for the nation and the world. Thats where the family lived until moving to Houston, Texas when Walter was 10-years-old. And it wasn't fluffyit was very clear. Walter Jr. the only child of Walter, a dentist, and Helen, a homemaker was born on November 4, 1916, in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Cronkite showed passion in his work, especially when doing NASA projects. 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. Mrs. Cronkite looked at me and giggled or blushed or maybe neither. Today, the job he perfected has largely lost its relevance. 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. Cronkite has changed how people deliver news forever now. Very nice article! Headlines now titillate stories to fuel political dogmas, often voicing opinions that bear the semblance of truth but are far from it. As the world saw a boot finally touch lunar dust, words briefly failed Walter Cronkite. Some claim to be "fair and balanced" and are clearly neither. 3.1.2023 4:21 PM, Eric Boehm "I'm very sorry, Mr. Cronkite, " I said as I turned to the clueless guard. These results came about because Walter Cronkite was a fearless brand. It doesnt gauge truth, it gauges what looks close to the truth: verisimilitude, they write. Walter Cronkite, the CBS newsman so revered by Americans that they considered him the "most trusted man in America," died today. A key to being a fearless brand is having conviction of self. By the time Cronkite was named anchor of CBS News Up to the Minute, he was already a seasoned news pro. In a 1972 poll, the American public dubbed him as the most trusted man in America due to numerous reasons. | READ MORE. A student organization of St. Marys University of San Antonio, Texas, featuring scholarly research, writing, and media from students of all disciplines. Walter Cronkite, former CBS anchor known as "Uncle Walter," has died. But the passing of the man known universally as The Most Trusted Man in America also offers us one last chance to learn from him. It took a man of great character and outstanding humility to so sublimate his personal views and inherent bias to achieve that rather impossible standard. Accessibility | According to polls, he was the most trusted man in Americamore than the first lady, the Pope or the president." Cronkite, born November 4, 1916,. 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. His college career lasted only two years. He was someone we could trust to guide us through the most . Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV's YouTube Channel to receive automatic updates when new stories go live. Working on the desk was.". To do anything else would be phony. It will make you smarter and keep them honest. Raised in Houston, Texas, he decided to become a journalist after reading a magazine article about a foreign correspondent. What? Haven't got the Fieldbook yet? Walter Cronkite realized his purpose early in life. 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. Indeed, his modesty and his dedication were the reasons his wide audience liked him so much and trusted him. Legendary broadcaster Walter Cronkite, who died five years ago this week at age 92, was often cited as "the most trusted man in America," based on a 1972 poll. Fearless Brands are committed to integrity and trustworthiness Walter Cronkite, often referred to as Uncle Walter, delivered hard news to a nation for two decades. July 18, 2009 -- One day after legendary reporter and anchorman Walter Cronkite died, colleagues and admirers are mourning the loss of "the most trusted" voice that led America through 40 years of . Source: IMDB, Walter Cronkite during his time as a war correspondent during WWII. 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 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. As I said in my obituary of Walter Cronkite, in person, he could come off as formal, stiff and even somewhat self-important. Big blonde hair. Chung's last broadcast as co-anchor was on May 18, 1995. Nick Gillespie and Tracy Oppenheimer His enthusiasm and love for journalism are what led him to become known as the most trusted man in America. In 1968, he goes to Vietnam and does a documentary, Ward says. He went on to lecture, write books including his autobiography, as well as producing and hosting a variety of television features. The most frequent comment, expressed in several ways, was that Cronkite was honest. 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. | The program was, as its co-founder Robert MacNeil just testified, one that Cronkite adored. He inspired John Waters to grow a moustache (I think!). Cronkite stayed in the Kansas City area until he was 10. . His voice. And every article, blog or TV clip mentions how Walter Cronkite was so trusted. No cable news. The broadcast was just moments away. Days later he made the very poignant announcement that Kennedy had died. In 1968 the Communist forces in South Vietnam, facing defeat, staged massive kamikaze attacks on U.S. positions in Saigon. Source: IMDB, Cronkite on the Cbs Evening News. Cronkite, the main influence at CBS News, chose to err on the side of valid news rather than being first to break a story. 3.1.2023 5:00 PM, Emma Camp His unassuming manner and sincerity were two reasons why people liked and trusted him so much. The Most Trusted Man in America. Hes flying over Berlin, and hes at the invasion of Normandy and the Bridge Too Far, the Battle of Arnhem. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. If You Think Im a Joke the Jokes On You! . At that time, the evening news was a mere 15 minutes in length barely enough to deliver the days headlines. It seemed miraculous for a Brooklyn kid that our babysitter's mom worked for Mr. Cronkite at CBS 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. This is the process of discovering, embracing and delivering their greatest value which allows them to realize greater profit. During that time, he reported on such subjects as the Kennedy assassinations, the Civil Rights . Its not just the naive and undereducated who end up trusting people and institutions that they shouldnt. Tracy Oppenheimer is a producer at Reason TV. He claimed, I built my reputation on honest, straightforward reporting. 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. 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? But when we're doing news, it is our duty to be sure that we do not permit our prejudices to show. Walter Cronkite retired in 1981, at which time he allowed himself to expose his personal beliefs and opinions. That his passing coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing is less a surprise than a cosmic alignment. "President Lyndon Johnson certainly felt it. We trusted him and that . Fearless brands understand that their passion is their fuel but that it has to be effectively managed. Forty years ago, a man walked on the Moon. Privacy Policy | Campbell says the 1972 survey that gave Cronkite the title of "Most Trusted Man" compared Cronkite with prominent politicians of the time, not newscasters, and so he "inevitably came out on top." 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. | As consumers shifted consumption of news from newsprint to television in the 1960s, consumers shifted whom and what they trusted, too. "I was remembering another time. 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. But those who worked . But you can still see it. Cronkite was committed to delivering accurate news, refusing to report stories until they were validated and vetted. Veronique de Rugy Walter Cronkite, often referred to as Uncle Walter, delivered hard news to a nation for two decades. A bright blue flower in her hair, matching her blue outfit. Its telling that Walter Cronkite, The most trusted man in America, held objectivity as the most vital quality for journalists. For somebody of my generation, he was the pillar of American broadcast journalism, says David Ward, a historian at the National Portrait Gallery. I ran down to the lobby of the CBS News Broadcast Center to escort Mr. Cronkite to a studio. Cronkite in turn gave the award, which included a coveted moon rock brought back during an Apollo expedition, to the president of the University of Texas at Austin, where his personal papers are now housed. , In business, disruptors have existed for centuries. 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. In 1950, Cronkite finally joined CBS after numerous offers. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. Your ambitious agenda is filling a desperate need.". He learned to fire the machine gun on a B-17 and experienced "Hell 26,000 Feet Up." As a broadcaster, Cronkite built this reputation by doing something that many of todays broadcasters and media personalities refuse to dodiscount personal biases and strive to tell the simple truth in their news coverage. He did not let his political views get in the way of his reporting. Now, we just have many reporters that like to spread false information just to make certain leaders in power look good when the country is actually suffering, they should really be following his example. So I stepped outside for a few moments for a smoke. Well never knowand thats the way it is. He began his career with a commitment to journalism as well. This is a mostly justifiable assessment. 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. Read More. The award, which is named for the late CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite, honors leading figures in journalism. It was this Cooper-like reserve that gave him such power on the few occasions he did weigh in with a Big Opinion. Cronkite was 92. "My dad was one of those people. And this security guard just will not let me back into the building." He was an inspiration because he was one of the first household name reporters to have come out of television. 8. Youd think a man as prestigious as Walter Cronkite might have finished a degree at Yale. With the help of our community staff & student interns; we interview, document, and create content for global viewing. Fearless Brands are committed to integrity and trustworthiness. For years I tried to improve on it, and never could. His latest cause was world government and. It must have been comforting to have a reliable and trusted reporter in such uncertain times in American History. He had no truck with deconstructionists who believe its all subjective, he was a midwest pragmatist of the William James school. Fuel your passion After he retired, Cronkite began to openly pursue causes he believed in. A 1973 poll showed Walter Cronkite to be "the most trusted man in America." . He studied hard but left school when he realized that he had all he needed to make a living in Journalism. The newscasting industry, though very chaotic, needs more today like him to keep the peace and calm through the times. As the war raged on. Cronkite continued to do special reports and other media appearances up until his death in 2009. It is nice to know that at one point we had a news reporter who cared about honest straightforward reporting and avoided involving his own political views about events that were occurring in America and outside the country. Walter Cronkite became the first significant news anchor on American television, an achievement that he handled with innate modesty. I'm glad I was soon proved wrong. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Cronkite was the face of CBS from 1962 to 1981. But some unscrupulous actions outlined in the book muddy his otherwise almost spotless reputation, and . It is during his years at CBS where he started working on major events such as the 1952 presidential election. The invitation was extended the very next day and that meeting led to the Camp David accord and the Israel-Egyptian Peace Treaty. July 2, 2012. Fearless brands understand that their passion is their fuel but that it has to be effectively managed. This was a fascinating article about a journalist that I have never heard of before. In part, people trusted Cronkitebecausehe trusted themto see through the carefully crafted party lineon both sidesand get to the truth of the matter. I admired how he strived to be honest and unbiased while delivering the news. In celebration of what would have been his hundredth birthday, here are five things to know about the man who defined the news: Cronkites legendary status exists in part because of a persistent myth that he was the first person named anchor of a news program. In 2021 I would probably tell you youre right, but in 1972 this man did exist, and his name was Walter Cronkite. "Indeed, a bunch of people were running around but I got to the chair in time for the broadcast."