why was walter cronkite so trusted

In his day, truth mattered above all else. If Cronkite were alive today, he would tearfully lament the political tribalism that permeates through news organizations. Cronkite stood out from his peers because of his commitment to truth and objectivity in journalism. As a newsman, his passion was limited to his role of reporter. - Walter Cronkite. 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. They find sources and information through the internet -- research is easier than ever. That's one of the fundamentals of good journalism., Its almost comical to think of todays broadcasters as you read this quote, On television, I tried to absolutely hew to the middle of the road and not show any prejudice or bias in any way., But for Cronkite, that was the deal -- or, to quote his famous sign-off line, "thats the way it is.". Terms of Use I cant add much to the list of eloquent obituaries for Walter Cronkite, other than to say I agree with them. 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. He was offered a job with CBS television, which he initially turned down. 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 always ended his nightly news segments with, And thats the way it is. 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. It was this Cooper-like reserve that gave him such power on the few occasions he did weigh in with a Big Opinion. Cronkite famously reported in 1968 that the government was not being truthful to the American people about the Vietnam War after he went to Vietnam and observed the situation there for himself. 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. 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 kept his own counsel; until and unless he felt there was no alternative but to share it. For me, its a moment for which I long have planned, but which, nevertheless, comes with some sadness. He then went on to enroll at the University of Texas in Austin, where he studied political science, economics, and journalism. I'm glad I was soon proved wrong. Here it is again, not-so-new-and-improved, but still pretty good, I think. Your ambitious agenda is filling a desperate need.". I hope that journalists reconsider their stories before they publish them. Betsy, his wife of forty-five years, died of cancer in 2005. Want to know that youre right? 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. He wasn't the most educated or the best-looking newsman, but he was perhaps the most diligent. These are all key aspects of being a true journalist and it showed when it came to Walter Cronkite. Your Privacy Rights His three kids, Nancy, Kathy, and Walter III Cronkite, appeared on "The Early Show" shortly after his passing to speak about his memorial. 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. 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. Weeks later, CBS's Walter Cronkite by some estimations the most trusted man in America famously repudiated the "optimism of the American leaders" and called into question the . He became the host of the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. LBJ, a great judge of politics, said, "If Ive lost Cronkite, Ive lost middle America." Have you watched the news lately? She sat for the interview. 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. As I discussed in an earlier post Want to know that youre right? So I stepped outside for a few moments for a smoke. At that time, the evening news was a mere 15 minutes in length barely enough to deliver the days headlines. If You Think Im a Joke the Jokes On You! Haven't got the Fieldbook yet? Cronkite refused to allow his personal beliefs to affect his job of reporting accurate news. Walter Cronkite defined the role of a television news anchor. 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. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. 399 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116 +1-617-564-3443. 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. Over four decades of TV broadcasting, Uncle Walter defined a nations news. He truly laid out the foundation of what great newscasters should be like. July 2, 2012. Well never knowand thats the way it is. 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. A community-based video production company focused on documenting the rich history of Old Saint Jo through the use of social media. Cronkite also witnessed D-day from above, covered Operation Market after landing by paraglider with paratroopers, and witnessed the Battle of the Bulge. Cronkite has changed how people deliver news forever now. Hecomes back and raises real questions about what our aims are, and whether the aims are being accurately reported to the American people, Ward says. 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. Research in communication and psychology clearly shows that to be trusted a communicator has to be seen as knowledgeable and credible. And this security guard just will not let me back into the building." Cronkite's heartbreaking report on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy became one of the most famous news reports in television history. I think he was so trusted because he exhibited a sense of purpose and compassion, night after night. The sophisticated and the well-schooled are vulnerable, too. To do anything else would be phony. 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. He did not let his political views get in the way of his reporting. Walter Cronkite with the News (1962-1963) CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell (2019-present) . His college career lasted only two years. But those who worked . The average senator scored 67 percent in the survey, and President Richard Nixoneasily the least trustworthy animal ever to walk on two legsreceived 57 percent, as did Hubert Humphrey. Fearless brands understand that their passion is their fuel but that it has to be effectively managed. It was as if he enjoyed being reminded to remain humble, especially after all of the success and adulation he earned throughout his remarkable career. In 1968 the Communist forces in South Vietnam, facing defeat, staged massive kamikaze attacks on U.S. positions in Saigon. Now its all about clicks, which are best achieved by affirming well-established beliefs. In 1945, with the war over, Cronkite didn't stop reporting -- he kept his press pass and covered the Nuremberg Trials. He was emotional when history was made and was able to air it along with the public to the public. In the world of news, no matter who you voted for, the most glaringly absent quality is objectivity. | READ MORE. Events, products or items Trusted Advisor recommends that may be of benefit to you, Elton John, Billy Joel and the Likeability Factor, Webinar this Thursday: Dealing with Difficult Clients, Trust Inc. Strategies for Building Your Company's Most Valuable Asset. Its not just the naive and undereducated who end up trusting people and institutions that they shouldnt. Cronkites interest, which developed into passion and then a career that led him down a historic path will likely not be forgotten for some time, just the same as the journalistic work he did allowed American citizens to be informed and remember important developments in the country and in the world. Walter Cronkite, former CBS anchor known as "Uncle Walter," has died. Walter Cronkites legacy continues. "Walter was always more than just an anchor. "Whew, boy, " he said, as Armstrong descended the ladder. As I prepared to whisk him off, a security guard at the front desk stopped him. 3.1.2023 5:00 PM, Emma Camp The news business has both expanded and fragmented in the post-Cronkite, post-Fairness Doctrine era. <p>'The most trusted man in America's fan mail was still . Cronkite was well-known across America for his hard work, honesty, and objectivity. I liked reporting as well. News no longer waits for a single trusted voice and "the way it is" depends on who you choose to believe. I doubt it. In moments that shocked the country, Cronkite was able to deliver hard news with diligence. Cronkite genuinely believed journalists could and must be "objective." Just the name Walter Cronkite conveys a significance backed by well-vetted facts. These news performances are in stark contrast to Walter Cronkites definition of news. Why Was Walter Cronkite So Well Respected? If so, you owe something to Walter CronkiteAmerica's uncle and the most influential broadcast journalist of all time. Erin Blakemore A baritone drenched in overtones conveyed each of those character traits. Just days ago, I paged through this relic: amazed at the audacity of the race to the moon and the memory of Cronkite's undisguised glee as Neil Armstrong touched the surface of a new world. "Ethics must be reintroduced to public service to restore people's faith in Government. These results came about because Walter Cronkite was a fearless brand. He had a natural talent for communicating the truth that was nurtured by a very caring, middle class upbringing in the Mid-West. After he retired, Cronkite began to openly pursue causes he believed in. Track my errors: This hand-built RSS feed will ring every time Slate runs a Press Box correction. Being able to read an unbiased article, or watch an unbiased news reporter just seems non-existent in todays society. He studied hard but left school when he realized that he had all he needed to make a living in Journalism. #1 Honesty. Speaking of papers, youd think that given Cronkites status as one of the worlds most respected and well-traveled public figures, hed draw special attention from the FBI. Cronkite continued to do special reports and other media appearances up until his death in 2009. Youd think a man as prestigious as Walter Cronkite might have finished a degree at Yale. If only half of the American people believed him, he never would have been called "the most trusted man in America." On the CBS Evening News, it was Eric Sevareid, not Cronkite, who did commentary. Full red lips. Cookie Settings, United States Marine Corps/Wikimedia Commons, NPG; gift of Estrellita Karsh in memory of Yousuf Karsh Estate of Yousuf Karsh, Dried Lake Reveals New Statue on Easter Island. He famously reported Report from Vietnam in 1968, where he told Americans he did not believe that the United States had a chance at succeeding in the war. As we mourn "the most trusted man in America" we also mourn the kind of television news that no longer exists. All rights reserved. Yet the "most trusted man in America" seemed rather pleased he wasn't recognized at his own front door. By then, Mr. Cronkite had retired. Be skeptical, news consumers, especially of the journalists you trust most. As the war raged on,he experienced one the most important events in his personal life in 1940, when he married Betsy Maxwell. In 1981, CBSs mandatory retirement age of 65 required that Cronkite step down from his post. Some of the more notable , Walter Jr. the only child of Walter, a dentist, and Helen, a homemaker was born on November 4, 1916, in Saint Joseph, Missouri. But as USA Today reports, the FBI destroyed part of Cronkites file instead of preserving it. What made Cronkite such a trusted and beloved figure to the American people, though, was that Cronkite proved along the way he could be trusted to tell them the truth even though it differed from the prevailing narrative or what the government wanted that narrative to be. So What? This means not just that he didn't tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. to see through the carefully crafted party lineon both sidesand get to the truth of the matter. Read More. Events, products or items Trusted Advisor recommends that may be of benefit to you, Some years ago I wrote about a Better New Years Resolution. It was pretty good, if I do say so myself. 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.". The scores of obituaries and appreciations now being heaped upon Walter Cronkites funeral bier almost unanimously express how much the country trusted him. Listening to tribute after tribute by journalists who remember Mr. Cronkite, every reminiscence appears to share the same sentiment: "Walter Cronkite was why I wanted to work in broadcasting." Essays by over 30 trust experts. 'Most trusted'? Cronkite's Big Three Trust Factors #1 - Honesty. 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. He's being remembered as the "father of television news," as . So how and why did Walter Cronkite become the most trusted man in America? | READ MORE. Entering the 1950s, both his heart and career were in full bloom. The program was, as its co-founder Robert MacNeil just testified, one that Cronkite adored. As a newsman, his passion was limited to his role of reporter. The longtime New York City townhouse that once belonged to Walter Cronkite, otherwise known as the most trusted man in news, has quietly sold for $7.25 million, The Post has learned. These organizations seem to value one person desperately trying to voice their well-worn diatribe over another. 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. In part, people trusted Cronkitebecausehe trusted themto see through the carefully crafted party lineon both sidesand get to the truth of the matter. | | A march on the Pentagon set in a motion events that would transform America. Covering yet another war, this time Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, Mr. Cronkite kindly agreed to help our coverage with an interview. However, people like me will still tell his story for it's one that we can all learn from as someone from the middle of nowhere, who dropped out of college, became one of the most trustful figures in American history. Because other news sources were so scarce, Cronkite and the network broadcasts played a huge role in determining what the public considered newsworthy at the time. Fearless Brands are committed to integrity and trustworthiness. Legendary CBS newsman Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, who held the title of "Most Trusted Man in America," passed away Friday, July 17 after a long illness. As I said in my obituary of Walter Cronkite, in person, he could come off as formal, stiff and even somewhat self-important. Walter Cronkite was born on November 4, 1916, in Saint Joseph, Missouri. A rocket, more than 350-feet tall, lifted the astronauts into space. Of those attributeshonesty, selflessness, integrity, and vocal cordsperhaps its only his voice that we cannot aspire to. How so? Walter Cronkite was as much a performer as today's cable-news anchors. Advertisement Cronkite refused to allow his personal beliefs to affect his job of reporting accurate news. Walter Cronkite. He hears one thing from the generals, and then he walks around and talks to GIs and Vietnamese, and he realizes theres a disconnect.. What? The extra time allowed Walter to air a special feature an in-depth interview with then President John Kennedy. It was his integrity and commitment to fair reporting which established him as the most trusted man in America. Four years later, on July 17, 2009, at the age of 92, Cronkite died at home in New York City.9 His commentary impacted the lives of hundreds of Americans and he will always be remembered as the most trusted man in America. Cronkite first became synonymous with trust in 1972, when the Oliver Quayle and Co. poll included his name in a list of public figures to determine a trust index. Cronkite topped the rankings with 73 percent, which seemed impressive until you considered the skunks polled alongside him. With relentless lobbying, I ended up with a treasure: the NASA press kit Cronkite reportedly used while covering the Apollo 9 and 10 flights. Cronkite was a firm believer in doing what is fair. Long acrylic nails. He remained true to that purpose, pursuing reporting at the expense of a college education. Walter covered significant events of the war, including the bombing of Germany and D-Day. During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after . A few minutes before air, I really needed a cigarette. Walter Cronkite was born on November 4, 1916, in St. Joseph, Missouri. 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. Shot by Jim Epstein and Tracy Oppenheimer, and edited by Oppenheimer. Without such faith, democracy cannot flourish. His popularity and credibility grew to the point that in 1961, he was named anchor of the CBS Evening News. Cronkite also trusted the people to respond well to his truth-telling and to use their intelligence to evaluate his words. He was avuncular. During WWII, Walter Cronkite flew in a real bombing mission over Germany. After graduating, Walter enrolled at the University of Texas, where he would study political science, economics and journalism in pursuit of becoming a reporter his dream career. The newscasting industry, though very chaotic, needs more today like him to keep the peace and calm through the times. He gave suburb news with honesty of facts. Charlemagne would be short-lived (Baird would go on to produce The Sound of Musics Lonely Goatherd sceneand other legendary puppet shows), but Cronkite was notand eventually he branched out into editorial work like his lion friend. Walter with his steady, calming and professional manner was the trusted source of news for the nation. Ample breasts. While working for CBS in a variety of roles, hosting everything from morning shows to political conventions, he sat down in the CBS Evening News anchor chair and proceeded to hold it for nearly 20 years. 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. His global experiences, his positive public presence, his attitude towards reporting the news truthfully and objectively, and his grandfatherly demeanor, all make him the prime dream team candidate. Her work has appeared in publications like The Washington Post, TIME, mental_floss, Popular Science and JSTOR Daily. He was the first non-astronaut ever to get the award. Start spreading the news: The townhouse that formerly belonged to the late CBS anchor Walter Cronkite will hit the market for $7.7 million. One of the key reasons was his integrity. 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 . Cronkite stayed in the Kansas City area until he was 10. . Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV's YouTube Channel to receive automatic updates when new stories go live. Cronkite got his start in radio, then became a correspondent for United Press. And he was way too into the space program for a grown man. He died on July 17, 2009, at age 92. Source: IMDB, Walter Cronkite during his time as a war correspondent during WWII. Newsman Walter Cronkite, who died at the age of 92, was so thoroughly and uniquely linked with the word "trust" that it is tempting to say that the word should be buried with him. We trusted him and that . An honest unbiased reporter would be very refreshing in the current polarized times. If the nostalgia for Cronkitian news values were genuine, youd expect PBSs soporific News Hour would be drawing huge and growing numbers of viewers. Your Privacy Rights But we connected with him because of his obvious compassion, modesty, and joyous enthusiasm. 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. 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 . Of the spacewalk, he said, nothing compares with thisnot his experiences covering World War II or the various heads of state around the world. Though Rather never said so publicly, CBS News insiders said he did not approve of her appointment. No one said it better than Cronkite, the CBS Evening News anchor from 1962 to '81: We all have our likes and our dislikes. 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." Cronkite was committed to delivering accurate news, refusing to report stories until they were validated and vetted. And it wasnt fluffyit was very clear. Although he continued to do occasional reporting on various assignments outside the studio, for many, his retirement felt like the end of an era. 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. I also didnt know that he had traveled to Vietnam to report on the war, I think that was very brave of him. He sailed. Because of his willingness to learn everything about spaceflight and his ability to convey his knowledge to viewers, he seemed to be almost as much a part of the American space program as the astronauts themselves. 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. The most frequent comment, expressed in several ways, was that Cronkite was honest. In the days ahead, we will celebrate the men who first walked on the moon and the anchor who took us there with them. Then he exclaimed, "Armstrong is on the moon -- Neil Armstrong, 38-year-old American, standing on the surface of the moon." This means not just that he didnt tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. In 1968, he goes to Vietnam and does a documentary, Ward says. Network management put an end to that practice on the very first night. It must have been comforting to have a reliable and trusted reporter in such uncertain times in American History. The CBS anchor is remembered as a media giant who gruffly championed hard-hitting journalism. Host Steven Scheuer interviews television anchor and broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America," about his time as a journalist . Walter Cronkites iconic sign-off and thats the way it is was taken at face value by the nation. No satellite dish. Your email address will not be published. For years I tried to improve on it, and never could. As we mourn "the most trusted man in America" we also mourn the kind of television news that no longer exists. Fortunately, the show expanded to 30 minutes in September of 1963. It doesnt gauge truth, it gauges what looks close to the truth: verisimilitude, they write. The New York Posts Robert P. Post died when his plane was shot down on the same mission. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Nick Gillespie and Tracy Oppenheimer Part of HuffPost Media. Well, in he came to the same building he hosted his broadcast for 19 years. 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. Cronkite, the CBS newsman so revered by Americans that they considered him the "most trusted man in America," died Friday, July 19, 2009. . Subscription Preferences Thats where the family lived until moving to Houston, Texas when Walter was 10-years-old. Cronkite stayed in the Kansas City area until he was 10. He was one of several reporters assigned to the European theater to cover World War II (WWII). The Most Trusted Man in America. I feared I would never meet the man who inspired so many of us. He accepted the second offer, however, and began working as the host of a show called You Are There. Riding the Shark Conquering Fear in Selling. He left school to work for the Houston Post, moved onto sports reporting in Oklahoma City and eventually was hired by United Press International (UPI). Uncle Walters word was gold.. (Assuming, of course, that the public did regard Cronkite as the nations most trustworthy man.). Words fail to describe the magnificence of this accomplishment.
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