These results came about because Walter Cronkite was a fearless brand. In 1968, he goes to Vietnam and does a documentary, Ward says. Advertising Notice He remained true to that purpose, pursuing reporting at the expense of a college education. Joseph Stromberg was previously a digital reporter for Smithsonian. This he saw as a natural outgrowth of professional principles; it also fit his personality like a glove. In moments that shocked the country, Cronkite was able to deliver hard news with diligence. Subscribe to Reason Roundup, a wrap up of the last 24 hours of news, delivered fresh each morning. Terms of Use 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. Erin Blakemore is a Boulder, Colorado-based journalist. "There never was and there never will be another Walter Cronkite. What Made Walter Cronkite The Most Trusted Communicator in America? Integrity would not allow that. "1968 is one of the most talked about years in U.S. history because of all the upheaval, and Cronkite plays a central role in that year, right out of the gate," Brinkley said. Have you watched the news lately? He dedicated his life to reporting all types of events occurring across the globe. Walter Cronkite Was The "Most Trusted Man In America", But I Could Never Watch His Program Once I Moved To Johannesburg. He helped shape the way much of the nation viewed the world but he spoke to all of America in a time when Americans were united by. Today, more and more reporters never leave the comforts of their desks. 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. Here it is again, not-so-new-and-improved, but still pretty good, I think. Cronkite also witnessed D-day from above, covered Operation Market after landing by paraglider with paratroopers, and witnessed the Battle of the Bulge. Click here to try out our award-winning content platform for free. Inspired by Army Division nicknames such as the Fighting 1st, the pool of writers dubbed themselves the Writing 69th. He was 92. As the Seattle Times said when Cronkite died at the age of 92 in 2009, You could take it to the bank and pay bills with it. I think he was so trusted because he exhibited a sense of purpose and compassion, night after night. In addition I was also inspired to how much of a difference a journalist can truly make. As Bob Schieffer said on a "Face the Nation" program honoring Cronkite, it's why Americans trusted 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. Why was Walter Cronkite so well respected? Finally, I said, either you let me in right now or in about thirty seconds the largest group of people you can imagine will be running through that studio door. In the early 1970s, an opinion poll identified Cronkite as the most trusted public figure in America, a label that stayed with him for decades. Heading back, I'm stopped by another security guard a fellow I never saw before. All rights reserved. But when we're doing news, it is our duty to be sure that we do not permit our prejudices to show. "He puts on his captain's hat and does that every day," she said with a Candida-type half-shrug, half-smile. 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. Host Steven Scheuer interviews television anchor and broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America," about his time as a journalist . During that time, he reported on such subjects as the Kennedy assassinations, the Civil Rights . Night after night, Walter Cronkite came into the living room reporting the news, and people trusted that he was giving them the truth. Chung's last broadcast as co-anchor was on May 18, 1995. 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. Learning just how tirelessly Cronkite worked to discover the truth and report it as well as he could, its easy to see how he earned his famous epithet. Raised in Houston, Texas, he decided to become a journalist after reading a magazine article about a foreign correspondent. 0 Why the World Trusted Walter. My dad was one of those people. That move was right for Cronkite he was true to himself. Cronkite was committed to delivering accurate news, refusing to report stories until they were validated and vetted. A baritone drenched in overtones conveyed each of those character traits. Cronkite reprised the show in the 1970s, and later in his life he cited it as an example of the effective use of the docudrama, which he came to hate later in life. Cronkite refused, but the idea reflected polls showing that a journalist -- a television journalist at that -- had become the most trusted man in America. I finally stopped trying. June 12, 2009, 8:34 AM. Beware of those who fetishize trust, Monck and Hanley counsel. Days later he made the very poignant announcement that Kennedy had died. He was avuncular. In 1981, CBSs mandatory retirement age of 65 required that Cronkite step down from his post. By Louis Menand. "I was remembering another time. Click here to try out our award-winning content platform for free. The idea was that this was a very serious job, performed by various serious men.. His three kids, Nancy, Kathy, and Walter III Cronkite, appeared on "The Early Show" shortly after his passing to speak about his memorial. Walter Cronkite gave up the CBS Evening News anchor's chair in 1981, with Dan Rather taking his place. If Cronkite were alive today, he would tearfully lament the political tribalism that permeates through news organizations. 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. He did not let his political views get in the way of his reporting. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. 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. 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. As a newsman, his passion was limited to his role of reporter. It was this Cooper-like reserve that gave him such power on the few occasions he did weigh in with a Big Opinion. The terrible truth is that Walter Cronkite symbolized liberal media bias and used that bias with disastrous consequences for our nation and the world. I doubt it. I also didnt know that he had traveled to Vietnam to report on the war, I think that was very brave of him. Alas, the NewsHours Cronkite-lite approach has failed to attract much of an audience. Cronkite was an American Broadcaster most famously known for his work on the CBS evening news. A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials. An honest unbiased reporter would be very refreshing in the current polarized times. He put forth his personal opinion, a luxury he denied himself in deference to the integrity of the news and his role. Research in communication and psychology clearly shows that to be trusted a communicator has to be seen as knowledgeable and credible. July 2, 2012. March on the Pentagon 50 Years Later. That move was right for Cronkite he was true to himself. . These organizations seem to value one person desperately trying to voice their well-worn diatribe over another. Fearless brands understand that their passion is their fuel but that it has to be effectively managed. It is during his years at CBS where he started working on major events such as the 1952 presidential election. I liked reporting as well. 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. His college career lasted only two years. 6.26.2012 11:34 AM. . That element of implicit authority, we just dont have anymore.. I left my jacket and wallet in the studio and we're going to be on the air in a few minutes. A 1973 poll showed Walter Cronkite to be "the most trusted man in America." . Hewas always the responsible father figure. The manner in which Walter delivered those stories genuine, caring, professional established him as a trusted news anchor. Thirteen years after my first attempt to work at CBS, I finally landed a job at the news network I was certain I'd work for. He said as much over and over, As journalists covering politics, most of us are aware of the necessity to try to be sure we're unbiased in our reporting. LBJ, a great judge of politics, said, "If Ive lost Cronkite, Ive lost middle America." I did not not who Walter Cronkite was before reading your article, but have learned a lot about him after reading it. Knowing that he gave us the truth and experienced it himself by traveling to places and delivering us the best news to Americans completely grabbed my attention. Walter Cronkite, the CBS newsman so revered by Americans that they considered him the "most trusted man in America," died today. (Assuming, of course, that the public did regard Cronkite as the nations most trustworthy man.). If so, you owe something to Walter CronkiteAmericas uncle and the most influential broadcast journalist of all time. A reporter of the old school, he believed that there was such a thing as the truth, and his job was to find it. According to polls, he was the most trusted man in Americamore than the first lady, the Pope or the president.. 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 . It seemed miraculous for a Brooklyn kid that our babysitter's mom worked for Mr. Cronkite at CBS News. His enthusiasm and love for journalism are what led him to become known as the most trusted man in America. He was true not only to himself but to his profession as well. Known as the "most trusted man in America," Cronkite made his mark on . How so? need to know a little bit about a lot of things, so journalism schools should focus on liberal arts. He was an inspiration because he was one of the first household name reporters to have come out of television. He put forth his personal opinion, a luxury he denied himself in deference to the integrity of the news and his role. So how and why did Walter Cronkite become . Indeed, his modesty and his dedication were the reasons his wide audience liked him so much and trusted him. For more than a month, his close friends and family made it clear the former CBS News anchorman was gravely ill and would not recover. 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's being remembered as the "father of television news," as . Its those characteristics which make him a fearless brand. Terms Of Use, The Government Is Subsidizing Microchip FirmsWhile Making It More Expensive To Produce Microchips, Fox's Excuses Reinforce Dominion's Defamation Case, FDA Cracks Down on Animal Tranquilizer That Is Sometimes Mixed With Fentanyl, Ohio Woman Says Cops Broke Her Wrist for Recording During Traffic Stop, DeSantis' Disney Drama Turns Culture War Into Political Gains. 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. No streaming internet video, no podcasts, not even a remote control. Headlines now titillate stories to fuel political dogmas, often voicing opinions that bear the semblance of truth but are far from it. | His funeral was held Thursday in New York. One way around the Fairness Doctrine was to tamp down controversy, which all three networks often did. | All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Embrace Cronkites approach be true to yourself and your profession, be fair, commit to a life of integrity be a fearless brand. 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. I remember siting with my mom watching the news with her. http://www.oldsaintjo.com/. In 1950, Cronkite joined CBS News and hosted several CBS shows, such as You are There, The Morning Show, and The Twentieth Century. Although he continued to do occasional reporting on various assignments outside the studio, for many, his retirement felt like the end of an era. Trust Inc. Strategies for Building Your Company's Most Valuable Asset. Yet the "most trusted man in America" seemed rather pleased he wasn't recognized at his own front door. This means not just that he didnt tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. 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. He was an example of what an exemplary journalist should be like. Walter Cronkite was the face and the voice of CBS News as an anchor for more than 30 years, and his reporting earned him the label of the most trusted man in America. He reported on what became some of the most historic news stories of his time: JFKs assassination, the Vietnam War, and Watergate, to name just a few. Be skeptical, news consumers, especially of the journalists you trust most. 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. Cronkite popularized television news. 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. As we mourn "the most trusted man in America" we also mourn the kind of television news that no longer exists. Authoritative, calm, rationalthey explained the world to you, Ward says. Cronkite was the face of CBS from 1962 to 1981. 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. New eBook from Charles H. Green, loaded with insights and action steps on how to get back in the selling water, without fear. No one said it better than Cronkite, the CBS Evening News anchor from 1962 to '81: We all have our likes and our dislikes. Surface. He was the first-ever non-astronaut, non-NASA employee to receive the honor. He kept his opinions, like his emotions, largely to himself. He passed away when I was a freshman in college, but I can't help thinking of him today because I know he would be so proud of this moment. 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