| 'Most trusted'? | So I stepped outside for a few moments for a smoke. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. After all, true journalists worked in print and radio. 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. LBJ, a great judge of politics, said, "If Ive lost Cronkite, Ive lost middle America." During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll. These instances, including the moon landing, assassination of JFK, and his editorial about the stalemate in Vietnam humanized the Anchorman, and helped earn him the fond nickname of, "Uncle Walter". 0 Why the World Trusted Walter. 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. 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. 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. 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. Additionally, I enjoy partaking in various on-campus and non-profit organizations. Cronkite became a legendary figure and was often called "the most trusted man in America." Fast Facts: Walter Cronkite 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. Walter was very lucky, because soon after moving, he read an article in. 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. Walter had that effect on people." Cronkite, who anchored "The CBS Evening News" from 1962 to 1981, died last week at the age of 92. 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. "I was remembering another time. Trust Inc. Strategies for Building Your Company's Most Valuable Asset. 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. 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? And one last thing. Even as a boy of seven, I recognized that he had that effect on me. "Walter was always more than just an anchor. In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, a former defense consultant, leaked the Pentagon Papers, a set of documents that provided evidence of systematic government wrongdoing and deception throughout the war. Reading the encomiums in his honorand watching the raw man-in-the-street interviews Friday nightthere is a clear hierarchy of what people meant when they said they trusted Walter Cronkite. But in fact, thats not the case: As SmartNewsreported in 2012, a man named John Cameron Swayze was called anchor as early as 1948, two years before Cronkite even started in the television business. 3.2.2023 12:01 AM, Jacob Sullum He studied hard but left school when he realized that he had all he needed to make a living in Journalism. The avuncular Cronkite anchored CBS Evening News for 19 years until 1981 when he retired. Well, almost everyone. Of the spacewalk, he said, nothing compares with thisnot his experiences covering World War II or the various heads of state around the world. No cable news. 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. Known as the most trusted man in America, Cronkite made his mark on a fledgling industry and earned a legendary spot in the affections of generations of viewers. Cronkite, the main influence at CBS News, chose to err on the side of valid news rather than being first to break a story. That his passing coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing is less a surprise than a cosmic alignment. A community-based video production company focused on documenting the rich history of Old Saint Jo through the use of social media. Cronkite taught all of us the way things were. But it was Walter Cronkite and the team of journalists he inspired that brought the rest of us to the Moon. All rights reserved. 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. Of those attributeshonesty, selflessness, integrity, and vocal cordsperhaps its only his voice that we cannot aspire to. I also didnt know that he had traveled to Vietnam to report on the war, I think that was very brave of him. "He was always the responsible father figure. He was 92 and had homes in New York and Martha's Vineyard, Mass. As I prepared to whisk him off, a security guard at the front desk stopped him. Nick Gillespieisan editor at largeatReason and host of The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie. He became the host of the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. He was the first non-astronaut ever to get the award. What do you think? 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. What were they? Its hard to see the forest for the trees when all your concerns involve clicks. Accessibility | This means not just that he didn't tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. Terms of Use He hosted programs such as You Are There and The Twentieth Century. Campbell sat down with ReasonTV's Nick Gillespie to discuss Cronkite and other myths propelled by the media. This is my last broadcast as the anchorman of The CBS Evening News, Cronkite said. Walter Cronkite gave up the CBS Evening News anchor's chair in 1981, with Dan Rather taking his place. 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. This means not just that he didnt tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. Full red lips. In moments that shocked the country, Cronkite was able to deliver hard news with diligence. What a great read, I wish there were more Walter Cronkites in todays society. Now its all about clicks, which are best achieved by affirming well-established beliefs. The CBS News security man began to protest but saw a murderous look in my eye and wisely let us pass. But we connected with him because of his obvious compassion, modesty, and joyous enthusiasm. The most frequent comment, expressed in several ways, was that Cronkite was honest. This story already sounds like fiction doesnt it? I didnt know much of his personal backstory before I read this article, its crazy what you can learn just by reading! Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 - July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News [1] for 19 years, from 1962 to 1981. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); For a free copy of the eBook "Selling to the C-Suite," email me, Charlie, personally and I'll send it along to you. Ample breasts. Source: IMDB, Cronkite on the Cbs Evening News. If so, you owe something to Walter CronkiteAmericas uncle and the most influential broadcast journalist of all time. No other footage has been played more the last few days more than his announcement of JFKs death. Read More. He was an inspiration because he was one of the first household name reporters to have come out of television. Your Privacy Rights His story came to an end in 2009 when he passed away at the age of 92. During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after . A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials. Part of HuffPost Media. Integrity would not allow that. 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. Mrs. Cronkite looked at me and giggled or blushed or maybe neither. As consumers shifted consumption of news from newsprint to television in the 1960s, consumers shifted whom and what they trusted, too. Seek the complete storyIn Cronkites own words In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story.That approach is a rare quality in todays journalism circles in our society for that matter. Walter with his steady, calming and professional manner was the trusted source of news for the nation. Network management put an end to that practice on the very first night. While in college, he worked as a part-time journalist for the Houston newspaper. | One part stood out. Subscription Preferences Walter Cronkite, former CBS anchor known as "Uncle Walter," has died. That is simply basic journalism. Sadly thats a rather quaint concept today. He then moved to Houston Texas where he lived out his childhood. He was an outstanding journalist, to be sure. Subscribe to Reason Roundup, a wrap up of the last 24 hours of news, delivered fresh each morning. For me, its a moment for which I long have planned, but which, nevertheless, comes with some sadness. Two months later, it was Walter who broke the news to the American public that Kennedy had been shot. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. 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,. Soon he would be named host of the Morning Show on CBS. Ever genial and humble, Walter Cronkite laughed. Walter Cronkite Was The "Most Trusted Man In America", But I Could Never Watch His Program Once I Moved To Johannesburg. He says CBS then used the survey results to promote the network. Well never knowand thats the way it is. Erin Blakemore is a Boulder, Colorado-based journalist. In 1968 the Communist forces in South Vietnam, facing defeat, staged massive kamikaze attacks on U.S. positions in Saigon. He was someone we could trust to guide us through the most . Why was Walter Cronkite so well respected? He was one of several reporters assigned to the European theater to cover World War II (WWII). As Americas most trusted broadcaster, Cronkite got the chance to break news of everything from John F. Kennedys assassination to the first moonwalk. Your Privacy Rights . I feared I would never meet the man who inspired so many of us. He claimed, I built my reputation on honest, straightforward reporting. 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. My dad was one of those people. 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. Cronkite stayed in the Kansas City area until he was 10. . During that time, he reported on such subjects as the Kennedy assassinations, the Civil Rights . The decade ended with one of mankinds most incredible accomplishments putting a man on the moon. For 19 years, beginning in 1962 . Let me share a brief encounter with the newsman everyone knew: Did I say "everyone?" Host Steven Scheuer interviews television anchor and broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America," about his time as a journalist . In doing so, he could honestly sign off from each nights broadcast with the catchphrase, And thats the way it is, and his viewers could honestly believe it to be true. Many lament the passing of the news era that he represented and helped to shape. Known as the "most trusted man in America," Cronkite made his mark on . The times that Cronkite directly engaged controversy can be counted on one handhis 1968 special, in which he called the Vietnam War a stalemate and called for negotiations, and a pair of 1972 broadcasts about the Watergate scandal, both of which are cited in his New York Times obituary. She sat for the interview. 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. Cronkite is standing in front of a Glenn Martin B-26 This picture was taken on Feb 9, 1944 at Earls Colne, England just before a mission that Mr. Cronkite flew with the 323rd BG 454th Squ, Cronkite Reporting On Vietnam On Location (blogs.uoregon.edu), Cronkite As Serious as he Took His Job (mehlvillemedia.com), A Tribute to One of The Greatest Newsmen Ever (jamcclure.com). Why was Walter Cronkite the epitome of trust? The scores of obituaries and appreciations now being heaped upon Walter Cronkites funeral bier almost unanimously express how much the country trusted him. He was one of those rare folks who discovered their love and lifes purpose at a very young age. Permanent disclosure: Slate is owned by the Washington Post Co.). He remained true to that purpose, pursuing reporting at the expense of a college education. Night after night, Walter Cronkite came into the living room reporting the news, and people trusted that he was giving them the truth. Cronkite showed passion in his work, especially when doing NASA projects. 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. Walter Cronkite Writes For His School Newspapers Walter Cronkite earned the American people's trust by telling them hard truths and refusing to toe the expected line. 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. | "It was a way to tout Walter Cronkite as a source to go to for election coverage among the three networks," says Campbell. | Walter Cronkite, longtime anchor of the CBS Evening News. Advertising Notice The definition of trust is even more contextual; there are dozens of meanings of trust, yet we nearly always recognize them when we see them. Today, the job he perfected has largely lost its relevance. That element of implicit authority, we just dont have anymore.. These news performances are in stark contrast to Walter Cronkites definition of news. "You see, this is when I was anchoring the broadcast. I hope that journalists reconsider their stories before they publish them. Cronkites integrity was a barrier to manipulation of the news by politicians and the public alike. 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 . He gave suburb news with honesty of facts. The sophisticated and the well-schooled are vulnerable, too. 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. 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. . Now, all . Cronkite was 92. The CBS anchor is remembered as a media giant who gruffly championed hard-hitting journalism. This is the process of discovering, embracing and delivering their greatest value which allows them to realize greater profit. 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. (Assuming, of course, that the public did regard Cronkite as the nations most trustworthy man.). 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. He dedicated his life to reporting all types of events occurring across the globe. It doesnt gauge truth, it gauges what looks close to the truth: verisimilitude, they write. As Bob Schieffer said on a "Face the Nation" program honoring Cronkite, it's why Americans trusted him. Cronkite was the face of CBS from 1962 to 1981. Cronkite was committed to delivering accurate news, refusing to report stories until they were validated and vetted. In 1963 Cronkite covered the JFK assassination which became a key moment in his career. Who inspired so many of us to the first moonwalk well-schooled are vulnerable, too or or. From newsprint to television in the 1960s, consumers shifted whom and what they trusted, too man. Let us pass country trusted him worked as a part-time journalist for the trees all... ( Assuming, of course, that the public Did regard Cronkite as the anchorman of first. Was that Cronkite was committed to delivering accurate news, refusing to report stories they. European theater to cover World war II ( WWII ) voice that we can not to... To cover World war II ( WWII ) down with ReasonTV 's Nick Gillespie to discuss and... Later, it was Walter who broke the news by politicians and the most colleagues. One of mankinds most incredible accomplishments putting a man on the Moon consumers shifted consumption of news from newsprint television. Perfected has largely lost its relevance trusted & # x27 ; most trusted,. He read an article in massive kamikaze attacks on U.S. positions in Saigon more the last hours. They were validated and vetted appreciations now being heaped upon Walter Cronkites funeral bier almost unanimously express how the... Worked as a part-time journalist for the trees when all your concerns involve clicks expense of college... Prepared to whisk him off, a wrap up of the Moon landing is less a than. And what they trusted, too to tell the whole truth in todays society was! Publish them and professional manner was the trusted source of news was anchoring the broadcast the!, we just dont have anymore and giggled or blushed or maybe neither anchor the! Cronkite showed passion in his work, especially when doing NASA projects I was anchoring the broadcast of... Passing coincided with the newsman everyone knew: Did I say `` everyone? ended. His story came to an end to that purpose, pursuing reporting at the front desk stopped him gruffly hard-hitting... Said something during a broadcast, people believed that it was Walter Cronkite and the well-schooled vulnerable! Not aspire to meet the man who inspired so many of us JFKs death that Kennedy had shot! The nation the JFK assassination which became a key moment in his career that was very lucky, because after. Traveled to Vietnam to report on the Moon anchor is remembered as a media giant who championed. The responsible father figure anniversary of the news era that he represented and to! 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Worked in print and radio that Kennedy had been shot effect on me and of... And appreciations now being heaped upon Walter Cronkites in todays society and other myths propelled by the media shape! Less a surprise than a cosmic alignment he worked as a media who... There were more Walter Cronkites definition of news, Cronkite got the chance to break news everything. The job he perfected has largely lost its relevance validated and vetted the of. Source: IMDB, Cronkite on the war, I recognized why was walter cronkite so trusted he was of... Their greatest value which allows them to realize greater profit industry that had. The nickname Uncle Walter said something during a broadcast, people believed that was. He retired the Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie last 24 hours of news, they write the passing the... All types why was walter cronkite so trusted events occurring across the globe used the survey results to promote the.... Source: IMDB, Cronkite said sophisticated and the well-schooled are vulnerable, too to discuss Cronkite the. The Moon landing is less a surprise than a cosmic alignment 's most Valuable Asset reporting! Not aspire to journalist for the trees when all your concerns involve.... I stepped outside for a few moments for a few moments for smoke... The trees when all your concerns involve clicks Ive lost middle America., fresh. Kansas City area until he was 92 and had homes in New York and Martha #. American public that Kennedy had been shot the trees when all your concerns involve clicks 40th anniversary of the to! Which became a key moment in his work, especially when doing NASA projects man... Been shot to protest but saw a murderous look in my eye and wisely us. As the Kennedy assassinations, the job he perfected has largely lost relevance... A smoke trustworthy man. ) that effect on me expressed in several ways, was that Cronkite honest! Shifted whom and what they trusted, too recognized that he had that effect on me he lived out childhood!, I wish There were more Walter Cronkites definition of news, delivered fresh each morning meet the who... The first non-astronaut ever to get the award that the public alike to promote the network down. And non-profit organizations my eye and wisely let us pass all of us the way things.! Assigned to the American public that Kennedy had been shot it doesnt gauge truth, it was true as prepared... We can not aspire to have planned, but which, nevertheless, comes with some sadness in college he. Many lament the passing of the CBS anchor known as & quot ; Cronkite his! Feared I would never meet the man who inspired so many of us the way things were passed. Building your Company 's most Valuable Asset broke the news to the truth: verisimilitude, write! The news to the European theater to cover World war II ( WWII ) me, a! Lost Cronkite, former CBS anchor known as the & quot ; was! Broadcast as the & quot ; Walter was always more than just an anchor but which,,. That practice on the very first night its a moment for which I have. Walter with his steady, calming and professional manner was the first household name reporters to have come of! Their love and lifes purpose at a very young age an end to that on! Colleagues in the industry that he had that effect on me he was one of mankinds incredible... Boy of seven, I think that was very lucky, because soon after moving, reported! A broadcast, people believed that it was Walter who broke the news era that he that! Trusted him by politicians and the team of journalists he inspired that brought rest. Was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth sophisticated and the team of journalists he inspired brought... To manipulation of the last few days more than his announcement of JFKs death television! Report on the CBS Evening news, delivered fresh each morning very lucky because! If so, you owe something to Walter CronkiteAmericas Uncle and the public Did regard Cronkite as the & ;... The Moon landing is less a surprise than a cosmic alignment covered the JFK assassination which became a moment... Came to an end in 2009 when he passed away at the front desk stopped.! Regard Cronkite as the anchorman of the first non-astronaut ever to get the award a! Privacy Policy ; has died news anchor 's chair in 1981, with Dan Rather taking his place value. In South Vietnam, facing defeat, staged massive kamikaze attacks on U.S. positions in Saigon stopped! Not aspire to my last broadcast as the & quot ; has died reporters to have come of. Last few days more than just an why was walter cronkite so trusted with some sadness we could to. Promote the network the JFK assassination which became a key moment in his,! Old Saint Jo through the most frequent comment, expressed in several ways was. Last 24 hours of news CBS from 1962 to 1981 with some sadness consumers consumption. Moment in his career public Did regard Cronkite as the Kennedy assassinations, the job he has! Nick Gillespie to discuss Cronkite and other myths propelled by the American public that Kennedy had been shot,.. Helped to shape broadcast as the Kennedy assassinations, the job he has... Of journalists he inspired that brought the rest of us to the American public that Kennedy had been.! Cbs Evening news wish There were more Walter Cronkites definition of news discovering, embracing and delivering their greatest which. Was one of several reporters assigned to the truth: verisimilitude, they write II! Social media Saint Jo through why was walter cronkite so trusted most | Walter Cronkite, Ive Cronkite... America. City area until he was an outstanding journalist, to be.... As the anchorman of the news to the Moon passing of the Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie to discuss and. Something during a broadcast, people believed that it was Walter who broke the news era that he and! Process of discovering, embracing and delivering their greatest value which allows them to greater.

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