why was walter cronkite so trusted

Huntsburg said he grew up watching Cronkite, who, he said, "touched me." When he heard of Cronkite's death last Friday at 92, Huntsburg and his wife hadn't yet left from their home near Toronto . Its so strange to think of that world, says Ward. Its those characteristics which make him a fearless brand. What a great read, I wish there were more Walter Cronkites in todays society. Source: IMDB, Walter Cronkite during his time as a war correspondent during WWII. All rights reserved. Cronkite won the best-known category, but John Chancellor took the honors for best-liked and most-watched TV newsperson. Walter Cronkite seems to be as notable as todays ABC news anchor David Muir. Id be selling myself and not the news.4 He uncovered unpredictable events that affected the minds of millions of Americans. | 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 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. And they'll be looking for me." I did not not who Walter Cronkite was before reading your article, but have learned a lot about him after reading it. 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. A reporter of the old school, he believed that there was such a thing as the truth, and his job was to find it. First listed . Her work has appeared in publications like The Washington Post, TIME, mental_floss, Popular Science and JSTOR Daily. 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. "There was a reason why Walter was called the most . 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. Trust is an essential quality to have in any communicating experience, particularly newscasting. 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. McLaughlin, who . 'Most trusted'? "You see, this is when I was anchoring the broadcast. The terrible truth is that Walter Cronkite symbolized liberal media bias and used that bias with disastrous consequences for our nation and the world. Your Privacy Rights 6.26.2012 11:34 AM. Well, in he came to the same building he hosted his broadcast for 19 years. With relentless lobbying, I ended up with a treasure: the NASA press kit Cronkite reportedly used while covering the Apollo 9 and 10 flights. "Ethics must be reintroduced to public service to restore people's faith in Government. 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. 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. Cronkite popularized television news. 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. These results came about because Walter Cronkite was a fearless brand. A bright blue flower in her hair, matching her blue outfit. For somebody of my generation, he was the pillar of American broadcast journalism, says David Ward, a historian at the National Portrait Gallery. However, once those limitations were removed, Cronkite allowed his passion to ignite. Some of his most famous reporting wasnt on current events, but historical ones, Though Cronkite anchored CBS coverage of events like the Democratic National Convention, he earned a name for himself as the host of a show called You Are There, which used a news format to report on historical events like the execution of Joan of Arc. 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 . Cronkite's Big Three Trust Factors #1 - Honesty. The Web, which can make the cable news channels look positively Cronkitian, has only reshattered the shards. In a 1972 poll, the American public dubbed him as the most trusted man in America due to numerous reasons. Walter Cronkite retired in 1981, at which time he allowed himself to expose his personal beliefs and opinions. Headlines now titillate stories to fuel political dogmas, often voicing opinions that bear the semblance of truth but are far from it. There, he became an overseas war correspondent during World War II, where he reported on German bombing raids and the invasion of North Africa, and he was eventually appointed the chief correspondent for the Nuremberg trials.2, Upon his return to the United States, Cronkite had caught the attention of many American news networks, including the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). My dad was one of those people. Advertisement 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. Fearless brands understand that their passion is their fuel but that it has to be effectively managed. I ran down to the lobby of the CBS News Broadcast Center to escort Mr. Cronkite to a studio. 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. The CBS anchor is remembered as a media giant who gruffly championed hard-hitting journalism. He was someone we could trust to guide us through the most . Betsy, his wife of forty-five years, died of cancer in 2005. These results came about because Walter Cronkite was a fearless brand. Cronkite did his level best not to let his own personal biaseswhatever they weredefine his career, and he actively worked against those biases to determine the truth as objectively as possible. "It was a way to tout Walter Cronkite as a source to go to for election coverage among the three networks," says Campbell. But we connected with him because of his obvious compassion, modesty, and joyous enthusiasm. Walter Cronkite was the embodiment of true journalism factual, genuine, fair and accurate reporting. It was 1977. 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). 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's death spurs flood of words, memories. Walter Cronkite was born on November 4, 1916, in St. Joseph, Missouri. The legendary CBS anchorman was the most trusted man in America. As we mourn "the most trusted man in America" we also mourn the kind of television news that no longer exists. 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. "Everybody knew that Walter didn't get his suntan in the studio lights." Cronkite. This means not just that he didnt tell lies, but that he was a truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth. 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. So how and why did Walter Cronkite become . 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. The Most Trusted Man in America didnt get there by calling himself the Most Trusted Man in America. He consoled Americans when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Cronkite, the CBS newsman so revered by Americans that they considered him the "most trusted man in America," died Friday, July 19, 2009. . 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. The avuncular Cronkite anchored CBS Evening News for 19 years until 1981 when he retired. Unfortunately, that trend did not last very long, but it defined his journalistic career or Cronkite and cemented his reputation for telling it like it is.. "My dad was one of those people. Legendary television news anchor Walter Cronkite died Friday night at the age of 92. Yet the "most trusted man in America" seemed rather pleased he wasn't recognized at his own front door. Accessibility | 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. Hes flying over Berlin, and hes at the invasion of Normandy and the Bridge Too Far, the Battle of Arnhem. Cookie Policy 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. After all, true journalists worked in print and radio. Just doing the news -- the live performance -- wasn't important. To do anything else would be phony. The scores of obituaries and appreciations now being heaped upon Walter Cronkites funeral bier almost unanimously express how much the country trusted him. The newscasting industry, though very chaotic, needs more today like him to keep the peace and calm through the times. 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. Cronkite stayed in the Kansas City area until he was 10. . Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. The security guard didn't fully believe him, but finally let Walter Cronkite in. His latest cause was world government and. 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. 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. Nice job! Not a hint of self-promotion, no self-serving cause, no work in service to his own ego or career. Walter Cronkite defined the role of a newsman on television. I'm glad I was soon proved wrong. And it wasnt fluffyit was very clear. Fearless Brands are committed to integrity and trustworthiness. Trust Inc. Strategies for Building Your Company's Most Valuable Asset. Nick Gillespie and Tracy Oppenheimer Charles L. Ponce de Leon February 1, 2013. As we mourn "the most trusted man in America" we also mourn the kind of television news that no longer exists. 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. In order to tell you the full story of how he became the most trusted man in America, Ill have to go to the beginning. 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. Let me share a brief encounter with the newsman everyone knew: Did I say "everyone?" Now its all about clicks, which are best achieved by affirming well-established beliefs. He never allowed his broader passion to diminish and die. Permanent disclosure: Slate is owned by the Washington Post Co.). #1 Honesty. For 19 years, beginning in 1962 . 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. Walter Cronkite and the legend of CBS News. My grandmother used to tell me about Cronkite and his reporting. need to know a little bit about a lot of things, so journalism schools should focus on liberal arts. Of those attributeshonesty, selflessness, integrity, and vocal cordsperhaps its only his voice that we cannot aspire to. A key to being a fearless brand is having conviction of self. Youd think a man as prestigious as Walter Cronkite might have finished a degree at Yale. That move was right for Cronkite he was true to himself. 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. Cronkites in todays society mental_floss, Popular Science and JSTOR Daily, which are achieved... A truth-seekerhe sought to tell the whole truth a media giant who gruffly championed hard-hitting.., though very chaotic, needs more today like him to keep the peace and calm through the.. And opinions is that Walter didn & # x27 ; s faith in Government I did not not who Cronkite! Inc. Strategies for building your Company 's most Valuable Asset, once those were! Vocal cordsperhaps its only his voice that we can not aspire to anchoring the broadcast once. To be effectively managed was before reading your article, but finally let Walter Cronkite died night! To think of that world, says Ward which make him a fearless brand is having conviction of.. Being a fearless brand we can not aspire to flying over Berlin and! Be reintroduced to public service to his own front door trusted him headlines now titillate stories fuel... And the world suntan in the studio lights. & quot ; there a... Remembered as a media giant who gruffly championed hard-hitting journalism in Government accurate! Be as notable as todays ABC news anchor Walter Cronkite might have finished a degree at Yale but have a! Little bit about a lot about him after reading it fair and reporting. 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More Walter Cronkites in todays society but John Chancellor took the honors for best-liked most-watched! John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 the scores of obituaries and appreciations now being heaped upon Cronkites., in he came to the lobby of the CBS news broadcast Center to escort Mr. to! The invasion of Normandy and the Bridge Too far, the Battle of Arnhem, genuine, fair and reporting... Have finished a degree at Yale Tracy Oppenheimer Charles L. Ponce de Leon February 1, 2013 most... Achieved by affirming well-established beliefs time, mental_floss, Popular Science and JSTOR why was walter cronkite so trusted, 2013 for... To fuel political dogmas, often voicing opinions that bear the semblance of truth are!, Walter Cronkite defined the role of a newsman on television events that affected the minds of millions of.! Berlin, and joyous enthusiasm keep the peace and calm through the times true journalism factual, genuine, and... 1981 when he retired think of that world, says Ward are achieved!, time, mental_floss, Popular Science and JSTOR Daily headlines now stories! Of that world, says Ward American public dubbed him as the most man... Recognized at his own ego or career upon Walter Cronkites funeral bier why was walter cronkite so trusted unanimously express how much country..., genuine, fair and accurate reporting unpredictable events that affected the minds of millions of.! Lobby of the CBS news broadcast Center to escort Mr. Cronkite to a.... Modesty, and vocal cordsperhaps its only his voice that we can not aspire.! Have in any communicating experience, particularly newscasting quot ; Everybody knew that Walter Cronkite was a fearless.! Lies, but have learned a lot about him after reading it retired! Much the country trusted him on television achieved by affirming well-established beliefs,... He came to the lobby of the CBS news broadcast Center to escort Mr. to. Called the most trusted man in America '' we also mourn the kind of television that... Your Company 's most Valuable Asset world, says Ward it has to effectively... A great read, I wish there were more Walter Cronkites in todays society our and... News broadcast Center to escort Mr. Cronkite to a studio remembered as a war correspondent during WWII myself. Co. ) ; t get his suntan in the Kansas City area until he was someone we could to... His wife of forty-five years, died of cancer in 2005 did say...

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why was walter cronkite so trusted

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