| Why was Walter Cronkite so well respected? Is there some secret hidden in Cronkites missing FBI papers? "There was a reason why Walter was called the most . Cronkite made a bold decision to step out of his familiar role as impartial anchor and to express views that he said were "speculative, personal, subjective." Yet he was speaking for more than. The man who anchored . Its so strange to think of that world, says Ward. - Walter Cronkite. After the war, Walter would cover the Nuremberg war trials. Well, almost everyone. 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. The answer is in the psychology of trust. Its not just the naive and undereducated who end up trusting people and institutions that they shouldnt. And one last thing. Cronkite was the face of CBS from 1962 to 1981. Click here to try out our award-winning content platform for free. Its the beginning of the so-called credibility gap: whats being told at the briefing become known as the 5 oclock follies, because after awhile, nobody believes anything that officialdom is saying, says Ward. Fearless Brands are committed to integrity and trustworthiness. 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. 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. But those who worked . But you can still see it. Ever genial and humble, Walter Cronkite laughed. He was emotional when history was made and was able to air it along with the public to the public. Cronkite continued to do special reports and other media appearances up until his death in 2009. That move was right for Cronkite he was true to himself. Once there was a newsman named Walter Cronkite. Entering the 1950s, both his heart and career were in full bloom. In addition I was also inspired to how much of a difference a journalist can truly make. Mr Cronkite's opinion was so trusted by the US public that when he criticised the war in Vietnam, President Lyndon B Johnson is reported to have said: "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost middle America." Linda Mason, the vice-president of CBS, said Mr Cronkite had died at 1942 local time (2342 GMT) on Friday after a long illness. What a great read, I wish there were more Walter Cronkites in todays society. In his day, truth mattered above all else. Cronkite refused, but the idea reflected polls showing that a journalist -- a television journalist at that -- had become the most trusted man in America. Adrian Monck and Mike Hanley note in their 2008 book, Can You Trust the Media?, that in addition to being a function of regulation, high public trust for a person or institution can also be accidental. His college career lasted only two years. 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. He kept his opinions, like his emotions, largely to himself. It turns out that he did: Cronkite did indeed have an FBI file that should be publicly accessible under the Freedom of Information Act. 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. The CBS News security man began to protest but saw a murderous look in my eye and wisely let us pass. He was an outstanding journalist, to be sure. Indeed, his modesty and his dedication were the reasons his wide audience liked him so much and trusted him. Cronkite taught all of us the way things were. One part stood out. "That wasn't why I was laughing, young man," Walter said to me. Originally it was a 15-minute broadcast, but due to his high ratings, it was extended to 30 minutes, being the first half-hour nightly news show on American television.3, Cronkite was well-known across America for his hard work, honesty, and objectivity. In 1962, Cronkite took on his most famous role as anchor of the CBS Evening News. I remember siting with my mom watching the news with her. An honest unbiased reporter would be very refreshing in the current polarized times. 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. 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. "You see, this is when I was anchoring the broadcast. And every article, blog or TV clip mentions how Walter Cronkite was so trusted. Joseph Stromberg was previously a digital reporter for Smithsonian. As the war raged on. Cronkite, the main influence at CBS News, chose to err on the side of valid news rather than being first to break a story. I didnt know that he grew up in Houston, thats pretty cool! He kept his own counsel; until and unless he felt there was no alternative but to share it. His funeral was held Thursday in New York. Walter with his steady, calming and professional manner was the trusted source of news for the nation. Thats where the family lived until moving to Houston, Texas when Walter was 10-years-old. On the contrary, he kept that passion in check until the time was right. Inspired by Army Division nicknames such as the Fighting 1st, the pool of writers dubbed themselves the Writing 69th. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll. I genuinely dont think well ever see a reporter, or journalist, like him, in a long, long time. | I think he was so trusted because he exhibited a sense of purpose and compassion, night after night. One Womans Charge Change How News is Reported. Because he did. As I prepared to whisk him off, a security guard at the front desk stopped him. Youd think a man as prestigious as Walter Cronkite might have finished a degree at Yale. 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. Walter Cronkite was a great man, a great journalist, and a great reporter. 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. If so, you owe something to Walter CronkiteAmerica's uncle and the most influential broadcast journalist of all time. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Well never knowand thats the way it is. Walter Cronkite had come a long way from the little-known World War II and Moscow correspondent whom the old United Press had tried to promote to its London bureau at the magnificent salary . Cronkite genuinely believed journalists could and must be "objective." 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,. 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. 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. 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." 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. Cronkites enthusiasm about the space program was one of his signaturesespecially when he spent 27 out of the30 hoursof the Apollo 11 launch broadcasting. 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." Like obscenity, trust is awfully hard to define; but as Justice Potter said, you can recognize it when you see it. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. After all, true journalists worked in print and radio. 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. To honor that commitment, NASA presented Cronkite with an Ambassador of Exploration award in 2008. Today, more and more reporters never leave the comforts of their desks. 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. "Walter was always more than just an anchor. But the lack of real-world experience has put perspective in short supply, and the public's interest in reading things that simply confirm their own views has put news outlets in a tough spot. 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. It will make you smarter and keep them honest. To do anything else would be phony. Cronkite also refused to report stories until they were validated. Walter Cronkite was as much a performer as today's cable-news anchors. A community-based video production company focused on documenting the rich history of Old Saint Jo through the use of social media. These news performances are in stark contrast to Walter Cronkites definition of news. He was someone we could trust to guide us through the most important issues of the day; a voice of certainty in an uncertain world," President Obama. In 1981, CBSs mandatory retirement age of 65 required that Cronkite step down from his post. And he was way too into the space program for a grown man. I didnt know much of his personal backstory before I read this article, its crazy what you can learn just by reading! He was the first non-astronaut ever to get the award. The news today, regardless of political affiliation, more closely resembles professional wrestling crossed with a high school grapevine. 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. 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