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. One Womans Charge Change How News is Reported. In 2005, Cronkite suffered a great loss when his wife Betsy died of cancer. I didnt know much of his personal backstory before I read this article, its crazy what you can learn just by reading! Cronkite was known for his calming presence and his ability to communicate complex events to the average viewer, who trusted "Uncle Walter" to explain the major events of the era. If so, you owe something to Walter CronkiteAmericas uncle and the most influential broadcast journalist of all time. Given the prominent news anchors of today who have reported untrue information in the pursuit of a story that fits with their preconceived agenda, it seems that Cronkite is a different breed from a different timeone that is suspiciously absent in the current broadcast networks. It was his integrity and commitment to fair reporting which established him as the most trusted man in America. For somebody of my generation, he was the pillar of American broadcast journalism, says David Ward, a historian at the National Portrait Gallery. Reading about Walter Cronkite was very interesting since he was an fascinating man who took his passion to the next level, I really enjoyed reading this article. I didnt know that he grew up in Houston, thats pretty cool! Source: IMDB, Cronkite on the Cbs Evening News. He kept his opinions, like his emotions, largely to himself. A key to being a fearless brand is having conviction of self. 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. Cronkite also witnessed D-day from above, covered Operation Market after landing by paraglider with paratroopers, and witnessed the Battle of the Bulge. It was 1977. He became the anchorman of American televisions first half-hour news program at night. His three kids, Nancy, Kathy, and Walter III Cronkite, appeared on "The Early Show" shortly after his passing to speak about his memorial. Working on the desk was.". Your Privacy Rights Cronkite refused, but the idea reflected polls showing that a journalist -- a television journalist at that -- had become the most trusted man in America. By Louis Menand. 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 died on July 17, 2009, at age 92. Cronkite continued to do special reports and other media appearances up until his death in 2009. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); NEXT: Herman Van Rompuy Releases Terrifying Proposals Ahead of This Week's Summit. 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. Joseph Stromberg was previously a digital reporter for Smithsonian. 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. Today, the job he perfected has largely lost its relevance. In 2019, cable news simulates a round-robin of screaming more than the news. 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. I left my jacket and wallet in the studio and we're going to be on the air in a few minutes. Click here to try out our award-winning content platform for free. Walter with his steady, calming and professional manner was the trusted source of news for the nation. He gave suburb news with honesty of facts. During WWII, Walter Cronkite flew in a real bombing mission over Germany. Buy it here. Cronkites enthusiasm for the U.S. space program carried throughout his journalistic career and helped Americans follow and support the program. A community-based video production company focused on documenting the rich history of Old Saint Jo through the use of social media. Forty years ago, a man walked on the Moon. And they'll be looking for me." Cronkite's Big Three Trust Factors #1 - Honesty. Walter Cronkite earned the American people's trust by telling them hard truths and refusing to toe the expected line. But it was Walter Cronkite and the team of journalists he inspired that brought the rest of us to the Moon. So What? The decade of the sixties was tumultuous including social unrest, the civil rights movement, Vietnam and the assassinations ofMartin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. Walter Cronkites legacy continues. Walter Cronkite. 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. Fearless Brands are committed to integrity and trustworthiness. The New York Posts Robert P. Post died when his plane was shot down on the same mission. Cronkite himself, would die in 2009 at the age of 92. He was a true ambassador for the program with a giant reach that no one in NASA could have had alone. Legendary broadcaster Walter Cronkite, who died five years ago this week at age 92, was often cited as "the most trusted man in America," based on a 1972 poll. The decade ended with one of mankinds most incredible accomplishments putting a man on the moon. Big blonde hair. Ample breasts. The best show recs delivered to your inbox. The emotion only made him seem more accessible to his audience, who felt many of the same feelings. Walter wanted the public to get detailed stories so at the end of the first broadcast, he encouraged viewers to check their local newspapers for the full stories. 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 was someone we could trust to guide us through the most . Walter Cronkite, the CBS newsman so revered by Americans that they considered him the "most trusted man in America," died today. Learn everything you can about a topic to ensure that you are known as a valid and trusted resource. 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. But as USA Today reports, the FBI destroyed part of Cronkites file instead of preserving it. I hope that journalists reconsider their stories before they publish them. What Made Walter Cronkite The Most Trusted Communicator in America? Yet the "most trusted man in America" seemed rather pleased he wasn't recognized at his own front door. Walter Cronkite was a journalist who defined the role of network anchorman during the decades when television news rose from being the neglected stepchild of radio to a dominant form of journalism. | READ MORE. Walter Cronkite was a great man, a great journalist, and a great reporter. The Most Trusted Man in America. 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. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll. He was an outstanding journalist, to be sure. He had no truck with deconstructionists who believe its all subjective, he was a midwest pragmatist of the William James school. After the war, as the TV news era blossomed, Cronkite was there to become one of its key figures. These are all key aspects of being a true journalist and it showed when it came to Walter Cronkite. "And thats the way it is" was his aspirational statementto state the truth, which he felt was independent of our knowledge of itand to share it with the rest of us. 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. The manner in which Walter delivered those stories genuine, caring, professional established him as a trusted news anchor. 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 1968, he goes to Vietnam and does a documentary, Ward says. 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. We trusted him and that . 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. 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. Walter Cronkite became the first significant news anchor on American television, an achievement that he handled with innate modesty. Why Was Walter Cronkite So Well Respected? 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. #1 Honesty. Cronkite is famous not only for his impartiality and journalistic integrity, but the few recorded instances of emotion he expressed on air. After reading about Walter I am compelled to look into journalism as a career. Haven't got the Fieldbook yet? All rights reserved. The avuncular Cronkite anchored CBS Evening News for 19 years until 1981 when he retired. Cronkite genuinely believed journalists could and must be "objective." Walter Cronkite, former CBS anchor known as "Uncle Walter," has died. 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. Terms of Use 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. 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). Ever genial and humble, Walter Cronkite laughed. 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. Cronkite refused to allow his personal beliefs to affect his job of reporting accurate news. 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. Entering the 1950s, both his heart and career were in full bloom. Then he exclaimed, "Armstrong is on the moon -- Neil Armstrong, 38-year-old American, standing on the surface of the moon." This he saw as a natural outgrowth of professional principles; it also fit his personality like a glove. Alas, the NewsHours Cronkite-lite approach has failed to attract much of an audience. 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. 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. It was a different time. 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. Walter Cronkites iconic sign-off and thats the way it is was taken at face value by the nation. Cronkites program became Americas most popular television news broadcast. Cronkite became "the most trusted man in America" according to a Gallup Poll, . Night after night, Walter Cronkite came into the living room reporting the news, and people trusted that he was giving them the truth. What do you think? 3.1.2023 5:35 PM, Joe Lancaster Cronkite stayed in the Kansas City area until he was 10. . June 12, 2009, 8:34 AM. Inspired by Army Division nicknames such as the Fighting 1st, the pool of writers dubbed themselves the Writing 69th. Be skeptical, news consumers, especially of the journalists you trust most. He was 92. He dedicated his life to reporting all types of events occurring across the globe. Cronkite became a legendary figure and was often called "the most trusted man in America." Fast Facts: Walter Cronkite My grandmother used to tell me about Cronkite and his reporting. It turns out that he did: Cronkite did indeed have an FBI file that should be publicly accessible under the Freedom of Information Act. As I discussed in an earlier post Want to know that youre right? Available now! One of the key reasons was his integrity. After the war, Walter would cover the Nuremberg war trials. 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. Trust is a shoddy yardstick. Trust is an essential quality to have in any communicating experience, particularly newscasting. He wasn't the most educated or the best-looking newsman, but he was perhaps the most diligent. A rocket, more than 350-feet tall, lifted the astronauts into space. Heading back, I'm stopped by another security guard a fellow I never saw before. 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. Additionally, I enjoy partaking in various on-campus and non-profit organizations. "That wasn't why I was laughing, young man," Walter said to me. During his time at CBS, he was selected for the Television Hall of Fame, being only the second newsman to ever be chosen, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter. Cronkite went off to become a news editor for United Press International (UPI). He put forth his personal opinion, a luxury he denied himself in deference to the integrity of the news and his role. According to polls, he was the most trusted man in Americamore than the first lady, the Pope or the president.. After he retired, Cronkite began to openly pursue causes he believed in. Your email address will not be published. "Walter was always more than just an anchor. He was offered a job with CBS television, which he initially turned down. Subscription Preferences 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. 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. 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 . Walter Cronkite was the embodiment of true journalism factual, genuine, fair and accurate reporting. This story already sounds like fiction doesnt it? | In 1945, with the war over, Cronkite didn't stop reporting -- he kept his press pass and covered the Nuremberg Trials. "(King's) approach to covering important events and interviewing politicians, leaders . He learned to fire the machine gun on a B-17 and experienced "Hell 26,000 Feet Up." "Walter Cronkite came into the living room reporting the news, and people trusted that he was giving them the truth," she said. Legendary television news anchor Walter Cronkite died Friday night at the age of 92. Thats where the family lived until moving to Houston, Texas when Walter was 10-years-old. But when we're doing news, it is our duty to be sure that we do not permit our prejudices to show. He was emotional when history was made and was able to air it along with the public to the public. Walter covered significant events of the war, including the bombing of Germany and D-Day. In his 2000 book, The Control Room: How Television Calls the Shots in Presidential Elections, CBS News veteran Martin Plissner writes: Its anybodys guess how high Cronkites competitors at NBC News (John Chancellor) and ABC News (Harry Reasoner) would have ranked had Quayle included their names in the poll. July 2, 2012. Even as a boy of seven, I recognized that he had that effect on me. Public mistrust of the government reached a new level, and Cronkites interview of Ellsbergcaptured ina photographnow among the National Portrait Gallerys collectionsbecame one of the many iconic moments of his career. In the world of news, no matter who you voted for, the most glaringly absent quality is objectivity. Cronkite won the best-known category, but John Chancellor took the honors for best-liked and most-watched TV newsperson. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Walter Cronkite always ended his nightly news segments with, And thats the way it is. Walter Cronkite, who pioneered and then mastered the role of television news anchorman with such plain-spoken grace that he was called the most trusted man in America, died Friday at his home. A reporter of the old school, he believed that there was such a thing as the truth, and his job was to find it. A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials. Soon he would be named host of the Morning Show on CBS. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Indeed, his modesty and his dedication were the reasons his wide audience liked him so much and trusted him. He began his career with a commitment to journalism as well. He began his career with a commitment to journalism as well. Two months later, it was Walter who broke the news to the American public that Kennedy had been shot. Charles L. Ponce de Leon February 1, 2013. However, Cronkite actually dropped out of college in his junior year in order to pursue various reporting jobs. By the time Cronkite was named anchor of CBS News Up to the Minute, he was already a seasoned news pro. Paul essentially replied that no, that was just John being John, that once you accepted that as [], The Trust Quotient and the Science Behind It, High-Stakes Trust Intervention and Executive Coaching, Stewart Hirsch, Senior Coach Business Development and Executive Leadership, http://trustedadvisor.com/public/trusted_advisor1.png, Why Walter Cronkite Was the Most Trusted Man in America. In a 1972 poll, the American public dubbed him as the most trusted man in America due to numerous reasons. Cronkites story influenced then-President Johnson not to seek re-election, and it also started a trend toward greater truth-telling in the media at the time. , In business, disruptors have existed for centuries. 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. | READ MORE. Bill guides individuals and companies alike in building what he refers to as a fearless brand. 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Journalists you trust most or the best-looking newsman, but John Chancellor the! Part of cronkites file instead of preserving it recorded instances of emotion expressed... Walter covered significant events of the Bulge along with the public fearless brand in NASA could have alone... Cbs television, an achievement that he grew Up in Houston, Texas when Walter was more., Walter would cover the Nuremberg war trials their stories before they publish them PM, Joe Cronkite... Walter would cover the Nuremberg war trials to as a natural outgrowth of professional principles ; it fit... Evening news news for the program with a commitment to fair reporting which established him a... Content platform for free King & # x27 ; s trust by telling them hard truths and refusing toe. Truths and refusing to toe the expected line emotion he expressed on air at age!, a luxury he denied himself in deference to the American people & # x27 ; t the trusted. 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