Walter Cronkite is one of the most well known journalists
throughout American history. His contributions to the field of broadcast
journalism are still felt today, and his legacy of reporting significant events
like Watergate and the assassination of people like Martin Luther King Jr.
lives on. His welcoming and truthful manner while reporting earned him the
nickname “The most trusted man in America.”
Born November 4, 1916, Walter Cronkite was always interested
in writing and news. He edited his high school’s newspaper, and earned his
first job in the field of journalism as a reporter for the Daily Texan. Cronkite tried both sports journalism and war
reporting during World War II, but would find his true niche while working at
CBS years later.
In 1950 Cronkite joined CBS as an anchor for the short show Up to the Minute. He would work many
jobs within the company until finally receiving a promotion in 1962 as the
anchorman of the CBS Evening News. His
style of reporting interested many people, and helped make CBS the most viewed
news channel, especially during huge events like the Apollo Moon landing and
the Iran Hostage Crisis.
Why is Walter Cronkite noteworthy and memorable? His
coverage of many events is simply iconic. To this day his reaction to the Kennedy
assassination remains an artifact of American history. During the Vietnam War,
Cronkite helped shift public opinion against the war. Even Lyndon B Johnson
understood how tragic it was to lose Cronkite’s support, saying, “If I’ve lost
Cronkite, I’ve lost Middle America.”
The rise of Walter Cronkite came at the perfect time, when
broadcast journalism was beginning to take off. His mastery of speech and
delivering news skyrocketed the popularity of not only CBS, but cable news as a
whole.
Ritchie, Donald A. American
Journalists: Getting the Story. New York: Oxford UP, 1997. Print.
"Walter Cronkite Biography." Bio.com.
A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
"Walter Cronkite (American
Journalist)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia
Britannica, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
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