Born November 4, 1916 Died July 17, 2009
New York Times: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.co...
Walter Cronkite became known as "the most trusted man in America".
block quote from Wikipedia
Cronkite was married for nearly sixty-five years to Betsy Maxwell Cronkite, whom he married on March 30, 1940. They remained together until her death on March 16, 2005. They have three children: Nancy Cronkite, Kathy Cronkite, and Walter (Chip) Cronkite III (who is married to actress Deborah Rush).
In late 2005 Cronkite began dating opera singer Joanna Simon, Carly Simon's older sister. Of their relationship Cronkite stated in an interview for the New York Post in January 2006: "We are keeping company, as the old phrase used to be." [13]
http://americanhistory.suite101.com/...
Born in 1916, Cronkite spent his childhood in Houston, Texas where he learned two valuable lessons that would accent his life. The first was the horror and ugly stain of racism, and the second, an admonition by his mother that forged his journalistic dogma. "It’s one of those gray areas, Walter. Be careful of gray—it might be grime."
That lesson served him well throughout a distinguished career as he presented whole truths to his audience, never settling for half the facts that were easily available. James admits a struggle with objectivity in portraying a man with whom he has so much admiration, but reconciles to the fact that so many in the nation share his own sentiments.
http://americanhistory.suite101.com/...
To many of us, he represents the major events of our lifetimes.
From Wikipedia:
Cronkite is vividly remembered by many Americans for breaking the news of the death of President Kennedy on Friday November 22, 1963. Cronkite had been standing at the United Press International wire machine in the CBS newsroom as the bulletin of the President's shooting broke and clamored to get on the air to break the news. However, cameras were not ready for use and Cronkite would be forced to break the news without them while one warmed up.
An example of Walter Cronkite's influence
Following Cronkite's editorial report during the Tet Offensive that the Vietnam War was unwinnable, President Lyndon Johnson is reported to have said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America."[9]
Perhaps personally I remember him most from the "You Are There" series.
He really brought history to life for America's school children.
The series also featured various key events in American and world history, portrayed in dramatic recreations, with one addition -- CBS News reporters, in modern-day suits, would report on the action and interview the characters. Each episode would begin with the characters setting the scene. Cronkite, from his anchor desk in New York, would give a few words on what was about to happen. An announcer would then give the date and the event, followed by a bold, "You Are There!"
Cronkite would then return to describe the event and its characters more in detail, before throwing it to the event, saying, "Everything you see here was as it happened that day, except... You Are There."
At the end of the program, after Cronkite summarizes what happened in the preceding event, he reminds viewers, "What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times... and you were there."
An interesting tidbit:
/cronkitewal.htFrom the Museum of Broadcasters:
http://www.museum.tv/...
Cronkite's legacy of separating reporting from advocacy has become the norm in television news. In addition, his name has become virtually synonymous with the position of news anchor worldwide--Swedish anchors are known as Kronkiters, but in Holland they are Cronkiters.
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS...