 There are three men who have set the standard for mass media journalism - Murrow, Cronkite, and Moyers. Unlike many of my readers, I am sure, I am old enough to have been influenced directly and personally by all three.
My memories of Edward R. Murrow are fleeting and vague. I heard him on the radio and saw him on TV in the early days. He was a man my father said he trusted, so I never doubted that what he reported was accurate and honest.
Bill Moyers is still around. I trust him so much that in early 2007, I jumped on the "Draft Moyers for President" bandwagon. You knew that Bill had integrity when he refused to compromise himself and his values by answering the call. Part of me, I must admit, is still sorry that he didn't run, but I respect him for it. He can do more damage to the culture of lies right where he is. I'm certain that his stint as LBJ's press secretary soured him on DC politics for good. He has continuously worked hard to redeem himself in the grand church of honest journalism ever since his White House days. And now, Moyers is the last man standing (notwithstanding Andy Rooney).
I gladly confess that I have not shed one tear over the celebrity deaths over the past two months. People live, people die, and famous people are no different. Television does not, for me, define human greatness. Sometimes, however, there are people who can define the potential for media's role in our lives. Walter Cronkite is one of those people. I have cried at his passing. I miss him terribly.
Through WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Moon, JFK, Watergate, and so much else, we, the world's people, were there, because Walter was there. Yes - the most "trustable" man around. There were others of the same cloth. I trusted Eric Severeid, David Brinkley, and Peter Jennings, among others. But no one seemed to match Cronkite. I despair that either his integrity or his journalistic humanity will ever be challenged. CBS News was Walter Cronkite. He owned it, he ran it. He reported the truth to the people. Now, the "truth" is just a wholly-owned subsidiary of the corporate interests who make up propaganda to look like the truth. Cronkite was Reality TV. Without him, it's not even reality.
Some have said, in the midst of the popular uprisings in Iran, Honduras, and elsewhere, that blogs, social media such as Twitter, and alternative news mavens like Alex Jones have the potential to carry on Cronkite's legacy. Maybe. If so, we've got a long, long way to go before we can stand in Uncle Walter's shoes. That's the way it is.
|
