A
journalist who went from being an actual
reporter during the
Second World War to one of the most
iconic talking heads or
anchormen of the mid
1950s to the
1970s
news programs. During this
period of
time he
weilded the
power of un
questioned
trust. There were
bad, bad things going on and he told
us about them. He was a
revered uncle to the
viewing masses. His
disapproving look into the
camera, the
hush his voice might take on, an
arch of a
brow told us what the news
meant.
Where were you when Kennedy was shot? Walt was
crying like a
girlyman into the
camera. Where were you when
America fulfilled
JFKs edict to put a
man on the
moon? Walt was
bursting with
pride. When he spoke of the day's
bodycount during the
Vietnam War it was
touching, yet
dignified. Just the
right touch. I think that he
retired in the
1980s, but i'm
not sure.
Everything lost
grandeur by the mid
1970s and anchormen were not exempt.
TV journalists could no longer
function as the
magified conscience of a
nation. So then they became
celebrities, just like all of their
fellow actors.
Editors Note:
In June 2009, Cronkite was reported to be terminally ill. He died on July 17, 2009, at his home in New York City, at the age of 92.