Walter Cronkite

Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (born November 4, 1916) is an American journalist, best known for his work as a television news anchorman. During his tenure at CBS Evening News he was often cited in viewer opinion polls as "the most trusted man in America," due to his experienced background and professional demeanor.

News career

After various newspaper reporter jobs covering news and sports, he entered broadcasting as a radio announcer for WKY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He joined the United Press in 1937, and became one of the top American reporters in World War II, covering battles in North Africa and Europe. After the war, he covered the Nuremburg trials, and served as the United Press main reporter in Moscow for two years.

Related Topics:
Newspaper - Radio - WKY - Oklahoma City - Oklahoma - United Press - 1937 - World War II - North Africa - Europe - Nuremburg trials - Moscow

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CBS and popularity

In 1950, he joined CBS News, in their growing young television division. He anchored the network's coverage of the 1952 presidential election, as he would continue to do with American elections until his retirement.

Related Topics:
1950 - CBS - 1952 presidential election

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Cronkite served as anchorman of the CBS Evening News from April 16, 1962 until March 6, 1981, a job in which he became an American icon. On September 2, 1963, Cronkite launched network television's first half-hour evening newscast when CBS Evening News expanded from 15 to 30 minutes.

Related Topics:
Anchorman - April 16 - 1962 - March 6 - 1981 - September 2 - 1963

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During the early part of his time anchoring the CBS Evening News, Cronkite competed against NBC's anchor team of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, who anchored the Huntley-Brinkley Report. During the greater part of the 1960s, the Huntley-Brinkley Report had more viewers than Cronkite's broadcast. This began to change in the late 1960s, as RCA made a corporate decision not to fund NBC News at the levels CBS funded CBS News. Consequently, CBS News acquired a reputation for accuracy and depth in broadcast journalism. This reputation meshed nicely with Cronkite's wire service experience, and in 1968, the CBS Evening News began to surpass the Huntley-Brinkley Report in viewership during the summer months. The CBS Evening News achieved total dominance of the American news viewing audience in 1970, when Huntley retired and corporate dithering on RCA's part crippled the selection of a successor anchor, and successive format. During this time, Cronkite's broadcast achieved a dominance it would not lose while he was at the anchor desk. Although NBC ended up picking a well-respected and popular telejournalist in John Chancellor, Cronkite proved to be much more popular.

Related Topics:
NBC - Chet Huntley - David Brinkley - Huntley-Brinkley Report - 1960s - 1968 - 1970 - John Chancellor

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For many years, Cronkite was considered one of the most trusted figures in the United States. Affectionately known as "Uncle Walter," he covered many of the important news events of the era so effectively that his image and voice are closely associated with the Cuban missile crisis, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam War, the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and the Watergate scandal. He is remembered by many as finishing the CBS Evening News with the phrase, "…and that's the way it is," followed by the date. (Cronkite's succesor, Dan Rather, echoed the phrase by ending his own broadcasts with "…and that's part of our world tonight.")

Related Topics:
United States - Cuban missile crisis - Assassination of President John F. Kennedy - Vietnam War - Apollo 11 - Moon - Watergate scandal - Dan Rather

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Cronkite is vividly remembered by some Americans as the first anchor to break the news of the death of JFK:

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:"From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official (reading AP flash): President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. (CST)--2:00 EST, some 38 minutes ago."

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At one point during the announcement Cronkite paused briefly and appeared to tear up, a rare loss of composure for the usually unflappable newsman.

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"Uncle Walter" has recently hosted a number of TV specials and been featured in interviews about the times and events that occurred during his career as "The most trusted man in America."

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