Yesterday evening America's Anchorman, Walter Cronkite, died at the age of 92. You can hear NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflick's coverage here:
My boss at WXXI Public Broadcasting met Mr. Cronkite on several occasions and found him to be a warm and gracious man. Here is Norm Silverstein's memory of a great man:
My journalism professor at American University, Ed Bliss, Jr., was Cronkite's first editor on the CBS Evening News. Ed always told his students about the day that President Kennedy was killed. Cronkite went on the air right from the newsroom in his shirt and tie. There wasn't time to "get dressed" in a suit jacket to deliver the news. He chocked up and shed a few tears when the confirmation came that Kennedy was dead. Still, CBS received complaints that he had shown "disrespect" for the President by not stopping to put on his jacket. (The clip used to be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution, in an exhibit about Communications.) It was clearly a different time in broadcast journalism, before blogs and the entertainment that passes for mainstream news today.
Cronkite was an old UPI correspondent, covering World War II and many other major stories. Those of us old enough to remember will recall Cronkite following Apollo 13 as the astronauts struggled to return to earth in their damaged spacecraft. Many say that President Johnson knew he had lost the public relations battle over the Vietnam War when Cronkite went to Vietnam and questioned the war. He also helped broker a peace deal between Israel and Egypt.
He remained active in public affairs later in life and was a supporter of public TV, serving on the board of the New York City public station, WNET. He was an avid sailor, visiting Annapolis many times when I lived there, and was often spotted at a local tavern, who's owner sailed with Cronkite. His death marks the passing of an era.
