Comments on: 10 Reasons Why We Will Never See Another Walter Cronkite Again

By: derekdreizen

derekdreizen — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:48:22 +0000

I predicted that Dan Rather would succeed Cronkite, and I happened to be correct. But many of those around me thought Roger Mudd should have gotten it. At any rate, Walter Cronkite transcended journalism. His image and style became so famous that he became a television phenomenon. He wasn't the only famous journalist, but because he was at the right place at the right time for so long, he became very special. It's true, we'll never see another like him again.

By: PJBFan

PJBFan — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:30:42 +0000

The problem with CBS was, as stated above, requiring Cronkite to retire, and then not replacing him with Schieffer or Mudd. Either one would have been better than Rather.

I also agree with you VW, that corporate control has not helped the news business, at least not the broadcast news business. But I maintain that those who want fact-based news still turn to reliable newspapers, e.g. Washington Post, WSJ, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Cleveland Plain-Dealer, or to broadcast news. To be honest, those are the only American news sources I will trust. However, MSNBC, Fox, Talk Radio, and the incessant opinion commentary, whether left or right, are the staples of American news consumption nowadays, and they are, for the most part, as honest about the facts as Pravda was under the Soviets.

By: The Glittering Eye

The Glittering Eye — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:20:08 +0000

Walter Cronkite, 1916-2009 (Updated)…

Retired CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite, once characterized as “the most trusted man in America has died:
Walter Cronkite, the television newsman whose steady baritone informed, reassured and guided the nation during the tumultuous 1960s and ……

By: vwcat

vwcat — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:53:01 +0000

The mistake CBS made was making Cronkite retire to begin with. But, failing to put Mudd or Sheiffer in the top spot was another fatal mistake.
And they never recovered.
But, I do not agree that Americans favor opinion journalism. The rightwing does because they need the authoritarian voice to tell them how to think. Fact based journalism does not do that.
But, the average person craves fact based and hard news today. that is why traditional media is in trouble. They abandoned this for fluff, infotainment and shoutfests.
Corporate control has not only altered thing in news to this shallow silliness now or the hate mongering of Fox, but, continuing with this model in the face of being abandoned and knowing why, leads one to conclude that maybe the corporate controllers want news done with.

By: Derelict

Derelict — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:57:02 +0000

News reporting has largely become theatrical and entertaining, which is certainly reflective of what the audience has become accustomed in society. It syncs up with the short attentions spans, instant gratification and obsession with glitzy celebrity superficiality. No one wants to read anything substantial anymore and most people get bored with “just the facts, ma'am.” Snarky supposition, sports team mentality and demonization of the “enemy” is just more fun and it's unfortunate, really. As humans, we have such potential to rise above this petty nonsense.

The world will not end with a bang nor a whimper, just a crafty, opined zinger.