Walter Cronkite Impact On Society
News has been a vital aspect of everyone’s lives ever since the creation of man. Families have gathered around TV’s and radios for many years to hear and see the trustworthy voices and faces of Edward Murrow, Roger Grimsby, and Bob Shieffer, among other, deliver the news of the world. Most notably, Walter Lelend Cronkite Junior has exemplified what it means to be the most trustworthy man in America. For seven and a half decades, Cronkite popularized news and brought a friendly presence to people worldwide. His educated insight along with his soothing voice allowed viewers to visualize the news to their satisfaction. Seven years shy of being a centenarian, Walter Cronkite fell nowhere short of a wise, tenured, and influential broadcast journalist.
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“Old anchormen, you see, don't fade away; they just keep coming back for more. And that's the way it is: Friday, March 6, 1981. I'll be away on assignment, and Dan Rather will be sitting in here for the next few years. Good night” (Grant). This statement is more than a plain retirement sign-off, it marked the end of an era. Cronkite’s impact on history was one of a kind. He reported history while making history in the process. Cronkite stated in an interview with CBS’s Katie Couric, ‘If I could tell you one thing about retirement, don’t” (Couric on Cronkite’s Legacy). Cronkite would go on to make guest appearances and anchor certain shows from time to time, but no one would come close to Walter Cronkite Jr. as far as his legacy and constant impact on Americans. Cronkite’s contributions to journalism and writing didn’t go unnoticed. He received the Four Freedoms Award in 1989, the NASA Ambassador of Exploration Award in 2006, and most notably, the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award in 1981, among others (Clark). In 1989, Arizona State University dedicated their journalism and communication department to Walter Cronkite. Cronkite set the standard of television news when the medium was new and malleable (Clark). His impact on the world was uncanny and still leaves people in awe to this
“Old anchormen, you see, don't fade away; they just keep coming back for more. And that's the way it is: Friday, March 6, 1981. I'll be away on assignment, and Dan Rather will be sitting in here for the next few years. Good night” (Grant). This statement is more than a plain retirement sign-off, it marked the end of an era. Cronkite’s impact on history was one of a kind. He reported history while making history in the process. Cronkite stated in an interview with CBS’s Katie Couric, ‘If I could tell you one thing about retirement, don’t” (Couric on Cronkite’s Legacy). Cronkite would go on to make guest appearances and anchor certain shows from time to time, but no one would come close to Walter Cronkite Jr. as far as his legacy and constant impact on Americans. Cronkite’s contributions to journalism and writing didn’t go unnoticed. He received the Four Freedoms Award in 1989, the NASA Ambassador of Exploration Award in 2006, and most notably, the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award in 1981, among others (Clark). In 1989, Arizona State University dedicated their journalism and communication department to Walter Cronkite. Cronkite set the standard of television news when the medium was new and malleable (Clark). His impact on the world was uncanny and still leaves people in awe to this