Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite in 1968 in Vietnam
Born	November 4, 1916 (1916-11-04) (age 90) St. Joseph, Missouri, USA

Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. (born November 4, 1916) is a retired iconic American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for The CBS Evening News for 19 years (1962–81). During the heyday of CBS News in the 1970s and 1980s he was often cited in viewer opinion polls as "the most trusted man in America", because of his professional experience and avuncular demeanor. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 229 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (414 × 1081 pixel, file size: 211 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Saint Joseph (also known as St. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Broadcast journalism refers to television news and radio news, as well as the online news outlets of broadcast affiliates. ... Anchorman may refer to: News anchor, someone who works in radio who hosts a regular news program Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, a 2004 American comedy movie This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963. ... CBS News logo, used from Sept. ...

Early life

Cronkite was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri to Walter Leland Cronkite and Helena Fritsch. He has remote Dutch ancestry on his father's side, the family surname originally being Krankheyt.^[1] This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Cronkite lived in Kansas City, Missouri until he was ten, when his family moved to Houston, Texas. He attended junior high school at Lanier Junior Birthday School (now Lanier Middle School) and high school at San Jacinto High School. He was a member of the Boy Scouts. He attended university at The University of Texas at Austin, where he became a member of the Nu chapter of the Chi Phi Fraternity. He also was a member of the fraternal organization of young men known as DeMolay (a member of Houston Chapter). Nickname: Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... “Houston” redirects here. ... Sidney Lanier Middle School is a middle school located at 2600 Woodhead Street in Houston, Texas, United States, with a ZIP code of 77098. ... San Jacinto High School was a secondary school located at 1300 Holman in Houston, Texas. ... For the Boy Scouting program within the BSA, see Boy Scouting (Boy Scouts of America). ... University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (full official name), often UT or Texas for short, is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System, the largest public university system in Texas, established in 1883. ... The Chi Phi (ΧΦ) fraternity is a college social fraternity in the United States founded in 1824 at Princeton University, in 1858 at the University of North Carolina, and in 1860 at Hobart College, making it one of the oldest college social Greek-letter society. ... The Order of DeMolay is an international youth fraternity for young men between the ages of 12 to 21. ...

Career

He dropped out of college his junior year in 1935 and began a series of newspaper reporting jobs covering news and sports.

He entered broadcasting as a radio announcer for WKY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1936 he met his wife Mary Elizabeth Maxwell (known by her nickname "Betsy") while working as the sports announcer for KCMO (AM) in Kansas City, Missouri. His broadcast name was "Walter Wilcox.".^[2] He would explain later that radio stations at the time did not want people to use their real names for fear of taking their listeners with them. In Kansas City he joined the United Press in 1937. He became one of the top American reporters in World War II, covering battles in North Africa and Europe. He was one of 8 journalists selected by the United States Air Force to fly bombing raids over Germany in a B-17 Flying Fortress. He also landed in a glider with the 101st Airborne in the battle of the Netherlands and covered The Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he covered the Nuremberg trials, and served as the United Press main reporter in Moscow for two years. WKY (930 kHz AM) is Oklahomas oldest radio station. ... OKC redirects here. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Largest metro area Oklahoma City metro area Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,898 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... KCMO 710 AM is a Kansas City area talk radio station that airs syndicated shows, such as those hosted by Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck. ... Nickname: Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... United Press International (UPI) is a global news agency headquartered in the United States filing news in English, Spanish and Arabic. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ... (Redirected from 101st Airborne) Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 101st Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles. ... For the 1947 Soviet film about the trials, see Nuremberg Trials (film). ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ...

Early years at CBS

In 1950, Cronkite joined CBS News in its young and growing television division, recruited by Edward R. Murrow, who had previously tried to hire Cronkite from UP during the war. Cronkite began working at WTOP-TV, the CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C.. (The station was owned by the Washington Post Company.) [1] CBS News logo, used from Sept. ... Edward R. Ed Murrow (April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American journalist and media figure. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... ...

On July 7, 1952, the term "anchor" was coined to describe Cronkite's role at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, which marked the first nationally-televised convention coverage.^[3] Cronkite anchored the network's coverage of the 1952 presidential election as well as later conventions, until in 1964 he was temporarily replaced by the team of Robert Trout and Roger Mudd. This proved to be a mistake, and Cronkite was returned to the anchor chair for future political conventions. is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 1952 Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois. ... The 1952 Republican National Convention was held in Chicago, Cook County, from 7 July to 11 July and nominated the popular general and war hero Dwight David Eisenhower also known as Ike for president and the anti-communist crusading senator from California, Richard Milhous Nixon, for vice president. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Robert (Bob) Trout (1909 - 2000) was an American broadcast news reporter, best known for his radio work before and during World War II. He became known to some as the Iron Man of Radio for his incredible ability to ad lib while on the air, as well as his stamina... Roger Mudd, born February 9, 1928 in Washington, is a U.S. television journalist. ...

From 1953 to 1957, Cronkite hosted the CBS program You Are There, which reenacted historical events, using the format of a news report. His famous last line for these programs was: "What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times... and you were there." He also hosted The Twentieth Century, a documentary series about important historical events of the century which was made up almost exclusively of newsreel footage and interviews. It became a long-running hit. (Note: In the early 1970s, "You Are There", hosted by Walter Cronkite, was revived and redesigned to attract an audience of teenagers and young adults. It aired on Saturday mornings.) This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A newsreel is a documentary film that is regularly released in a public presentation place containing filmed news stories. ...

The CBS Evening News

Cronkite succeeded Douglas Edwards as anchorman of the CBS Evening News on April 16, 1962, a job in which he became an American icon. The program expanded from 15 to 30 minutes on September 2, 1963, making Cronkite the anchor of American network television's first nightly half-hour news program. Douglas Edwards (July 14, 1917 — October 13, 1990) was Americas first network news television anchor, anchoring CBSs first nightly news broadcast from 1948-1962, which was later to be titled CBS Evening News. ... Anchorman may refer to: News anchor, someone who works in radio who hosts a regular news program Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, a 2004 American comedy movie This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During the early part of his tenure anchoring the CBS Evening News, Cronkite competed against NBC's anchor team of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, who anchored the Huntley-Brinkley Report. For most 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 its 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. This article is about the television network. ... Chester Robert Huntley (December 10, 1911 - March 20, 1974), more popularly known as Chet Huntley, was an American television newscaster. ... David Brinkley David McClure Brinkley (July 10, 1920 – June 11, 2003) was a popular American television newscaster for two different USA television networks, NBC, and later, ABC. From 1956 through 1970 he co-anchored NBCs top rated nightly news program, The Huntley–Brinkley Report with Chet Huntley. ... Opening to the June 6, 1968 edition of The Huntley-Brinkley Report, the evening following the death of U.S. Senator and Democratic Presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy. ...

In 1970, Walter Cronkite received a "Freedom of the Press" George Polk Award. That same year, the CBS Evening News finally achieved dominance of the American TV news viewing audience, when Huntley retired. The George Polk Awards is an American journalism award. ...

During this time, Cronkite's broadcast achieved a dominance that would continue during his tenure at the anchor desk. Although NBC finally settled on the skilled and well-respected broadcast journalist John Chancellor, Cronkite proved to be more popular and continued to be top-rated until his retirement. In 1981 President Jimmy Carter awarded Cronkite the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Chancellor (left), with David Brinkley, in a 1976 ad for the NBC Radio network. ... For other persons named Jimmy Carter, see Jimmy Carter (disambiguation). ... The Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the President of the United States (the other award which is considered its equivalent is the Congressional Gold Medal, which is bestowed by an...

One of Cronkite's trademarks was ending the CBS Evening News with the phrase, "...And that's the way it is:", followed by the date (keeping to standards of objective journalism, he omitted this phrase on nights when he ended the newscast with opinion or commentary). Beginning with January 16, 1980, "Day 50" of the Iran hostage crisis, Cronkite added the length of the hostage's captivity to the show's closing to remind the audience of the unresolved situation, ending only on "Day 444", January 20, 1981.^[4] is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Iranian militants escort a blindfolded U.S. hostage to the media. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ...

Currently, Walter Cronkite's voice can be heard announcing CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric at the beginning of the news broadcast. Katherine Anne Katie Couric (born January 7, 1957) is an American media personality who became well-known as co-host of NBCs Today. ...

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. President Kennedy in a crowded Cabinet Room during the Cuban Missile Crisis. ... President Kennedy with his wife, Jacqueline, and Texas Governor John Connally in the presidential limousine just moments before his assassination The assassination of John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, took place on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, USA at 12:30 p. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The Apollo 11 mission was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. ... This article is about Earths moon. ... “Watergate” redirects here. ...

Cronkite trained himself to speak at a rate of 124 words per minute in his newscasts, so that viewers could clearly understand him. In contrast, Americans average about 165 words per minute, and fast, difficult to understand talkers speak close to 200 words per minute.^[5]

Historic moments as anchor

Kennedy assassination

Cronkite is vividly remembered by many Americans as the first anchor to break the news^{[citation needed]} of the death of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963. The first bulletins broke into the live broadcast of the daytime soap opera As The World Turns. Those bulletins were audio only as CBS did not have a camera "warmed up" in the newsroom. Cronkite's first report came in at 1:40 p.m. EST: John F. Kennedy The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, took place on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, USA at 12:30 PM Central Standard Time (18:30 UTC). ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The first TIME cover devoted to soap operas: Dated January 12, 1976, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes of Days of our Lives are featured with the headline Soap Operas: Sex and suffering in the afternoon. A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of fiction, usually broadcast on television... As the World Turns (ATWT) is the second longest-running American television soap opera (the first being Guiding Light),[1] airing each weekday on CBS. Set in the fictional town of Oakdale, Illinois, the show debuted on Monday, April 2, 1956[2] at 1:30pm. ...

"Here is a bulletin from CBS News. In Dallas, Texas, three shots were fired at President Kennedy's motorcade in downtown Dallas. The first reports say that President Kennedy has been seriously wounded by this shooting. More details just arrived...these details about the same as previously, President Kennedy shot today just as his motorcade left downtown Dallas. Mrs. Kennedy jumped up and grabbed Mr. Kennedy, she called 'Oh no!', the motorcade sped on. United Press (International) says that the wounds for President Kennedy perhaps could be fatal. Repeating, a bulletin from CBS News, President Kennedy has been shot by a would-be assassin in Dallas, Texas. Stay tuned to CBS News for further details."

Once the camera was ready approximately 20 minutes later, Cronkite appeared on-air in shirt and tie but without his suit coat, given the "hurry up" nature of the story. For the next 35 minutes or so, the coverage alternated between Cronkite in the CBS newsroom (with CBS News employees keeping track of the AP and UPI news tickers in the background) and the Dallas Trade Mart with Eddie Barker of Dallas's CBS affiliate network, KRLD-TV. There were several unconfirmed reports given during that period that the President had died. At approximately 2:38 p.m. EST, after being handed (on camera) a piece of paper from the Associated Press wire machine, Cronkite put on his glasses, looked it over for a moment, took off his glasses, and told the viewing audience: KDFW (FOX4 - The News Station) is the Fox Broadcasting Company owned and operated television station in the Dallas, Texas/Fort Worth, Texas designated market area. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ...

"From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official (reading AP flash): President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. (CST) (2:00 Eastern Standard Time), [looking off-camera at a clock] some 38 minutes ago." The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ...

After the announcement, Cronkite paused briefly, put his glasses back on, bit his lip and swallowed hard, to maintain his composure. There was noticeable emotion and a quaver in his voice as he intoned the next sentence of the news report:

"Vice President Lyndon Johnson has left the hospital in Dallas, but we do not know to where he has proceeded. Presumably, he will be taking the oath of office shortly and become the 36th president of the United States."

Footage from this historic broadcast was featured in the opening scenes of Oliver Stone's film JFK. William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946), known simply as Oliver Stone, is a three-time Academy Award-winning American film director and screenwriter. ... JFK is an American film directed by Oliver Stone, first released on December 20, 1991. ...

In a 2006 TV interview with Nick Clooney, Cronkite confirmed, "I choked up, I really had a little trouble...my eyes got a little wet...[what Kennedy had represented] was just all lost to us. Fortunately, I grabbed hold before I was actually [crying]." Clooney Nicholas Clooney (born January 13, 1934) is an American television journalist, anchorman, game show and American Movie Classics host, as well as a politician from the state of Kentucky. ...

Vietnam War

Following Cronkite's editorial report during the Tet Offensive that the Vietnam War was unwinnable, President Lyndon Johnson is reported to have said, "If I've lost Walter Cronkite, I've lost Middle America." Combatants Republic of Vietnam, United States, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Australia National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders William C. Westmoreland Võ Nguyên Giáp Strength 1. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908–January 22, 1973), often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician. ...

During the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Cronkite was anchoring the CBS network coverage as violence and protests occurred outside the convention, as well as scuffles inside the convention hall. When Dan Rather was pushed to the floor (on camera) by security personnel, Cronkite commented, "I think we've got a bunch of thugs here, Dan." The 1968 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968, for the purposes of choosing the Democratic nominee for the 1968 U.S. presidential election. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Daniel Irvin Rather, Jr. ...

Other historic events

Cronkite is also remembered for his coverage of the U.S. space program, and at times was visibly enthusiastic, rubbing his hands together on camera with a smile on July 20, 1969 when the Apollo 11 mission first landed man on the moon. Cronkite has criticized himself for being at a loss for journalistic words at that moment. is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... The Apollo 11 mission was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. ...

According to the 2006 PBS documentary on Cronkite, there was "nothing new" in his reports on the Watergate affair; however, Cronkite brought together a wide range of reporting, and his credibility and status is credited by many with pushing the Watergate story to the forefront with the American public, ultimately resulting in the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon on August 9, 1974. Cronkite had anchored the CBS coverage of Nixon's address, announcing his impending resignation, the night before. “PBS” redirects here. ... The Watergate building. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ...

Another interesting story occurred when former president Lyndon Johnson died in January of 1973. Cronkite was on the air at the time Johnson passed away, and when the broadcast was on commercial, Johnson's press secretary called Cronkite to inform him the news of Johnson's death, and they were still talking when the show was back on the air. Cronkite however waited until he had all the information before he addressed the nation of the news. This story was re-told on a 2007 CBS-TV special honoring Cronkite's 90th birthday.

Other TV appearances

Cronkite made a cameo appearance on the Mary Tyler Moore show, in which he met with Lou Grant in his office. Ted Baxter, who at first tried to convince Cronkite that he (Baxter) was Eric Sevareid, pleaded with Cronkite to hire him for the network news, at least to give sport scores, and gave an example: "The North Stars 3, the Kings Oh!" Cronkite, about to go out through the doors, turned to Lou and said, "I'm gonna get you for this!" This article is about the actress. ... Lou Grant is a fictional character played by Ed Asner in two shows on CBS. The first was Mary Tyler Moore in which the character was the producer of the fictional WJM-TV news. ... Ted Baxter was a fictional character on the long running situation comedy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. ... Pioneering broadcast journalist Eric Sevareid. ... The Minnesota North Stars were a team in the National Hockey League between 1967 and 1993. ... The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ...

Personal life

Walter Cronkite was married for nearly 65 years to Betsy Maxwell Cronkite whom he married on March 30, 1940. They remained together until her death on March 16, 2005. They have 3 children; Nancy Cronkite, Kathy Cronkite, and Walter (Chip) Cronkite III (who is married to actress Deborah Rush). Cronkite also has 4 grandchildren. is the 89th day of the year (90th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Deborah Rush (born April 10, 1954, Chatham, New Jersey) is an American actress. ...

In late 2005 Cronkite began dating opera singer Joanna Simon, Carly Simon's older sister. Of their relationship Cronkite stated in an interview for the New York Post in January 2006: "We are keeping company, as the old phrase used to be. I'm not making any moves immediately. I don't think it's proper. My wife has only been gone less than a year. I'll wait until that year has passed, at least." Joanna Simon in 1971 Joanna Simon (born October 20, 1940) is a distinguished American Mezzo-Soprano and currently a Manhattan based real estate broker. ... Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1945 in New York City) is an Academy Award, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy Award winning American musician who emerged as one of the leading lights of the early 1970s singer-songwriter movement. ...

Retirement

Cronkite announced that he intended to retire from The CBS Evening News on February 14, 1980; at the time, CBS had a policy in place that called for mandatory retirement by age 65. [2] Although sometimes compared to a father figure or an uncle figure, in an interview about his retirement he described himself as being more like a "comfortable old shoe" to his audience. His last day in the anchor chair at the CBS Evening News was on March 6, 1981; he was succeeded the following Monday by Dan Rather. CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Daniel Irvin Rather, Jr. ...

Cronkite's farewell statement [3]:

CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963. ... Douglas Edwards (July 14, 1917 — October 13, 1990) was Americas first network news television anchor, anchoring CBSs first nightly news broadcast from 1948-1962, which was later to be titled CBS Evening News. ... Daniel Irvin Rather, Jr. ... For other uses, see Universe (disambiguation). ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Daniel Irvin Rather, Jr. ...

Activities 1981 – present

• Cronkite has been a vocal advocate for free airtime for political candidates. He worked with the Alliance for Better Campaigns and Common Cause, for instance, on an unsuccessful lobbying effort to have an amendment added to the McCain-Feingold-Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2001 that would have required TV broadcast companies to provide free airtime to candidates. Cronkite has criticized the present system of campaign finance which allows elections to "be purchased" by special interests, and he has noted that all the European democracies "provide their candidates with extensive free airtime." "In fact", Cronkite has pointed out, "of all the major nations worldwide that profess to have democracies, only seven — just seven — do not offer free airtime", putting the United States on a list with Ecuador, Honduras, Malaysia, Taiwan, Tanzania, and Trinidad and Tobago. Cronkite concludes that "The failure to give free airtime for our political campaigns endangers our democracy." In the 2000 election year, the amount spent by candidates in the major TV markets approached $1 billion. "What our campaign asks is that the television industry yield just a tiny percentage of that windfall, less than 1 percent, to fund free airtime."^[6]
• Cronkite wrote a syndicated opinion column for King Features Syndicate.
• Cronkite is the spokesman and honorary chairman of The Interfaith Alliance [4]. In 2006 he presented the Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award to Actor and Activist George Clooney on behalf of The Interfaith Alliance at its annual dinnerin New York.
• He has continued to broadcast occasionally as a special correspondent for CBS, CNN, and NPR into the 21st century; one such occasion was Cronkite anchoring the second space flight by John Glenn in 1998 as he had Glenn's first in 1962.
• In 1983, he reported on the British General Election for the ITV current affairs series World In Action, interviewing, among many others, the victorious Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.[5]
• Cronkite was also considered to be a finalist for NASA's "Journalist in Space" program, which mirrored the Teacher in Space Project, but was dropped after the Challenger Disaster in 1986.
• He was the voice of Benjamin Franklin in the educational television cartoon Liberty's Kids, which included a news segment ending with "And that's the way it is on..."
• He holds amateur radio operator license KB2GSD and has narrated a 2003 American Radio Relay League documentary explaining amateur radio's role in disaster relief.
• In 1995 he made an appearance on Broadway, though not in the usual fashion — he provided the voice of the titular book in the 1995 revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
• He has a school of journalism named after him — The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication, which is part of Arizona State University.
• Prior to 2004, he could also be seen in the opening movie in the Walt Disney World attraction, The Magic of Disney Animation, interviewing Robin Williams as if he is still on the CBS News channel, ending his on-camera time with his famous catchphrase. He also was shown inviting Disney guests and tourists to the Disney Classics Theater.
• From May 26, 1986 to August 15, 1994, he was the narrator's voice in the Epcot Center attraction, Spaceship Earth, at Walt Disney World.
• He recorded voice-overs for the 1995 film Apollo 13, modifying the script he was given to make it more "Cronkitian".
• He recorded the narrations for the University of Texas's We're Texas ad campaign. [6]
• For years, Cronkite has hosted the annual Vienna New Year's Concert on PBS. For many years, until 2005, he was also the host of the annual Kennedy Center Honors.
• On February 15, 2005, he went into the studio at CBS to record narration for WCC Chatham Radio, a documentary about Guglielmo Marconi and his Chatham station, which became the busiest ship-to-shore wireless station in North America from 1914 to 1994. The documentary was directed by Christopher Seufert of Mooncusser Films and premiered at the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center in April 2005.
• Since May 2005, he has been a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post.
• On March 1, 2006, Cronkite became the first non-astronaut to receive NASA's Ambassador of Exploration Award. [7]

[8] Cronkite is a supporter of the anti-War on Drugs Drug Policy Alliance and the nonprofit world hunger organization Heifer International. His distinctive voice provides narration for the television ads of the University of Texas at Austin, his alma mater. Cronkite is also an avid sailor and a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, with the honorary rank of commodore. Common Cause is a U.S. nonpartisan lobbying group. ... The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) is U.S. Congressional legislation which regulates the financing of political campaigns. ... Print Syndication is a form of syndication in which news articles, columns, or comic strips are made available to newspapers and magazines. ... King Features Syndicate is a syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation; it distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to thousands of newspapers around the world. ... The Interfaith Alliance (TIA) is a organization of approximately 150,000 people whose goal is to: Promote democratic values, Defend religious liberty, Challenge hatred and religious bigotry, and Reinvigorate informed civic participation. ... George Timothy Clooney (May 6, 1961) - is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter, known for his role in the first five seasons of the long-running television drama ER (1994–99), and his rise as an A-List movie star in contemporary American cinema. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... NPR logo For other meanings of NPR see NPR (disambiguation) National Public Radio (NPR) is a private, not-for-profit corporation that sells programming to member radio stations; together they are a loosely organized public radio network in the United States. ... For other persons named John Glenn, see John Glenn (disambiguation). ... The UK general election, 1983 was held on June 9, 1983 and gave the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945. ... Independent Television (generally known as ITV, but also as ITV Network) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Since 1990 and the Broadcasting... get lost Category: ... World in Action was an investigative current affairs series produced by Granada Television in the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1998. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... 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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 America's "most trusted" man. In July 2006, the 90-minute documentary "Walter Cronkite: Witness to History" aired on PBS. The special was narrated by Katie Couric, who assumed the CBS Evening News anchor chair in September 2006. Cronkite provides the voiceover introduction to Couric's CBS Evening News, which began on September 5, 2006. “PBS” redirects here. ... Katherine Anne Katie Couric (born January 7, 1957) is an American media personality who became well-known as co-host of NBCs Today. ... CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Outspoken commentary

Cronkite has spoken his mind on several topics since his retirement:

• Cronkite has been an eloquent advocate for requiring TV broadcast companies to provide free airtime to political candidates in the U.S. Cronkite claims that the U.S. political system is corrupted by the influence of campaign contributions, millions of dollars of which are spent on TV advertisements, many of which are negative political ads. Free airtime, according to Cronkite, would open up our public discourse and strengthen American democracy.^[6]
• On October 29, 2004, Walter Cronkite appeared on CNN's Larry King Live television program, just four days before the 2004 presidential election. [9]
• In 2003, Cronkite, who owns property on Martha's Vineyard, became involved in a long-running debate over his opposition to the construction of a wind farm in that area.
• In his column, he has repeatedly condemned President George W. Bush and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In 1998, he supported President Bill Clinton during the impeachment trial. He has also been a proponent of world government, writing fundraising letters for the World Federalist Association (now Citizens for Global Solutions). In accepting the 1999 Norman Cousins Global Governance Award at the ceremony at the United Nations, Cronkite said[10]:

It seems to many of us that if we are to avoid the eventual catastrophic world conflict we must strengthen the United Nations as a first step toward a world government patterned after our own government with a legislature, executive and judiciary, and police to enforce its international laws and keep the peace. To do that, of course, we Americans will have to yield up some of our sovereignty. That would be a bitter pill. It would take a lot of courage, a lot of faith in the new order. But the American colonies did it once and brought forth one of the most nearly perfect unions the world has ever seen.

• Cronkite appeared in the 2004 Robert Greenwald film Outfoxed, where he offered commentary on the alleged unethical and overtly political practices at the Fox News Channel. Cronkite remarked that when Fox News was founded by Rupert Murdoch, "it was intended to be a conservative organization — beyond that; a far-right wing organization."
• In January 2006, during a press conference to promote the PBS documentary about his career, Cronkite said that he felt the same way about America's presence in Iraq as he had about their presence in Vietnam in 1968 and that he felt America should recall its troops.^[7]

is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... Larry King Live is a nightly CNN interview program hosted by broadcaster and writer Larry King. ... Presidential election results map. ... Map of Marthas Vineyard. ... A wind farm is a collection of wind turbines in the same location. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The subject of this article is the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... The impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton in 1999, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist presiding. ... It has been suggested that World Federation be merged into this article or section. ... Citizens for Global Solutions, a grassroots membership organization in the United States, envisions a future in which nations work together to abolish war, protect our rights and freedoms and solve the problems facing humanity that no nation can solve alone and to building the political will in the United States... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... Robert Greenwald (born August 28, 1945 in New York, New York) is an American film director, producer and political activist recently noted for his documentaries critical of Fox News and of the Bush Administration, as well as numerous award-winning television movies from the 1980s and 1990s. ... For more details on this topic, see Fox News Channel controversies. ... “Fox News” redirects here. ... Keith Rupert Murdoch AC, KCSG (born 11 March 1931) is an Australian born United States citizen who is a global media executive and is the controlling shareholder, chairman and managing director of News Corporation, based in New York. ... Ths article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into far right. ...

References

Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

External links

• Walter Cronkite Honored by NASA with a Moon Rock as an Ambassador of Exploration
• Walter Cronkite Narration for Chatham Radio WCC documentary by Mooncusser Films
• Walter Cronkite: A Living Legend Still Loving Animals
• Biography on InterfaithAlliance
• Spacefacts biography of Walter Cronkite
• Amateur Radio Today (video)
• Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University
• University of Texas TV ads
• Cronkite's personal blog
• Cronkite's filmography on IMDB
• Web ZIne from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University
• Signature of Walter Cronkite
• YouTube clip of Cronkite's famous Tet Offensive commentary on February 27, 1968 edition of CBS Evening News