In August 2006, Dave White and I co-hosted an hour of Talking Television in which we looked at the changing face of television news. Our guest that evening was Tony Gill, a professor of journalism at American International College with extensive experience as a radio and television news anchor, field reporter and radio talk show host in several major markets. Among other topics, we discussed some of the major news stories covered by television, including the assassination of President John Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. In commenting on Walter Cronkite’s report of Kennedy’s death that afternoon, our friend Chicago Bill, a regular listener of Talking Television and later TV Confidential, wrote of Cronkite: “He did not change society–he reported the change as he saw it.” Our guest Tony Gill then commented on how even Cronkite was effected by the magnitude of the moment, removing his glasses and wiping a tear from his eye before signing off. Gill also commented on how Cronkite just missed out on the era in which the television anchor also served as the managing editor of the evening news… a role that Cronkite no doubt would have served with relish.
As we remember Walter Cronkite this evening, I thought that in addition to Tony Figueroa’s excellent coverage we’d also share a clip from our 2006 conversation about Cronkite and the state of network television news. You can hear that clip by clicking here.
Ed Robertson
Co-Host, TV CONFIDENTIAL
Mon thru Sun, 10pm ET, 7pm PT Shokus Internet Radio
Every other Tue, 10pm ET, 7pm PT Share-a-Vision Radio
www.edrobertson.com
www.tvconfidential.net
blog.tvconfidential.net
This entry was posted on
July 17, 2009 at 8:10 pm and is filed under Articles, Commentary, Television, news.
Tags: television history, tv commentary, cbs, Television, Broadcast television, broadcast pioneers, television news, Obituaries, and that's the way it is, CBS Evening News, kennedy assassination, television journalism, television news anchors, Walter Cronkite, most trusted man in america, Dan Rather
Walter Cronkite: “He Did Not Change Society, He Reported the Change as He Saw It”
July 17, 2009In August 2006, Dave White and I co-hosted an hour of Talking Television in which we looked at the changing face of television news. Our guest that evening was Tony Gill, a professor of journalism at American International College with extensive experience as a radio and television news anchor, field reporter and radio talk show host in several major markets. Among other topics, we discussed some of the major news stories covered by television, including the assassination of President John Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. In commenting on Walter Cronkite’s report of Kennedy’s death that afternoon, our friend Chicago Bill, a regular listener of Talking Television and later TV Confidential, wrote of Cronkite: “He did not change society–he reported the change as he saw it.” Our guest Tony Gill then commented on how even Cronkite was effected by the magnitude of the moment, removing his glasses and wiping a tear from his eye before signing off. Gill also commented on how Cronkite just missed out on the era in which the television anchor also served as the managing editor of the evening news… a role that Cronkite no doubt would have served with relish.
As we remember Walter Cronkite this evening, I thought that in addition to Tony Figueroa’s excellent coverage we’d also share a clip from our 2006 conversation about Cronkite and the state of network television news. You can hear that clip by clicking here.
Ed Robertson
Co-Host, TV CONFIDENTIAL
Mon thru Sun, 10pm ET, 7pm PT Shokus Internet Radio
Every other Tue, 10pm ET, 7pm PT Share-a-Vision Radio
www.edrobertson.com
www.tvconfidential.net
blog.tvconfidential.net
This entry was posted on July 17, 2009 at 8:10 pm and is filed under Articles, Commentary, Television, news.
Tags: television history, tv commentary, cbs, Television, Broadcast television, broadcast pioneers, television news, Obituaries, and that's the way it is, CBS Evening News, kennedy assassination, television journalism, television news anchors, Walter Cronkite, most trusted man in america, Dan Rather