News anchor Walter Cronkite dies

[airboatr]

I'm sure ya'll in the UK (and elsewhere) heard of Walter,
I don't think nightly news was the same when he left CBS in the early 80's ...........for me anyway

and thats the way it is July 17, 2008

[John]

Didn't he do ll the reports on Apollo 11?

Kind regards

John

[Garry Russell]

Ive heard the name but don't really know him......I wouldn't recognise him in a pic for example

But I know he was a US great in the media

RIP Walter

Garry

[DispatchDragon]

Amongst his accomplishments was reporting from Omaha beach on Dday+1 --- sad to hear of his passing -- funnily enough Stace and Tag visited Cronkites Fathers office (where young Walter learned his craft) in St Joesph Missouri.


Leif

[nigelb]

Cronkite probably was the best American TV anchor ever. He was responsible for extending the CBS Nightly News on this side of the pond from 15 minutes to a half hour. Out of character, he offered his opinion of the Viet Nam war one night after an extensive visit. Johnson reportedly told aides "If we have lost Cronkite, we have lost middle America." Johnson did not run for re-election after that. He certainly covered all the major historical events - The JFK, RFK & MLK assasinations, the tumultuous Democratic Convention in 1968, the moon landing, Watergate and on and on. A poll showed him to be the most trusted man in America and he was fondly called "uncle Walter" by his audience and his co-workers.

The network newscasts in the US have gone down hill since he left the Nightly News on March 6th, 1981. Too much froth, entertainment, sound bites and little in-depth coverage of news. Only cursory coverage of international news except where it directly effects the US. That is why I now watch BBC World News.

Nigel²

[Paul K]

Never watched him 'live' but very aware of the man and his reputation. I've seen the recording of him announcing the death of JFK; it just the right mixture of dispassionate news reporting and gravitas for the significance of the moment. One of the 'old school'.

RIP Walter