And that's the way it is, RIP

[Scott Donley]

I must admit I have a hard time with all the post about MJ being an icon that this post has not shown up earlier. Walter Cronkite was a true ICON, from Kennedy, space flight, war, he was always there, and you could believe him. RIP Walter and thanks for being there every night.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Scott,

Well said! Whenever Walter reported on something you could take it to the bank.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I agree; very well said Scott! Walter Cronkite set the standard for broadcast news.

[Roger Newby]

As an aside he also hosted the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Concert every New Years Eve for several decades on PBS. A true master at every endeavor he undertook.

[Jim C Bradley]

What can I add...he was a fabulous news person and person

Jim

[John Thompson]

A man with integrity always commands my respect.. WC had integrity along with a great delivery on air.

[Frank Hagan]

I was surprised that my daughter, born in 1985, knew who he was. Cronkite signed off the air for the last time in 1981, so there's a generation of Americans who know him about as well as they know Edward R. Murrow or other historical broadcasters. During his 19 years of being at the anchor desk, he made a great impression on all of us (and before the advent of cable TV, he captured from 1/3 to 1/2 of the TV news viewing audience.)

Dan Rather chaired the anchor desk at CBS News for 25 years, 6 years longer than Cronkite. But I don't think any of us would say that Rather's impact was anything near what Cronkite's was.

Why the difference in coverage between Cronkite and Jackson? When a famous person lives to a ripe old age and passes, the news lasts a day or two. Half the population doesn't know who he is. When a relatively young star dies still within his prime, the impact is felt by many more people. Singers are associated with their songs, and people feel they have a "connection" with the person because of the "connection" with the song. Nearly everyone in the country "knew" Jackson.

For those of us who remember Cronkite from nightly news there is that kind of connection. Like Walt Disney, he was a visitor in our house. Because the years they "visited" us were during our youth, we remember them more vividly. Those remembering Jackson have those same kinds of memories, from the days when they danced to "Thriller" at about the age we were watching Cronkite cover the moon landing.

[Phyllis Meyer]

It wasn't after he was done with the CBS news that he expressed his political views. I have a lot of respect for him in that while he broadcasted the news, he did not show those views. He was fair and reported the news and didn't slant anything the way he wanted it to go...he just reported the news! Too bad the network news isn't like that today!

Sincerely,
Phyllis

[Jerome Hanby]

I didn't care for his professed politics after he retired, but that stuff didn't leak into his broadcasts and that makes him a class act. His handling of the Apollo missions puts him on the Mt Rushmore of Journalists in my book.