losing a great voice

on july 17th, 2009, a new name was added to an already long 2009 obituary list.  walter cronkite, was one of the best journalists this world has ever seen.  a man at times who resembled grandpa munster, he had a voice that you just trusted.  he could be reading a dictionary and he would have your engrossed to every word he was saying.  in a day when color was a luxury on television and titles were a scarcity it relied heavily on the abilities of the anchor to tell the story.  and tell it he did.  though i do not have many memories of the man, he retired from cbs evening news in 1980, i still recall watching many clips of him on tv and just being mesmerised by his words.  it didn’t matter that i was too young to fully grasp what the man was saying, he had my attention, and as a kid anything that had my attention for longer than 3minutes was a good thing.

in a chair that has since housed dan rather and now katie couric, walter cronkite was a journalist who set an incredibly high standard of journalism and one that few will reach. some major events had transpired in his time at the news desk and though sometimes his emotions were apparent on air, it was obvious that he was always in control.

since he vacated the chair, journalism is longer just an anchor sitting at a desk give you the facts.  it is now dominated by constantly updated new computer technology,  graphics, music, sound effects and the occasional hologram.  but in his time, news was  just the news, and it was really given only by one man. i can only hope that future generations around the world, will know the greatness of this man.  walter cronkite, though you are gone, your voice still lives in our minds.  if i had even a smidge of the quality you possess, i think i would be pretty happy. “…and that’s the way it is.” cheers walter.

the following is his report on the death of president john f. kennedy after he was shot.

jonathan