Questions, Answers and

Will is thirsty for knowledge, and consequently, asks a lot of questions. Since I am currently blessed to dine with him every Sunday, I need to have a lot of answers. Some I can provide easily; others take some research, and he is comfortable with that.

When I don't have immediate knowledge of the subject, I promise I will try to have it the next week when he visits. I also find I am learning as much, if not more, from his curiosity than he does.

Recently, he questioned why Walter Cronkite was held in such high esteem for such a long period of time. I had to think about that and while I was pondering on my reply, he continued and asked if the celebrity was solely due to Cronkite's announcement of JFK's death.

I found that simple to answer and said, No, it was an important moment in his career, but his long standing reputation went beyond that. Then I remembered some of the years when America listened nightly to "And that's the way it is,' as he signed off.

Walter Cronkite was a household word because he was a journalist. When the dial or remote was set to watch his CBS news broadcast, we expected just that, news. And that is precisely what he provided his viewers. Not an interpretation nor an entertaining viewpoint of the day, but all the available details of what had occurred in the world's theater. His reputation was based on integrity, fairness and level-headness.

Cronkite wasn't the only newsman who achieved that during his era of fame. There were several others with the same reputation for integrity and journalistic ability including some women. Carole Simpson, Connie Chung, Mary Alice Williams and Judy Woodruff come to mind.

As I discussed it with Will, I realized the difference in today's reporting. Current newscasts verge on entertainment lacing each story with more than opinion, but seeds of trivia as well as personal viewpoints. The current era of the round table surrounded with an equal amount of both sexes, all handsome and beautiful, seems to invite the viewer into a party-like atmosphere. The inference is inclusion into a privileged group with the anticipation that the viewing guests will happily agree with each and every opinion or pronouncement.

The reportage of the news is secondary, and somehow the media honchos have come to believe the viewing public no longer wants the boredom of the Cronkite era.

How unfortunate that the reality of journalism has been superseded by a cloak of entertaining mundane chatter. When I discussed Walter Cronkite's newscasts with Will, I mentioned there were women journalists also with fine reputations. I don't recall any of these female pioneers appearing with Manolo Blahnik heels on their beautifully crossed feet as they reported on the world and its frightening problems. There was no visible cleavage to distract the viewers from the validity of their stories nor did they have long golden tresses reminiscent of the storybook princess in the tale of Rumplestiltskin.

The successful journalistic achievement of Walter Cronkite and his peers was due to reporting a story clearly, honestly and without prejudice. The newsmen and women were respected simply for that reason, not because of political connections or family relationships. They are remembered today simply because they were excellent reporters, and that is how I answered Will's question. Then I added, I believe the audience learned a great deal when they listened to their newscasts, but I am not certain if that still happens today.