Comments on: Tear down that pedestal http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/26/tear-down-that-pedestal/ by Jeff Jarvis Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:57:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Jimmy http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/26/tear-down-that-pedestal/#comment-97524 Jimmy Thu, 27 Jul 2006 18:04:20 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/26/tear-down-that-pedestal/#comment-97524 I guess I'm trying to figure out what is so bad about Walter Cronkite, both as a journalist and his role in news history. Ms. Stanley begrudges Mr. Cronkite his opinion of the Vietnam War or whatever, yet on this site we're always hearing how that's a good thing. Why is it bad that Cronkite did it 30 years ago? When most people see the line "and thank Heaven for that," they'll be reacting through the lense of supposed bias: Cronkite was a Kennedy liberal who spoke out against the Vietnam War. Is that any different than the myriad of "news" professionals who speak out in support of the Iraq War, especially on Fox? If there is, I don't see it. As anchors go, and they are a dying breed (and I'm fine with that), Cronkite was one of the best. You should be able to at least acknowledge that. Disagreeing with him, or being glad there is no one like him today, shouldn't keep you from acknowledging that fact. I agree that we're better off now that we have a greater number of news sources. I hate Fox News, so I don't watch it, but that doesn't mean I can't get out there and find both sides of the issue. Does that mean news is necessarily better? I don't think so. Far to much of what we find out there is crap. I also disagree that news watchers don't want opinion, or for their news anchors to share that opinion. Hell, that happens every day on Fox News and The Daily Show. People love it! Otherwise, those shows wouldn't be successful. I have much more respect for anchors when they express their own beliefs than I do for those who hide behind objectivity. Of course, an anchor like Cronkite wouldn't survive today because the Right Wing machine and Corporate fear would drive him off the airwaves. Corporate owned news likes pretty boys and girls who don't share their real opinion. That's boring. I guess I’m trying to figure out what is so bad about Walter Cronkite, both as a journalist and his role in news history. Ms. Stanley begrudges Mr. Cronkite his opinion of the Vietnam War or whatever, yet on this site we’re always hearing how that’s a good thing. Why is it bad that Cronkite did it 30 years ago? When most people see the line “and thank Heaven for that,” they’ll be reacting through the lense of supposed bias: Cronkite was a Kennedy liberal who spoke out against the Vietnam War. Is that any different than the myriad of “news” professionals who speak out in support of the Iraq War, especially on Fox? If there is, I don’t see it. As anchors go, and they are a dying breed (and I’m fine with that), Cronkite was one of the best. You should be able to at least acknowledge that. Disagreeing with him, or being glad there is no one like him today, shouldn’t keep you from acknowledging that fact. I agree that we’re better off now that we have a greater number of news sources. I hate Fox News, so I don’t watch it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get out there and find both sides of the issue. Does that mean news is necessarily better? I don’t think so. Far to much of what we find out there is crap. I also disagree that news watchers don’t want opinion, or for their news anchors to share that opinion. Hell, that happens every day on Fox News and The Daily Show. People love it! Otherwise, those shows wouldn’t be successful. I have much more respect for anchors when they express their own beliefs than I do for those who hide behind objectivity. Of course, an anchor like Cronkite wouldn’t survive today because the Right Wing machine and Corporate fear would drive him off the airwaves. Corporate owned news likes pretty boys and girls who don’t share their real opinion. That’s boring.

]]> By: Mark http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/26/tear-down-that-pedestal/#comment-97289 Mark Thu, 27 Jul 2006 03:31:06 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/26/tear-down-that-pedestal/#comment-97289 <i>And thank heaven for that.</i> Amen. And thank heaven for that.

Amen.

]]>