WALTER CRONKITE'S VISIT
By Mike Landers, The Blaze
November 9, 2003

Ambitious journalism students packed into Neeb Hall at Arizona State University to hear what the most trusted man in America had to say. Mike Landers has more.

      Walter Cronkite appeared before an applauding audience of journalism students and faculty. During Cronkite’s annual visit to campus, he participated in a question-and-answer session mediated by Professor Don Godfrey. The former CBS newsman used humor with the crowd as they attentively listened to a serious subject.

      Obviously, the first thing one would want to do upon graduation is to get a job. His message to striving students was to be persistent in attaining a position as a media professional. He advised students to be skeptical of their sources. "Of course, I would be glad to give you a statement. If they are so glad to give you a statement, the statement probably isn’t worth printing in the first place. It’s the controversial report that is going to make the news. Persistence counts. And that’s my tip of the day. I guess I can go home.

      Cronkite spoke about the technological advancements he has seen in the business. "They would have to be measured in the 100s of percent. It has been in every area of the technology of getting the news either on the air or in the newspaper.

      Although the mechanical functions of making news may have changed, Cronkite says the ethics of the business still remains the same. "Integrity, the basic principles of fairness, accuracy, of being sure both sides of the story or issue are told are possibly even a little more appreciated and enforced than they were before World War TWO."

      When he was asked about the least impressive aspect of contemporary journalism, Cronkite pointed to tabloid newspapers. "They are really a danger to our Democracy. They violate the rules OF libel and slander almost every day."

      Cronkite insisted television news needs to be interesting to gain an audience and not so much entertaining. Commercialization, he said, is diminishing the quality of newspapers because of the lack of competition between news organizations. "I think the lack of competing newspapers is very serious. After al,l if you don’t have something to compare your product with, it’s real hard to know your product is meeting the standards that you would like to set for it."

      His presence was popular, as always, and in the end, Cronkite found himself surrounded by students who eagerly awaited the opportunity to personally meet him.

—Mike Landers, The Blaze, 1260 AM