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Walter Cronkite
A renowned American newscaster from the 1960s whose critical reporting on the Vietnam War is cited as the historical precedent for the current shift in narrative around the Ukraine War.
First Mentioned
1/11/2026, 5:29:58 AM
Last Updated
1/11/2026, 5:40:39 AM
Research Retrieved
1/11/2026, 5:40:39 AM
Summary
Walter Cronkite was a preeminent American broadcast journalist and the long-time anchor of the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, widely regarded as "the most trusted man in America." His career spanned over four decades, during which he reported on era-defining events including World War II, the Nuremberg trials, the Vietnam War, and the Apollo 11 Moon landing. He is particularly remembered for his emotional announcement of President John F. Kennedy's assassination and his influential 1968 commentary on the Vietnam War, which shifted public perception and created the "Cronkite Moment" archetype—a term recently applied to the shifting narrative of the Ukraine War. Beyond his news desk, Cronkite was a passionate advocate for the U.S. space program and remains the only non-NASA recipient of the Ambassador of Exploration award.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
Born
1916-11-04
Died
2009-07-17
Awards
Presidential Medal of Freedom, 2 Peabody Awards, 1 George Polk Award, 1 Emmy Award
Education
University of Texas at Austin
Full Name
Walter Leland Cronkite Jr.
Age at Death
92 years
Place of Birth
St. Joseph, Missouri, United States
Place of Death
New York City, New York, United States
Famous Sign-off
And that's the way it is
Primary Employer
CBS News
Tenure as Anchor
19 years (1962-1981)
Timeline
- Walter Cronkite is born in St. Joseph, Missouri. (Source: Wikidata)
1916-11-04
- Cronkite begins his professional reporting career. (Source: Wikipedia)
1937-01-01
- Cronkite begins covering the Nuremberg trials following World War II. (Source: Web search results)
1945-11-20
- Cronkite succeeds Douglas Edwards as the anchor of the CBS Evening News. (Source: Web search results)
1962-04-16
- Cronkite announces the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to the American public. (Source: Wikipedia)
1963-11-22
- Cronkite delivers a highly influential editorial on the Vietnam War, suggesting the conflict is mired in stalemate. (Source: Web search results)
1968-02-27
- Cronkite provides extensive live coverage of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. (Source: Wikipedia)
1969-07-20
- Cronkite retires from his role as anchor of the CBS Evening News. (Source: Web search results)
1981-03-06
- Cronkite publishes his autobiography, 'A Reporter's Life'. (Source: Wikipedia)
1996-01-01
- Walter Cronkite dies of cerebrovascular disease in New York City. (Source: Wikidata)
2009-07-17
Wikipedia
View on WikipediaWalter Cronkite
Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll. Cronkite received numerous honors including two Peabody Awards, a George Polk Award, an Emmy Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Cronkite reported many events from 1937 to 1981, including bombings in World War II; the Nuremberg trials; combat in the Vietnam War; the Dawson's Field hijackings; Watergate; the Iran Hostage Crisis; and the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr., and Beatles musician John Lennon. He was also known for his extensive coverage of the American space program, from Project Mercury to the Moon landings to the Space Shuttle. He was the only non-NASA recipient of an Ambassador of Exploration award. Cronkite is known for his departing catchphrase, "And that's the way it is", followed by the date of the broadcast.
Web Search Results
- Walter Cronkite - Wikipedia
Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll. Cronkite received numerous honors including two Peabody Awards, a George Polk Award, an Emmy Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. [...] 52. ^ Cronkite, Walter (1996). A Reporter's Life (1st ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 256. ISBN "ISBN (identifier)") 978-0-394-57879-8. 53. ^ Risen, Clay (April 2008). "The Unmaking of the President". smithsonianmag.com. 54. ^ "Behind L.B.J.'s Decision Not to Run in '68". The New York Times. April 16, 1988. 55. ^ a b c d e f g Cronkite, Walter (July 18, 2009). "From The Archives: Cronkite, Live Via Satellite". NPR. Retrieved July 23, 2009. 56. ^ Cronkite, Walter (July 23, 2002). "The Day the World Got Smaller". NPR All Things Considered (full audio segment). Retrieved July 23, 2009. 57. ^ Lewis, Martin (July 19, 2009). "Tweet The Beatles! How Walter Cronkite Sent The Beatles Viral... in 1963!". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 7, 2010. [...] 24. ^ Auster, Albert (2008). "Cronkite, Walter U.S. Broadcast Journalist". The Museum of Broadcast Communications (museum.tv). Archived from the original on March 25, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2009. 25. ^ Ferguson, Billy G. (2003). Unipress: United Press International covering the 20th century. Fulcrum Publications. p. 141. ISBN "ISBN (identifier)") 9781555914813. Retrieved August 5, 2012. 26. ^ Cronkite, Walter (February 20, 2006), Listening In On the Nuremberg Trials, National Public Radio, retrieved August 2, 2012 27. ^ Erlich, Reese. "Walter Cronkite Remembers". The Russia Project. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2012. 28. ^ Brinkley, pp. 320–321.
- Walter Cronkite | Research Starters - EBSCO
Cronkite became the anchor of the CBS Evening News in 1962, a program that ran until 1981 and became a trusted source for national and world news. His coverage of significant events such as the Vietnam War, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the Apollo 11 Moon landing earned him the nickname "Uncle Walter" and solidified his reputation for honesty and integrity in journalism. Not only did he report the news, but he also engaged in historical documentaries and authored several books reflecting on his experiences and insights. [...] Research Starters Home EBSCO Knowledge Advantage TM # Walter Cronkite Walter Cronkite was a prominent American journalist and television news anchor, widely recognized for his influential role in shaping broadcast journalism during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, and raised in Houston, Texas, Cronkite developed his passion for journalism while working on school newspapers. He began his professional career in the 1930s, gaining substantial experience as a war correspondent during World War II, where he reported from various theaters of war. [...] Cronkite also narrated the historical documentary television series You Are There (1953-1957), Twentieth Century (1957-1967), and Eyewitness to History (1961-1962). As anchor of the CBS Evening News in 1962, Cronkite competed with the NBC team of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, but by the late 1960’s he surpassed them in television ratings and viewer numbers. He had become an icon with a reputation for truthfulness and honesty, came to be known as Uncle Walter, and ended each evening’s program with the now-iconic phrase “and that’s the way it is.” His calm, firm, and assured baritone voice informed his viewers of national and world news.
- Walter Cronkite | Biography, Career & Sign Off - Study.com
Cronkite's retirement years were spent working on periodic documentaries, news specials, speaking engagements, and sailing. During his career, he was awarded numerous Emmy Awards and a Peabody for Radio and Television. He was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame and was named NASA's Ambassador of Exploration Award. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given to a U.S. civilian. When did Walter Cronkite die? Cronkite died of cerebrovascular disease on July 17, 2009, at the age of 92. Throughout Cronkite's long journalism career, two of his most important moments were his coverage of Vietnam in 1968 and his announcement to the nation that President Kennedy had been assassinated. [...] Walter Cronkite was an American journalist and television broadcaster. He was best known for anchoring the CBS evening news. Image 4: Colored photo of a man in a suit facing camera ### Early Life and Education Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, on November 4, 1916. He was the son of Walter Cronkite, Sr., a dentist, and Helen Fritsche Cronkite. He spent the first ten years of his life in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1927, his family moved to Houston, Texas. Cronkite attended Sidney Lanier Middle School, where he worked on the school newspaper. He also had a job delivering newspapers for the Houston Post. Cronkite was active in his community as a Boy Scout and competed in various athletic sports. [...] Cronkite spent most of his career with CBS news, anchoring the Evening News for nineteen years. It was here that he coined his sign-off, "and that's the way it is" at the end of each nightly broadcast. Walter Cronkite's coverage of Vietnam, President Kennedy's assassination, Watergate, and the first American moon landing marked the highlights of his long career. Cronkite died in 2009 at the age of 92. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Create your account Frequently Asked Questions #### What was Walter Cronkite's famous line? Walter Cronkite's famous sign off line was "And that's the way it is." For nineteen years, Cronkite anchored the CBS evening news and used this sign off at the conclusion of each evening television broadcast.
- Walter Cronkite | Biography, Facts, & Views on Vietnam War
Top Questions Who was Walter Cronkite? What was Walter Cronkite known for? Which television news program did Walter Cronkite anchor? Why did people trust Walter Cronkite as a news reporter? What major historical events did Walter Cronkite report on? How did Walter Cronkite influence American journalism? Walter Cronkite (born November 4, 1916, St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S.—died July 17, 2009, New York, New York) was an American journalist and pioneer of television news programming who became known as “the most trusted man in America.” He was the longtime anchor of the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite (1962–81), for which he reported on many of the most historic events of the latter half of the 20th century. [...] Although he resigned from the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite in 1981 after 19 years as the show’s anchor, he remained active in television. He hosted numerous documentaries for the Public Broadcasting Service and for various cable television networks; among these programs was Cronkite Remembers (1997), a miniseries chronicling the historic occasions on which he had reported. He also contributed essays to National Public Radio’s All Things Considered and occasionally served as a special correspondent for CBS. Cronkite published his autobiography, A Reporter’s Life, in 1996. Quick Facts In full: : Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. Born: : November 4, 1916, St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S. Died: : July 17, 2009, New York, New York (aged 92) See all related content [...] In 1962 Cronkite attained the position he would become most famous for: anchorman of the CBS Evening News. Soon after Cronkite took over from his predecessor Douglas Edwards, the then 15-minute broadcast was expanded to 30 minutes, making it the first half-hour nightly news show on American network television. From the anchor chair of the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, he reported on the most traumatic and triumphant moments of American life in the 1960s, from the assassination of U.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy in 1963 to the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969. The influence of Cronkite’s reporting is perhaps best illustrated by his commentary on the Vietnam War. In 1968 he left the anchor desk to report from Vietnam on the aftermath of the Tet Offensive. Upon his return Cronkite departed
- Television in America: An Autobiography - Walter Cronkite - YouTube
>>>I'M STEVEN SCHEUER WELCOMING YOU TO ANOTHER IN OUR SERIES OF ORAL HISTORY WHERE WE'RE FORTUNATE TO INTERVIEW THOSE PERSONS WHO HAVE HELPED SHAPED THE STYLE AND SUBSTANCE OF TELEVISION AND OUR MAJOR MEDIA TODAY. >> OUR GUEST TODAY IS NOT ONLY ESTABLISHED TENNANTS OF RESPONSIBLE AN ENTERPRISING BROADCAST JOURNALISM, BUT HAS ENHANCED EVERY BROADCAST THROUGHOUT HIS LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER AT CBS NEWS. AS ANCHOR, MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT. WHO ELSE WOULD EARN THE TITLE THE MOST TRUSTED MAN IN AMERICA BUT OUR GUEST TODAY, WALTER CRONKITE. WALTER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY IN THIS SAD TIME IN AMERICA, WE'RE TALKING NEW YORK CITY, ON OCTOBER 15th, ON A MONDAY, OCTOBER 15th, 2001. AND I WILL TRY TO COVER AS MUCH OF YOUR ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS I CAN IN THIS BRIEF TIME, BUT [...] # Television in America: An Autobiography - Walter Cronkite ## CUNY TV 71500 subscribers 435 likes ### Description 40688 views Posted: 23 Sep 2016 Host Steven Scheuer interviews television anchor and broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America," about his time as a journalist with United Press during World War II, his career at CBS News, and the impact war can have on freedom of the press. (Taped: 08/27/2002) [...] THERE MUST BE MILITARY SECRECY AND SECURITY AND THE PRESS MUST RECOGNIZE THAT AND RESPOND TO IT.
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Date Of Birth
11/4/1916Date Of Death
7/17/2009Place Of Birth
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DBPedia
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Location Data
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, 555, North Central Avenue, Central City, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, 85003, United States
Coordinates: 33.4538487, -112.0732130
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