Perhaps if all the peoples of the world understand what war really means, we would eliminate it.
Walter CronkiteRead
When I stepped down from the evening news at the age of 65, in '81, things were still going well. Immediately after that, the whole tenor of the CBS News Department changed.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the changes in journalism and news reporting after a significant figure retires.
Walter Cronkite's quote highlights the impact of leadership in the news department, suggesting that his departure marked a turning point for CBS News. It underscores how the presence or absence of influential individuals can significantly shape the culture and direction of organizations, especially in journalism, where credibility and trust are paramount.
Themes
NewsJournalismChangeLeadershipMedia
In practice
Example use cases
During a panel discussion on the evolution of news reporting, one might reference Cronkite's quote to illustrate how leadership impacts media.
More from Walter Cronkite
All quotes →The death of Churchill at 90 was one of those watershed moments in which the obituary rises to a special calling beyond the sharing of remembered times. It gave an older generation a rare opportunity to explain something of itself to its children.
Walter CronkiteRead
I suppose popularity is measured by ratings. If a broadcaster is known as the leader because of ratings, then that's where people most want to be seen and heard, so there's no question that there's an advantage.
Walter CronkiteRead
Objective journalism and an opinion column are about as similar as the Bible and Playboy magazine.
Walter CronkiteRead
I feel no compulsion to be a pundit. As a matter of fact, I really don't have that much to say about most things. Working with hard news satisfies me completely.
Walter CronkiteRead
I think that our comfort is in our history.
Walter CronkiteRead
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