Katie Couric Absurdly Declares: Walter Cronkite Had an ‘Unswerving Commitment’ to Objectivity

In the December 4, 2009 edition of Entertainment Weekly, CBS’s Katie Couric bizarrely asserted that the late Walter Cronkite possessed an "unwavering commitment to reporting the news accurately, fairly, and responsibly." In the brief tribute, she also repeated, "Walter Cronkite once said, ‘Objective journalism and an opinion column are about as similar as the Bible and Playboy.’"

In reality, Cronkite thought of himself as a liberal and often defended the left-wing tilt of journalists. On the September 11, 1995 edition of Larry King Live, he spun, "I define liberal as a person who is not doctrinaire...That's opposed to 'liberal' as part of the political spectrum....open to change, constantly, not committed to any particular creed or doctrine, or whatnot, and in that respect I think that news people should be liberal."

On the Discovery Channel documentary Cronkite Remembers, which aired May 23, 1996, the journalist said of Ronald Reagan, "I don't think he brought very much to the presidency, except charisma and success." And yet in her EW appreciation piece, Couric gushed, "...[Cronkite] would likely call on those of us who are carrying on his torch to see the power and potential of all the new tools of our trade, but never lose sight of the primary objective: a search for the truth."

Another example of Cronkite expressing his opinion: Denouncing the Vietnam War on February 27, 1968. Couric mentioned this example of subjectivity as the host having "a tremendous impact."

So, it’s odd that Couric credulously recounted, "His children told me at his memorial service that he didn't even share his opinions with them, lest he put them in a compromising position at some point."

It should also be noted that Couric’s comment about the Bible and Playboy isn’t the first time she’s used that line. On October 8. 2009, she received the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in journalism and repeated it there.

See the MRC’s Profile in Bias for more on Cronkite.

This brief article is not on Entertainment Weekly’s website, but a transcript can be found below.

Katie Couric on the Most Trusted Name in News: Walter Cronkite

Walter Cronkite once said, ‘Objective journalism and an opinion column are about as similar as the Bible and Playboy.’ That wry sense of humor was classic Cronkite. But beneath the witty comparison, there’s evidence of his unwavering commitment to reporting the news accurately, fairly, and responsibly. His children told me at his memorial service that he didn’t even share his opinions with them, lest he put them in a compromising position at some point. An on the rare occasions he did express his opinions, as he did when he spoke out against the Vietnam War or explained the intricacies of Watergate, they had a tremendous impact. It’s easy to look aback on his time in the anchor chair as the halcyon days of broadcast news, but I’m not sure that’s how Walter would see it. Undoubtedly, the proliferation of opinion shows on cable and online would give him pause, but Walter was never one to dwell on ‘the good old days.’ Instead, he would likely call on those of us who are carrying on his torch to see the power and potential of all the new tools of our trade, but never lose sight of the primary objective: a search for the truth.

Cronkite died of cerebrovascular disease in NYC.