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Cronkite Says It's Time To Leave Iraq...But, Is Anybody Listening?
January 17, 2006

On Sunday, Walter Cronkite said it was time for the U.S. to leave Iraq...that the war wasn't winnable and the costs were much too great. These statements echo the comments he made during the Vietnam War when, in 1968, he stated that the war was lost and called for U.S. troops to come home. In a famous quote, President Lyndon Johnson declared that "If I have lost Cronkite, I have lost Middle America."

As interesting and impactful as Cronkite's words are about Iraq, they pale in comparison to the impact "the most trusted man in America" had on public opinion in 1968. In his heyday, Cronkite could move public opinion in a single word. He was the definitive voice of trust and was the leader of a mainstream media that carried unquestionable influence and power.

When I hear his comments today, it strikes me that there is no better example of how materially the media has changed since the 1960's. Today, no one person and no single television network newscast own the hearts and minds of the American public. Cronkite's words and the parallels to the power of his 1968 comments clearly illustrate how diffused and muddled the media has become since that time. Today, it's more likely that public opinion will be shaped by a group of unknown bloggers, Internet coverage, and 24 Hour Cable News than a talking head on ABC, NBC or CBS. While network news still has an important place in informing and influencing opinion, they are now but one piece of the puzzle. Today, public opinion is more likely to be shaped by a person's favorite ideologically attuned media outlet or by "group reporting," where scores of media chase each others' stories, than by a singular and powerful voice.

Today we are left to sort through competing viewpoints and the political agendas of hundreds of citizen and mainstream journalists...that's not necessarily a bad thing. While the era of the all powerful news anchor and network television is long gone, Cronkite's recent remarks remind me about what was comforting about the trust we had in him and his peers.

Posted by Michael Kempner at January 17, 2006 10:00 AM