“This . . . is London.” With those trademark words, crackling over the airwaves from a city in the midst of blitzkrieg, Edward R. Murrow began a journalistic career that has had no equal. From the opening days of World War II through his death in 1965, Murrow had an unparalleled influence on broadcast journalism. His voice was universally recognized, and a generation of radio and television newsmen emulated his style. Murrow’s pioneering television documentaries have more than once been credited with changing history, and to this day his name is synonymous with courage and perseverance in the search for truth.
In 1937, Edward R. Murrow was sent by CBS to set up a network of correspondents to report on the gathering storm in Europe. He assembled a group of young reporters whose names soon became household words in wartime America, among whom were William Shirer, Charles Collingwood, Bill Shael, and Howard K. Smith. The group, which came to be known collectively as “Murrow’s Boys,” reported the whole of World War II from the front lines with a courage and loyalty inspired by Murrow’s own fearlessness. During the war Murrow flew in more than twenty bombing missions over Berlin, and along with Bill Shadel was the first Allied correspondent to report the horrors from the Nazi death camps.
Returning to America after the war, Murrow was surprised to find that his overseas reports had made him a star at home. With the advent of television, Murrow was approached to host a weekly program. Along with his associate, Fred Friendly, Murrow had been producing a popular radio show, Hear It Now. The television show was to be called See It Now. Joe Wershba, a reporter who worked closely with Murrow, remembers, “Neither of them knew anything about film making or television. All they knew was they wanted to do stories. Important stories.” Television was in its infancy and Murrow and Friendly had to learn the process of filmmaking and the primitive television equipment on the job.
Murrow’s love of common America led him to seek out stories of ordinary people. He presented their stories in such a way that they often became powerful commentaries on political or social issues. See It Now consistently broke new ground in the burgeoning field of television journalism. In 1953, Murrow made the decision to investigate the case of Milo Radulovich. Radulovich had been discharged from the Air Force on the grounds that his mother and sister were communist sympathizers. The program outlined the elements of the case, casting doubt on the Air Force’s decision, and within a short while, Milo Radulovich had been reinstated. This one edition of See It Now marked a change in the face of American journalism and a new age in American politics.
Soon after the Milo Radulovich program aired, it was learned that Senator Joseph McCarthy was preparing an attack on Murrow. As it happened, Murrow himself had been collecting material about McCarthy and his Senate Investigating Committee for several years, and he began assembling the program. Broadcast on March 9, 1954, the program, composed almost entirely of McCarthy’s own words and pictures, was a damning portrait of a fanatic. McCarthy demanded a chance to respond, but his rebuttal, in which he referred to Murrow as “the leader of the jackal pack,” only sealed his fate. The combination of the program’s timing and its persuasive power broke the Senator’s hold over the nation. The entire fiasco, however, caused a rift with CBS, and they decided to discontinue See It Now.
By 1961 tensions had become irreparable between Murrow and CBS and he accepted an appointment from President Kennedy as the head of the United States Information Agency. He was only to have the job for three years before being diagnosed with lung cancer. In 1964 Murrow was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and in 1965 died on his farm in New York. Perhaps more than any reporter before or since, Murrow captured the trust and belief of a nation and returned that trust with honesty and courage. His belief in journalism as an active part of the political process and a necessary tool within democracy has forever altered the politics and everyday life of the American people.
(29 votes)
Loading ...
I just got through seeing the movie “Good Night, and Good Luck” starring David Strathaim of “There Will Be Blood” as Edward Murrow, and, it was a riveting reminder that freedom is a state of mind and consciousness. Senator Joseph McCarthy was the quintessential poster-boy serving as an ignominious historical reminder that we risk losing our freedom by over zealously trying to protect it.
Very Very Cool. I want to see it again and again.
I have always felt a common affinity to Mr. Murrow. Honesty requires courage; what a wonderful world this could be if everyone had that courage. I recently jotted off a bit to our local news station, in order to begin a quest for truth. How I wish Mr. Murrow were here now, to embody that courageousness, to set an example for us all.
Murrow’s report from Buchenwald was amazing.
hey i am sorry i didnt realize that you could post a comment well what i said on the feedback thingy is what i am saying now as well except im not saying it?
Mr Murrow interviewed both Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer. Are those interviews available for public ?
korosh101@canada.com
this is a help full site for my research but i need more information about edward r murrow so if anyone knows more about him comment please or up date this website
do you want to know how i got these scars…
Good Night, and Good Luck is an incredible film and Ed Murrow was an incredible man who stood by his convictions. He dared to take on Joseph McCarthy and exposed the Senator as both a bully of the highest order and someone who revelled in his own ego.
ed morrow was indeed a crusader for all that was wrong on the mccarthy era and many other issues
he be a beast and i r lovez him
I spent a week enjoying Murrow’s company in 1957 in Glacier Park, Montana, where Murrow had come to fish and relax. every afternoon, after his day of trout fishing he came by the Great Northern office (where I was a summer passenger agent) knocked on the door and said, Come on, the bar’s open.” We talked of many things, but mostly of radio and TV because that is where I was headed. He went so far as to suggest I give rock and roll a serious look because, “That’s where it’s all headed in radio.” I took his advice, and eventually landed at a major Chicago rock and roll station. My last visit with Murrow was at the Republican convention that nominated Richard Nixon the first time. Even then it was obvious he was a sick man. He admitted that the “smokes have done me in.” Later, I moved into television in news and interview and magazine formats. There was not a day I did not silently say thanks to Murrow for advice and suggestions, and frequent encouragement via notes and cards. He cannot be equaled in his talents and his creations. He gave the US – no, – the world – THE way to do broadcast news properly and honestly. Toward the end Murrow told me that TV newscasts, “especially the local versions would become circuses, with a lot of talking heads and people making idiots of themselves while broadcasting news. More entertainment than enlightenment,” he said. Oh, how true, how true! I once asked a fellow TV reporter what she thought of Edward R Murrow as a ‘pioneer for all of us.” He answer” “Who?”
Good Night, and good luck!
R.S. Hale
Saw the movie “Goodnight and good luck” last night on aussie tv,profoundly moving- felt compelled to find out more about the bloke. Will we ever see journalism of that calibre again? Given the shackles of corporatised media, me thinks not. Good job George.
Just finished watching “Good Night & Good Luck”. Absorbing, unmissable.
A reference was made to an interview with Robert Oppenheimer the atomic bomb scientist, but I cant find the interview anywhere on the web.
Anyone help? email me <>
A Hart, Bolton, England
Certainly Mr. Murrow was bold, spoke with authority, and with a clear speaking style. I believe America trusted Mr. Murrow because he seemed, himself, to believe his reports were the truth as he knew it.
This….is London is NOT correct.
Murrow’s speech teacher, Ida Lou Anderson came up with the line that made Murrow famous. It is, correctly,
“THIS is London”
I was lucky enough to catch this film on British TV recently.
I had never heard of the man, but what an incredibly wonderful and honest guy he was.
I found the film rivetting and very educational. I believr George Clooney directed and financed the making of the film and thank goodness he did. Murray made a very profound speach toward the end of his career, in which he clearly understood the power that TV could have in education and bringing communities together. Alas, he also knew that it was very unlikely it would ever be used for such a good purpose!
He warned that if ever we allowed TV to be financed through advertisers, THEY would eventually dictate the rules of the game and the World would never be the same. How completely true he was and how well he understood ‘the game’ after only a few short years.
No one has mentioned the sheer brilliance of combining that amazing jazz singer Diana? and the songs which fitted so perfectly with the story and events as they occured. A truly important historical story, wonderfully told.
my TV Productions class had to watch “Good Night and Good Luck” and it was amazing
now im doing a project on him and im leaning so much about him and i have so much gratatude towards him becuase could you imagin what it would be like if he didnt do “See It Now”?
I just watched “Good Night and Good Luck”. Too bad we don’t just report the news now in 2010. But that would take courage, truth, and honesty.
is he still alive?
Senator Joe McCarthy was a hero to many Americans, and a true patriot. The left wing, and Communist sympathizers feared the man who was exposing the hundreds of writers, actors, journalists, and politicians who were following the Communist party line. Mr. Morrow a influential left wing Socialist was in the forefront of the movement determined to stop McCarthy from spreading the truth about their Communist agenda, many anti-American Hollywood insiders found willing accomplices in the budding liberal media. These propaganda -mongers added a new word to the dictionary, defining “McCarthyism” as a senseless political witch hunt. In fact, McCarthy had exposed scores of known communists in the capital without a single known false accusation. Edward R Murrow however was never looking for the truth, he was out to destroy a man who many liberals called a showboat who wanted them prosecuted and jailed as traitors.. The leftist counter-offensive against McCarthy took its toll, and after the the U.S. Senate censured the communist hunter, and the liberal media launched baseless attacks against his character. Following his censure, McCarthy sunk into alcoholism from which he never recovered. McCarthy died of hepatitis at age 49. Hepatitis was the medical reason, but his friends and reporters knew he had drank himself to death. Morrow was no longer welcomed at CBS, and President Paley had the leftwing liberal fired.
Morrow had a agenda, to destroy Sen. Joe McCarthy , McCarthy was a patriot, but was up against powerful forces that eventually destroyed, a great American, and hero.
No, he died of lung cancer in 1965
Morrow was a great man, but played dirty against McCarthy
No one seems disturbed, at all, that Murrow seems to have had more of a penchant for putting down those who oppose and expose Communists in our society, than he does for exposing those who are Communists.
H-m-m-m, Wonder why that was, and why no one on this post seems concerned about it? Could it be that those who posted here are graduates of schools here in USA and elsewhere — that have adopted the pro-communist education agenda recommended by the open – Communist Saul Alinsky, in his book: “Rules for Radicals”, which teach that communism, socialism, and Marxism are good and the U.S. is bad ?
His counsel was to slowly and quietly infiltrate all aspects of government, media and education (including writing of textbooks), and give the appearance of being “good Americans”, yet planning and plotting to takeover and destroy the only nation that represents a real threat to their agenda to rule the world, and subject the people to their dictatorial form of government — just as they ruthlessly did in the Soviet Union (which you may have difficulty finding in our “socialized, progressive textbooks required for our students today).
If you want to know the truth about history, read “A Patriot’s History of the United States”. Find the old movie “Dr. Zhivago” and view how terribly the communists treat those they enslave with their bloody and ruthless rule. You’ll wish there were some McCarthys around now, when you know the truth. The truth has been buried and hidden as they have carried out their slow evolution of the U.S. into communism.