'See it Now' and McCarthy

NPR | By Walter Cronkite

Published March 9, 2004 at 12:00 AM EST

Commentator Walter Cronkite marks the 50th anniversary of a watershed event in television news. In 1954, Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series took on the tactics of Wisconsin Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who accused many in government and media of being Communist dupes. Cronkite says the pioneering broadcast by Murrow and his producer, Fred Friendly, helped pierce the bubble of McCarthy's demagoguery.

Walter Cronkite

Walter Cronkite has covered virtually every major news event during his more than 65 years in journalism - the last 54 affiliated with CBS News. He became a special correspondent for CBS News when he stepped down on March 6, 1981 after 19 years as anchorman and managing editor of the CBS Evening News. Affectionately nicknamed "Old Iron Pants" for his unflappability under pressure, Mr. Cronkite's accomplishments -- both on-air and off -- have won him acclaim and trust from journalism colleagues and the American public alike.