Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism

by Bob Edwards

Book Overview

"Get it, read it, and pass it on." -Bill Moyers

"Most Americans living today never heard Ed Murrow in a live broadcast. This book is for them I want them to know that broadcast journalism was established by someone with the highest standards. Tabloid crime stories, so much a part of the lust for ratings by today's news broadcasters, held no interest for Murrow. He did like Hollywood celebrities, but interviewed them for his entertainment...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471477532
• ISBN13: 9780471477532
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Wiley (TP)
• Length: 174 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

10 stars

What a timely book, what with CBS mired in a controversy that seems connected with wanting to make news rather than report news. Murrow was simply the best at reporting the news and in informing the reader and viewer of problems which in turn empowered the viewer to be more of a participant in their government, community and world. This is such a great book if only because it speaks to the value of honesty, integrity and ethics. Three elements missing in today's network 'news' that seems geared more to ratings and money than public service via the public air waves. Bob Edwards was such a favorite of mine when he was on NPR which alas seems to be wanting to follow the failed path of the three alphabet networks. Edwards is a rare breed because like Murrow and even Cronkite he came across as trusting the listener to use their own brain to think and reason, rather than in need of a substituted brain on half power. Shy 200 pages I do wish it had been another hundred pages longer. Also read World War II on the Air: Edward R. Murrow and the Broadcasts That Riveted a Nation. Suggest that the powers that be at CBS also read these two books.

The Birth of Broadcast Journalism

Edward R. Murrow is to broadcasting news just as Red Barber is to broadcasting baseball. The book is at once a brief history of a new and quicker way of delivering news to people during a critical time in the world's history in addition to profiles of other Murrow Boys such as Howard K. Smith, Richard C. Hottelet, William Shirer, Eric Sevareid, Charles Collingwood, and other members who reported on World War II. Murrow's vivid descriptions of The Battle of Britian during August and September of 1940, and the Buchenwald death camp in 1945 showcase him for what he is, a reporter. Murrow and Bill Shirer had a falling out which Murrow later wanted to patch up, but Shirer would change the subject. Shirer felt Murrow was jealous that his book The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich outsold Murrow's This Is London, while Murrow felt Shirer had grown complacent in his broadcasts. CBS boss William Paley released Shirer from employment. It's sad that two Giants who reported on World War II had this unfortunate falling out. The book is only 166 pages long, and is certainly worth your time.

A Quote from Bob Edwards and a Gen X Thumbs Up

I wasn't born till long after Edward R. Murrow passed away, so I hadn't considered reading this book till I heard Bob Edwards give a interview/talk about Murrow on the Atlanta stop of his book tour. The best way to sum up this fascinating book is with a quote from Bob Edwards the author, himself -- "Most Americans living today never heard Ed Murrow in a live broadcast. This book is for them. I want them to know that broadcast journalism was established by someone with the highest standards. Tabloid crime stories, so much a part of the lust for ratings by today's news broadcasters held no interest for Murrow. He did like Hollywood celebrities; they had no place on his news programs. My book is focused on this life in journalism. I offer it in the hope that more people in and out of the news business will get to know Ed Murrow. Perhaps in time the descent from Murrow's principles can be reversed." - Bob Edwards Even if you aren't interested in the subject of the history of broadcast journalism, or if you've never heard of Murrow, you will still find this book a fascinating read. You can listen to an audio recording of Mr. Edwards' amazing hour-long interview on NPR.org which also includes audio samples of Murrow's historic broadcasts. Bob Edwards uses transcrips from Murrow's broadcasts in his book so you can get a sense of what Murrow's voice was as he reported on some of the most important events in recent history. A truely engrossing and, paralleled with the 'standards' of today's journalism, enlightening read.

Worth reading

I probably wouldn't have read this book if it hadn't been written by Bob Edwards. (I have a three foot pile of unread books. It used to be four feet, but I slowed my buying rate until I get caught up.) Not reading it would have been a mistake.This is a very readable, well written book. (I was actually through with the first chapter by the time it was my turn to get my book signed.) All of book in this series (Turning Point) are short and intended to be quick reads. Even though it is short, the book gives a good picture of the key events that shaped broadcast journalism today. It's surprising how many of the key people in television news well into the 1980's (and to a lesser extent, even to today) got their start with Ed Murrow. For me, this book fills in the background to the TV news of my earliest memories. It explains how broadcast journalism got from the days of live radio relayed by short wave to the era of instant satellite transmissions around the world.This book is definitely worth reading.

Remembering Murrow

I am too young to have heard the eloquent broadcasts of Edward R. Murrow. But that does not lessen my appreciation of him. In my office hangs a Murrow poster: a Museum of Broadcasting photo of him with the ever present cigarette dangling from his fingertips. From my father's album collection, I inherited one of the "I Can Hear It Now" LPs, and I have listened to it many times. In my videocollection, I own the very first "See It Now" broadcast Murrow did for CBS, which includes a very young Don Hewitt in the control room.Up until recently, it was not possible to locate any of Murrow's original broadcasts, but that has recently changed.For those who teach and want to add a valuable resource to your collection, I recommend: World War II on the Air: Edward R. Murrow and the Broadcasts That Riveted a Nation, a book/CD compilation.Aside from the poster, LP, and videotape, I have the comprehensive biography of Murrow written by Joseph Persico and a copy of "See It Now," a book that combines images and text from some of the best of those CBS News broadcasts of the 1950s ( including The Case ofLieutenant Milo Radulovich).This spring (2004) I came across Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism a concise book by former National Public Radio host Bob Edwards. The book begins by quoting from the World War II broadcast which many will agree is Murrow's most famous from atop a building in London as German bombers approached. The poet Archibald MacLeish paid tribute to Murrow saying: " You burned the city of London in our houses and we felt the flames that burned it. You laid the dead of London at our doors and we knew that the dead were our dead....were mankind's dead...."Edwards admires Murrow and this revealing book is a loving tribute to the man who created modern day broadcast journalism. It was Murrow who was brought up to love language; who attracted the best and brightest journalists of their time to help deliver the riveting news from Europe, Asia and Africa to the US; and who fought the establishment when he saw radio and television heading down the path to trivialization and trash. Edwards allows us to know Murrow the man as well as the journalist. The readers of this book will revel in the words of the man who painted pictures with his writing. This is a book for every student of history and every one of us who is fond of news. It will remind you how good news used to be and how it might be again, if the industry would focus on what really matters: objective reporting.