Other meanings of Edward R. Murrow
Journalism
Edward R. Murrow (1908–1965) was an American broadcast journalist and war correspondent who set the standard for radio and television news. He rose to prominence with his live radio reports from London during the Blitz, then became a pioneering television newsman, known for his investigative program See It Now and his celebrity interview show Person to Person. His 1954 confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy is widely credited with turning public opinion against McCarthyism. Murrow's commitment to factual reporting and his willingness to challenge authority made him a defining figure in American journalism.
Murrow was born in Polecat Creek, North Carolina, and grew up in Washington state. He attended Washington State College (now Washington State University), where he studied history and speech, and later became president of the National Student Federation, which led to his first job in broadcasting with the Institute of International Education. In 1935, he joined CBS as director of talks, and in 1937 he was sent to London as European director. There, he assembled a team of correspondents, including William L. Shirer and Eric Sevareid, who would become known as the 'Murrow Boys.' His first major broadcast was the Anschluss in 1938, when he arranged a live report from Vienna.
Murrow's nightly radio dispatches from London during the Blitz (1940–1941) brought the war into American living rooms. His opening phrase, 'This is London,' became iconic. He reported from rooftops during air raids, and his vivid, understated descriptions of civilian suffering helped sway American opinion toward supporting Britain. He also flew on bombing missions over Berlin, broadcasting from the aircraft. His reports were so influential that he was invited to speak at the White House. After the war, he briefly served as CBS vice president but returned to reporting, feeling that management was not his calling.
In 1951, Murrow moved to television with See It Now, a newsmagazine that used film and live interviews. The show's most famous episode, aired on March 9, 1954, was 'A Report on Senator Joseph McCarthy.' Murrow used McCarthy's own words from his speeches and hearings to expose his tactics, ending with the line, 'He didn't create this situation of fear; he merely exploited it.' The broadcast is often credited with helping to end McCarthy's influence. Murrow also hosted Person to Person, a lighter celebrity interview show, which he later regretted as a distraction from serious journalism.
After CBS canceled See It Now in 1958, Murrow grew disillusioned with commercial television. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed him director of the United States Information Agency, where he oversaw international broadcasting, including Voice of America. He resigned in 1964 due to illness. Murrow died of lung cancer in 1965, a consequence of his heavy smoking. His legacy includes the Edward R. Murrow Award for journalistic excellence, and his life was dramatized in the 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck. He remains a symbol of journalistic integrity.
Murrow's early career included a stint as a 'smoke-filled room' organizer for the National Student Federation, where he arranged speaking tours for European students. He was instrumental in creating the CBS news team that included Howard K. Smith and Charles Collingwood. His 1958 speech to the Radio-Television News Directors Association, criticizing the industry's focus on entertainment over public service, is considered a landmark critique. Murrow also produced a documentary on migrant workers, Harvest of Shame, which aired on Thanksgiving 1960 and led to legislative hearings. He was known for his deep, resonant voice, which he developed through speech training.
Murrow's famous sign-off, 'Good night, and good luck,' became a cultural touchstone.
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