Journo Heroes, Pt. 2

 

Barbara Walters was born on September 25, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts to parents, Dena Selett and Lou Walters. Barbara’s home life was not exactly ideal. Her late brother, Burton, passed before her birth, and her sister, Jacqueline, was mentally handicapped. 

Though Walters is a Boston native, she did not spend the majority of her life there. In fact, due to her father’s job as a nightclub operator, Barbara attended schools in Boston, New York City, and Miami Beach. 

After switching schools three times, Walters finally concluded her high school career at Miami Beach High School. Following this, in 1953, Walters graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a bachelor’s degree in English. 

Walters briefly worked as a secretary before securing her first position in journalism as the assistant to publicity director and Republican activist Tex McCary of WRCA-TV. Her hard work and dedication at the NBC affiliate clearly paid off as she soon became the writer and producer there. 

Not long after that, Walters began working at CBS as the news and public affairs officer. There, she wrote the material for the Morning Show. Barbara’s CBS career was short-lived as she felt that further advancement was unlikely.

For that reason, Walter’s turned her talent back over to NBC in 1961. She first worked as a writer there until she became the co-host of the Today Show in 1974, making her the first woman to hold that title in the show's history. Her appearance on the show earned her the nickname, “Today Girl.”

Two years later, Barbara Walters advanced her career by accepting a five year, five million dollar contract with ABC, where she became the co-anchor alongside Harry Reasoner. This contract made her the highest paid news anchor at the time. This, of course, brought forth a lot of criticism and judgment from her male colleagues, especially from her fellow co-host Harry Reasoner. 

In addition to her role as co-anchor of World News Tonight, Walters also served as a co-host on ABC’s program, 20/20, starting in 1979. The show covered a wide range of topics from investigative reporting to celebrity interviews to compelling reports. On the show, Walters was known for her in-depth interviews and lively debates with high-profile figures. 

While doing all of that, Barbara even hosted a series of programs called the Barbara Walters Specials. These specials featured exclusive interviews with world leaders, celebrities, and other important figures with some of the most notable guests being Fidel Castro, Vladimir Putin, and Monica Lewinsky. 

In 1997, Walters co-created the daytime talk show The View, which she also co-hosted for many years. The show featured a rotating panel of women discussing the day’s news and issues. She retired from her position as co-host in 2014 and announced that she would be retiring from television altogether the following year. She continued to make occasional appearances on ABC and other media outlets after that, but for the most part, she remained out of the public eye following her retirement. 

Throughout her life, Walters received numerous awards and honors including several Emmys, a Peabody Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. These awards represent the success and strength of Barbara Walters. Many doubted her abilities, but she never let the criticism get to her, and because of that, she was able to break barriers for women in broadcasting and journalism.

Barbara Walters' legacy is one of groundbreaking achievement and inspiration for future generations of female journalists and broadcasters. She will be remembered as a pioneering figure in her field and as a woman who made a lasting impact on American culture. Rest in Peace Barbara Walters. 

"Good Night, and Good Luck"

The 2005 film, Good Night and Good Luck, directed by George Clooney, exposes the corrupt relationship between the government and the press. In an ideal world, the government and the press would be completely separate, and there would be no government intervention within news outlets.

The press would be able to freely critique the government without the fear of being silenced or the temptation of subtle bribes deterring their stories. The press would be able to "check" the actions of the government and report on it. In other words, the press would fulfill a "watching" role.

But, as we all know, that is not the case. That has never been the case. Clooney's film accurately represents this harsh reality by highlighting the real-life conflict held between CBS journalist Edward Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy during the height of the red scare in the 1950s. 

The film follows Murrow, who hosts a popular television news program called “See It Now,” as he becomes increasingly concerned about McCarthy’s tactics of accusing people of being communists without any evidence. To shed some light onto the issue, Murrow and his team decide to take on McCarthy by dedicating an entire episode of their show to exposing his methods. 

Throughout the film, the tension between Murrow and McCarthy builds as they engage in a war of words in the media. The film centers around the importance of a free press and the need for journalists to hold those in power accountable. 

In critiquing and exposing the claims of McCarthy, Murrow fulfills the role of the adversarial press. The adversarial press refers to journalists who work to uncover and reveal instances of corruption and abuse. It is a type of investigative journalism that mainly deals with bringing political issues to the forefront. 

Murrow upholds this role by being one of the few to stand up against the wrongdoings of McCarthy. Although many knew that McCarthy was making harmful and false claims against others, no one spoke out against him. This is one of the most significant problems that journalists face today: a lack of voice and freedom in their work.  

Journalists are protected under the First Amendment. That being said, the First Amendment is supposed to prevent the government from censoring the publication of media and information. Although it seems simple enough, the reality is not as black and white, cut and dry, as it seems.

The government uses cunning strategies to manage the media. They use their power to stifle views and opinions that would jeopardize their reputation. Rather than actually granting the public access to all information, they silence reporters, bribe journalists, and shadowban accounts on social media.

One would think that it would be a no-brainer for all journalists to follow in the footsteps of Murrow, but the reality of it all is more complicated than that. The potential threat of censorship or a ruined reputation troubles journalists around the country today. Many would rather blindly follow the government than risk their livelihoods. Although their decisions are understandable to a certain extent, their blind obedience leaves the rest of us in the dark.

One key element of journalism revolves around seeking out the truth and communicating it to the public. That is why the bravery and courage of Edward Murrow is still admired today. He was one of the few to denounce the lies of a political figure and serve the public in an honorable way. We could all learn a lot from him.