Walter Cronkite (1916–2009)

Walter Cronkite was born on November 4, 1916, in St. Joseph, Missouri. For nearly two decades, as anchor of the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, he was the most trusted figure in American television news — a man so widely believed that he earned the nickname “the most trusted man in America.” His calm, steady delivery carried the nation through assassinations, moon landings, war, and scandal, and his sign-off, “And that’s the way it is,” became a national catchphrase.

Before he was a television legend, Walter Cronkite was a wire-service reporter who learned his trade the hard way. He reported World War II for United Press, covered the Nuremberg trials, and then moved into the new medium of television, where he anchored CBS News through the events that defined a generation: the Kennedy assassination, the Apollo moon landings, Vietnam, and Watergate. When America needed to understand what was happening, it turned on the evening news and watched Walter Cronkite.

From wire service to the anchor desk

Walter Cronkite began his journalism career with United Press, reporting from the front lines of World War II. He covered the Nuremberg trials after the war, building a reputation as a thorough, unflappable reporter. When television news was still finding its footing, he made the jump to CBS, bringing with him the instincts of a print reporter and a natural authority on camera.

In 1962 he took over as anchor of the CBS Evening News, and he would hold the chair for nineteen years. In that time the evening newscast became a national ritual: families ate dinner with Cronkite’s broadcast in the background, and his measured tone gave shape to events that felt overwhelming. He did not emote or editorialise; he told viewers what had happened, and they believed him.

The events that defined a generation

Few broadcasters have been present for so much history. Walter Cronkite anchored CBS through the assassination of President Kennedy, guiding a shocked nation through days of mourning. He narrated the Apollo moon landings, his voice carrying the excitement of humanity’s greatest adventure. He reported the long years of Vietnam and the Watergate scandal that brought down a president.

One moment stands out above the rest. In 1968, after returning from Vietnam, Walter Cronkite offered an on-air assessment that the Vietnam War was unwinnable. That broadcast is often credited with shifting public opinion about the war — a reminder of how much weight his words carried. When the most trusted man in America said the war could not be won, the country listened.

“And that’s the way it is”

Every broadcast ended the same way. After the final story, Walter Cronkite would look into the camera and say, “And that’s the way it is,” followed by the date. The sign-off became a national catchphrase, repeated and parodied, but it also captured his philosophy: the news was the news, reported straight, and the viewer could decide what to make of it.

That trust was his greatest achievement. In an era of growing scepticism toward institutions, Walter Cronkite remained a figure Americans relied on. Polls named him the most trusted man in the country, ahead of presidents and public figures of every kind. He retired from the anchor desk in 1981, but he remained a respected elder voice in journalism for the rest of his life. He died in New York on July 17, 2009.

How to mark the anniversary of Walter Cronkite

Here are some ways to mark the November 4 birthday of Walter Cronkite:

• Watch clips of his historic broadcasts — the moon landing, the Kennedy assassination coverage, the 1968 Vietnam assessment.
• Learn about the history of television news and how the evening newscast shaped American life.
• Read about the Nuremberg trials and World War II reporting that trained a generation of journalists.
• Talk with someone who remembers watching him about what the nightly news meant in their household.
• Support trustworthy journalism: subscribe to a news outlet, check sources, and value careful reporting.

Why Walter Cronkite matters

Walter Cronkite matters because he showed what broadcast journalism could be at its best: calm in crisis, thorough in reporting, and trusted by millions. He carried the country through its hardest moments without flinching and without sensationalism, and his example still sets the standard for television news.

He also matters as a symbol of an era when a shared set of facts could unite a nation. Whatever has changed about the media since, the memory of Walter Cronkite — the most trusted man in America — remains a reminder of what credibility looks like.

Frequently asked questions

When was Walter Cronkite born?
Walter Cronkite was born on November 4, 1916, in St. Joseph, Missouri.

What was Walter Cronkite famous for?
He anchored the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981 and became the most trusted figure in American television news, nicknamed “the most trusted man in America.”

What was his famous sign-off?
“And that’s the way it is,” followed by the date, closed every broadcast and became a national catchphrase.

Did he really influence the Vietnam War?
His 1968 on-air assessment that the Vietnam War was unwinnable is often credited with shifting public opinion about the war.

When did Walter Cronkite die?
He died in New York on July 17, 2009.

Read more about November 4 on November 4 Holidays, Observances and History.