Posted on 06/18/2009 12:35:13 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Its been almost 40 years now since the U.S. Air Force pulled the plug on Project Blue Book and essentially order the news media to shut up already about UFOs. And at a moment when Americas dazed free press is poised to take a knee on the canvas, De Void cant help but wonder how one of journalisms 20th-century giants wouldve responded to the challenges.
For Edward R. Murrow, the CBS Radio lion who survived the technology transition to unmask Red-baiting demagoguery for what it was on national television, mastering a new medium was difficult. "This is an old team, he told a new class of consumers known as viewers, trying to learn a new trade."
Inevitably, Murrows running battles with management over commercial and entertainment compromises led to his undoing at the network. But his commitment to telling compelling stories, regardless of the medium or its constraints, never faltered.
On April 7, 1950, a year or so before his TV makeover, the man who once told listeners If I've offended you by this rather mild account of Buchenwald, I'm not in the least sorry, filed a report on UFOs. His commercial-free half-hour account available at http://www.albany.edu/talkinghistory/arch2004jan-june.html looks relatively tame in retrospect. Especially given the magnitude of the coverup of the Roswell UFO crash not quite three years earlier.
But Murrows gravitas helped validate as a mainstream issue what were then known as flying saucers. Not surprisingly, he played it straight, plumbing skeptics, witnesses like Kenneth Arnold, and official sources alike. Although he drew no conclusions, Murrow was clearly suspicious of military kiss-offs, grousing that The figures just dont add up.
He reminded Americans that while the USAFs Project Saucer came up empty-handed 1949, bear in mind the stubbornness of the saucers to accept the mantle of oblivion. Murrow quoted critics who theorized the flying discs were merely classified American programs. Then hed come back with a Charles Zimmerman, designer of the most exotic XF5U1 flying pancake, who countered that this aircraft never flew.
De Void Home > Blogs > De Void Enlarge TextEmailPrintCommentsShare You must fill in all fields WITH PHOTONO PHOTO FACEBOOKYahoo! Buzz YAHOONEWSVINEDEL.ICIO.USFARKFURLREDDITTECHNORATI Murrow vs. the saucers
By Billy Cox
Published: Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. Its been almost 40 years now since the U.S. Air Force pulled the plug on Project Blue Book and essentially order the news media to shut up already about UFOs. And at a moment when Americas dazed free press is poised to take a knee on the canvas, De Void cant help but wonder how one of journalisms 20th-century giants wouldve responded to the challenges.
For Edward R. Murrow, the CBS Radio lion who survived the technology transition to unmask Red-baiting demagoguery for what it was on national television, mastering a new medium was difficult. "This is an old team, he told a new class of consumers known as viewers, trying to learn a new trade."
Inevitably, Murrows running battles with management over commercial and entertainment compromises led to his undoing at the network. But his commitment to telling compelling stories, regardless of the medium or its constraints, never faltered.
On April 7, 1950, a year or so before his TV makeover, the man who once told listeners If I've offended you by this rather mild account of Buchenwald, I'm not in the least sorry, filed a report on UFOs. His commercial-free half-hour account available at http://www.albany.edu/talkinghistory/arch2004jan-june.html looks relatively tame in retrospect. Especially given the magnitude of the coverup of the Roswell UFO crash not quite three years earlier.
But Murrows gravitas helped validate as a mainstream issue what were then known as flying saucers. Not surprisingly, he played it straight, plumbing skeptics, witnesses like Kenneth Arnold, and official sources alike. Although he drew no conclusions, Murrow was clearly suspicious of military kiss-offs, grousing that The figures just dont add up.
He reminded Americans that while the USAFs Project Saucer came up empty-handed 1949, bear in mind the stubbornness of the saucers to accept the mantle of oblivion. Murrow quoted critics who theorized the flying discs were merely classified American programs. Then hed come back with a Charles Zimmerman, designer of the most exotic XF5U1 flying pancake, who countered that this aircraft never flew.
Although journalism will find a way to morph through the latest turbulence, the star system that helped expedite the shift from radio to television is a museum piece. But we can guess with reasonable certainty how the pugnacious chain-smoker wouldve reacted to, say, the USAFs refusal to address FAA radar records confirming eyewitness reports of jet fighters chasing a UFO last year near President Bushs home in Texas.
Itd be the same way anyone whose intelligence is insulted might respond. That is, if anyone was paying attention.
Excellent graphic!
Another rewrite of history. Murrow lost his job with CBS because of his smear of Joe McCarthy. He later went on to be Kennedy’s head of the Voice of America. His carton a day habit then caught up with him.
whatever. McCarthy was darn close to being right on all counts.
Do the left have to make literally EVERYTHING political?? Yep they do.
mark
Thanks JPB.
http://www.albany.edu/talkinghistory/arch2004jan-june.html
[snip] He reminded Americans that while the USAF’s Project Saucer came up empty-handed 1949, bear in mind “the stubbornness of the saucers to accept the mantle of oblivion.” [end]
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.