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Walter Cronkite: the way it was

He has been retired for more than a decade, but the accolades keep coming for legendary newsman Walter Cronkite. Described by Time Magazine as "the single most convincing and authoritative figure in television news," Cronkite is at the 1991 Banff Television Festival to receive its Award of Excellence. In this clip from CBC Radio's Gabereau, Cronkite discusses reporting from the front lines during the Second World War, and some missed opportunities: reporting from the Persian Gulf and flying aboard the space shuttle.

• Water Cronkite was born in Missouri in 1916. He left college to work as a newspaper reporter and radio announcer.

• During the Second World War, Cronkite gained renown as a war reporter, flying in a B-17 bomber, covering the front lines in Europe and North Africa and landing by glider in Holland. He covered the Nuremberg war crime trials and reported from Moscow for the United Press.

• In 1962 Walter Cronkite became the anchor of the CBS Evening News, a position he held for 19 years. He covered the Apollo 11 and 13 space missions, the Iran hostage crisis (1980-81), the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam war and Watergate scandal.

• "Uncle Walter" signed off on March 6, 1991, saying, "Old anchormen, you see, don't fade away; they just keep coming back for more. And that's the way it is: Friday, March 6, 1981. I'll be away on assignment, and Dan Rather will be sitting in here for the next few years. Good night."

• Cronkite stayed active as a special correspondent and political commentator until 2008.

Medium: Radio
Program: Gabereau
Broadcast Date: June 12, 1991
Guest(s): Walter Cronkite
Host: Vicki Gabereau
Duration: 30:03
This clip was edited for copyright reasons.

Last updated: March 20, 2013

Page consulted on March 28, 2013

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