Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism

By: Bob Edwards

Narrated by: Bob Edwards

Long before the era of the news anchor, the pundit, and the mini-cam, one man blazed a trail that thousands would follow. Reporting live from the streets and rooftops of London as Nazi war planes rained terror from the skies during the Battle of Britain, Edward R. Murrow brought the stark horror of war and the shock of breaking news events directly into American living rooms for the first time, and that was just the beginning.

In Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism, one of America's most celebrated broadcast journalists tells the dramatic and inspiring tale of how America's first and greatest newscaster changed the way we receive, understand, and respond to the news. Former NPR Morning Edition host, Bob Edwards, reveals how Murrow pioneered the concepts of radio reports from foreign correspondents, nightly news roundups, and live "you are there" broadcasts. He explains the impact of Murrow's London reports on public opinion, encouraging aid to Britain, and how the high standards that he lived by influenced an entire generation of broadcasters.

This brisk and incisive account tracks Murrow's postwar career from the revolutionary television programs See It Now and Person to Person through the legendary 1954 broadcast that helped bring down the Red-baiting Senator Joseph McCarthy, to his many run-ins with his boss, CBS founder and president William Paley. Once close friends, Murrow and Paley clashed repeatedly over the now-familiar conflict between journalistic integrity and corporate profits.

©2004 Bob Edwards (P)2004 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Edwards delineates a brief but striking portrait of a driven man, a fearless fighter who set such a high standard for himself and others that he became a legend, leaving a lasting impact in newsrooms even after his death in 1965." (Publishers Weekly)

yois.

though forced to read this book at 1:02 AM, I did enjoy it in the long run. R.I.P Ed.

Excellent Look At Murrow’s Work

Edward R Murrow’s radio reporting was an inspiration throughout my own lifetime as a radio reporter. This book isn’t heavy on detail. Readers can easily explore in depth on their own. Hearing this story re-told this way gives even more meaning to the Murrow Awards I’ve received, but it also prompts my longing for radio news the way it should be, not as we hear it (maybe) today.

Not to be missed

Here is a detailed profile of the brave man who began by inventing live radio war reporting, WWII from London. Audiences were mesmerized. The intelligent writing & perfect narration told me all I wanted to know about Morrow's miracle presence in broadcasting. His 1958 Chicago speech to the News Directors Assn. at the time many of them turned on him- left me astounded in its prophetic truth.

Enjoy listening to Bob Edwards!

I'm guessing that the movie "Goodnight and Good Luck" was based on this book. It's thorough and engaging -- a must for anyone who's not familiar with this period of history. Not just about radio journalism, but aldo about politics, integrity and human foibles, it is wonderfully narrated by the author (which doesn't often work). Those of us who miss Bob on NPR in the mornings, will smile while being educated and entertained.

His understanding of democracy

We have chosen entertainment and buying stuff over education, freedom, truth, justice and electing intelligent leaders.