We’ re all familiar with the phrase “these hallowed halls” – so much so that I usually file it under the term hackneyed phrases and avoid using it whenever possible. However, there are certain times when it is MOST appropriate. This is one of those times.
As a kid, I never dreamed that I would be working for CBS News in Manhattan. I drove past that enormous monolith of a building that is their headquarters on W57th Street about a million times in my parent’s car on our way from our home in Fort Lee, NJ to visit my grandmother in Brooklyn. But the idea of working there never even crossed my mind.
Until one day about 25 years ago, I did. I completed the last 20 of my 40+ year career in television there as a technician, photographer, and part-time producer/editor.
It’s hard to describe the vastness of that building. It’s over seven stories tall and has at least 3 sub-basements that I know of. And it takes up virtually an entire city block from 11th to 10th Avenues. It’s so massive that in the 20 years I worked there, I don’t believe that I saw the entire building. And the amount of information that has passed through those doors over the course of so many years is just staggering.
But it’s more than just a building. It’s a place where the highest standards of journalism have been practiced by some of the greatest journalists of all time. In the tradition of Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, and countless others, CBS New has always set the standard for broadcasting news excellence. Who can forget Murrow’s Good night and good luck sign off?
To walk down the long hallway and past the tiny desk where Walter Cronkite announced the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is to experience a legacy of honest, in-depth reporting that changed the world.
It’s visceral, one of those “pinch yourself” moments when you realize that you are
actually THERE, where it all went down. Look, I was never a big-shot at CBS, I did my
job. But when I thought about it, I couldn’t have been more proud to be even a small
part of a network with that kind of tradition.
And that has not only been completely reaffirmed; it was AMPLIFIED by this past
Sunday’s (5/3) edition of 60 Minutes, CBS News’ most powerful magazine style
program whose reputation is beyond repute. For more than 50 years, 60 Minutes has
been the gold standard in news magazine broadcasting.
First, a little back-story: CBS News under the umbrella of its parent company,
Paramount, has been under attack by the Trump Administration, which is suing the
company for $10 billion over an allegedly improper interview with then Presidential
candidate Kamala Harris. They claim that the clip was edited in her favor and biased
against then candidate Trump. I’ve already commented in a previous article on how
inane those allegations are, but there it is. And since Paramount needs the Federal
Communications Committee (FCC), under President Trump’s control to approve a potential multi-billion dollar sale of the network, the pressure on CBS to comply with the Administration’s demands is intense. It became so excessive in fact, that the VERY experienced and well-respected Executive Producer of 60 Minutes, Bill Owens,
resigned in protest over his perceived capitulation of Paramount to the administration’ s demands to limit stories critical of the President.
To further complicate the issue, the administration got wind that 60 Minutes was preparing to air a segment on its abuse of the Rule of Law and the Constitution. They threatened further action against the network should 60 Minutes have the audacity to broadcast the segment. But, few programs, especially in news, have the 50+ year history that they can boast of, speaking truth to power for every single one of those years. To work for them was reserved for only the best – producers, writers, editors, correspondents, photographers, etc. Their reputation, even within CBS itself, is rightfully legendary.
Well, I couldn’t have been more proud then when they figuratively stuck their middle
fingers in the face of the President when correspondent Scott Pelley led the broadcast by telling the story of how THIS Administration is flaunting the Rule of Law and that if not addressed soon, our very Democracy might be lost forever. The story, approximately 20 minutes long, showed how through shear intimidation, Mr. Trump has bullied multiple, powerful law firms to bow to his will. Many, but not all. The story featured other constitutional lawyers who would not capitulate and are fighting back with every means possible. It was powerful, inspiring, and the type of reporting that just might save this Country. The Free Press has always led the way. And still must.
Franklin D. Roosevelt once wrote: “Freedom of conscience, of education, of assembly are among the very fundamentals of democracy and all of them would be nullified should freedom of the press every be successfully challenged.”
We MUST not let that happen. 60 Minutes will not let that happen. I will not let that
happen. Journalism is NOT dead!
LONG LIVE A FREE PRESS! LONG LIVE AMERICA!
Editor’s note: The views expressed in this article are those of this independent writer and not the Nyack News & Views editorial staff. We welcome submissions from anybody who is interested in publishing their thoughts, ideas and perspectives about issues facing our community, both large and small. Please send to info@nyacknewsandviews.com with detailed contact information.
Photo credit: Frank LoBuono