Page 100 - Historical Dictionary of Political Communication in the United States

MURROW,
is
one
in
Moyers EDWARD of R. the few major voices building the case for pluralism 89
American (and global) thought. An underlying theme of many of his presenta-
tions is that a community is built through humility in one's own opinions and
willingness to listen to other voices. His gentle interviewing style has been called
"acolyte journalism" by his detractors but constructive by his legion of follow-
ers. If anything, he stands out as an increasingly solitary voice of calm and
reason in the self-righteous and divisive discourse of modern mass media. His
television specials have covered such topics as funding of education, Genesis,
the connection between mind and body, and drug rehabilitation.
SOURCES: Contemporary Authors, 1994; Current Biography, 1994; David Neff, "Bill
Moyers' National Bible Study," Christianity Today, October 28, 1996.
Jacqueline Nash Gifford and David C. Perlmutter

MUCKRAKER is the expression used to define a journalist who unearths cor-
ruption and wrongdoing in politics and business. The expression was first used
by President Theodore Roosevelt when he was accused by media of antibusiness
sentiment. The first decade of the twentieth century is frequently referred to as
the era of muckraking because of the exposes of government and business,
usually in magazines. Prominent muckrakers included Lincoln Steffens, Ida Tar-
bell, Ray Stannard Baker, and Upton Sinclair. Today, muckrakers are known as
"investigative reporters." (See also Upton Sinclair; Ida Tarbell.)
SOURCES: William A. Satire, Safire 's New Political Dictionary, 1993; Arthur Weinberg
and Lila Weinberg, eds., The Muckrakers, 1961.
Jacqueline Nash Gifford

MURROW, EDWARD R. (1927-1965) set a standard for television journalism
that has rarely been attained since. Like most of the television pioneers, he was
on radio first, and there he first came to the attention of the American public.
During the Munich crisis of 1938 he arranged for the first multiple, live news
pickup ever attempted, and his voice was one of those heard. Then in 1940 he
made memorable broadcasts from London during the German aerial blitz.
Murrow first appeared on television during the political conventions of 1948,
but in 1951 he made his full introduction into the new medium with his program
See It Now. For the next seven years, Murrow provided excellent political cov-
erage. One widely acclaimed program was the first hour-long See It Now entitled
"Christmas in Korea," which was reported and shot in Korea. It was a vivid
portrayal of the stalemated war.
Murrow was critical of Senator Joseph McCarthy and "McCarthyism," and
on March 9, 1954, he took on McCarthy directly in his See It Now broadcast.
What Murrow did was simply show McCarthy in action and let the facts speak
for themselves. The program was widely acclaimed and is still considered per-
haps "television's finest hour." The New York Times said it was the occasion
on which "broadcasting recaptured its soul." There was, however, criticism