The Evening News

Was a time when the family watched the evening news together. This was a time before the internet, before satellite television and even before cable ! I know, because I was there! We only had two channels to choose from. Channel three or channel eight. The evening news came on at six o'clock,on channel three and channel eight. There was no such thing as local news. Local news was the business of Newspaper and radio. A M radio. The news reported some bad stuff, much like they do today. The news was tempered a bit more though. You didn't hear about rape,child molesters and other deviant behaviours. At least not in a direct sense. It may have been hinted at, but never spoken right out.
We were encouraged to stay abreast of current events. To watch the evening news and read the newspaper. We discussed things that were taking place in the world.I don't recall the news being all negative as it seems to be today. Celebrities and important politicians weren't dragged through the mud as much for there indiscretions. The news is reported a bit differently now. You hear about everything and they are explicit about it. There is local news, national news and world news. You can watch news for several hours non stop. I don't because they just repeat themselves over and over. I get most of my news here on the computer now.
All of this was brought to mind when Katie Couric left the news.Wasn't she being touted as the next big news anchor ? In all fairness, they were some big shoes to fill. I was one that never really cared for her. I don't think being a news anchor was as important to her as,say, Walter Cronkite. I could sense that somehow. Seems to me the news,as I remember it,ended with Walter Cronkite and David Brinkley. Harry Reasoner is close but not the same.Peter Jennings was close. When Walter Cronkite reported the news it was important. His opinion was important. His integrity was untouchable. David Brinkley spoke with authority. You believed him,completely. Dan Rather is worthy of note.
Cronkite and Brinkley didn't just report the news,they explained the news. They left you feeling informed. The news now,leaves me either confused or infuriated. Even as a kid growing up, I would think about what Walter ( Mr. Cronkite) had said about the news. I think now we may be suffering from information overload and a little afraid to state our opinions. Cronkite and Brinkley wouldn't hesitate to include their personal observations or opinions. We have to be more politically correct now.

Walter Cronkite said it all at the end of every broadcast, " and that's the way it is "