Once upon a time, respected reporters were the gatekeepers of the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
Journalists had the responsibility to hold public officials accountable for their words and actions.
Edward R. Murrow
One these heralded reporters was Edward R. Murrow. Early in his career, Murrow covered the Blitz over London during World War II. As a reporter for CBS News, he was the popular moderator for the television show “See it Now.”
This week the play “Good Night and Good Luck” opens on Broadway, chronicling the career of Murrow. The show, written by and starring George Clooney, examines his professional cigarette-smoking life and his contentious confrontation with Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. The limited run of this show (99 performances) has already created quite a bit of buzz. Advanced ticket sales hit a record for a straight-dialog, non-musical play. The show should serve as a reminder — and a warning — to journalists as well as the public at large, of the critical importance of a free press and the role of the fourth estate in preserving our democracy.
As Murrow famously said, “We cannot confuse dissent with disloyalty.”