Bob Schieffer, CBS News correspondent and “Face the Nation” anchor, was presented with the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism at the 30th annual Cronkite Award Luncheon at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Phoenix Tuesday.
After opening remarks by Christopher Callahan, dean of the Walter Cronkite School and vice provost of the Downtown campus, recognition of supporters by Cronkite Endowment Board President John Misner and a tribute video created by Cronkite School faculty, Schieffer received the award to a standing ovation.
A longtime colleague and friend of Walter Cronkite, Schieffer expressed his gratitude and explained that to him, the significance of the award was supplemented by his relationship with Walter Cronkite.
“There’s been some some wonderful journalists … that have accepted this award, but I truly believe none of them could have appreciated it as much as I do,” Schieffer said. “Walter truly was, when I was a young reporter, a hero. I wanted to be like him; I still want to be like him.”
Schieffer said even though digital journalism and social media are on the rise, print journalism isn’t dying. He said there is a need for good journalism now more than ever because of the abundance of information available.
“The question is not whether we are going to get the news written down on paper or on our wristwatch, but the content that we receive,” Schieffer said. “What will the information we receive in the future be? Will it be accurate? … Will it be true? Will it be information we can trust?”
Schieffer gave students at the luncheon tips on how to learn good reporting.
“The way to learn to be a reporter is to just be a reporter,” Schieffer said. “A good reporter is just a good reporter.”
Schieffer also stressed the importance of sticking to the principles of good journalism and not just reporting the bare minimum.
“Journalism is not about scratching the surface. It is about going beneath the surface and finding the truth,” he said.
Responses to Schieffer’s receiving of the award and his acceptance remarks were overwhelmingly positive.
“I though that what made [the luncheon] extra spectacular was the fact that Bob Schieffer worked with Walter Cronkite for most of his career,” journalism sophomore Audrey Weil said. “So for him to receive the award after working with Walter and knowing so well what the award means, what the namesake of the school means and for him to identify all of the principles that journalism stands for, it was great. He was fabulous.”
Faculty and guests were also impressed with Schieffer’s speech and acknowledged that his award was well deserved.
“I think Bob Schieffer hit the high points that Cronkite has stood for for the past few years — understanding the digital future and recognizing that journalism is a critical piece of American culture; as important as the right to vote. He was terrific,” Cronkite School faculty associate John Dille said.
Contact the reporter at pkunthar@asu.edu
