EDWARD R. MURROW A Hero of Broadcast Journalism

THIS , , . IS LONDON.” With those trademark words crackling over the airwaves from a city in the midst of the blitzkrieg, Edward R. Murrow began a journalistic career that has had no equal. From the opening days of World War II until his death in 1365, the CBS executive-turned-star-reporter had an unparalleled influence on the development of broadcast journalism. His voice was universally recognized, and a generation of radio and television reporters imitated his style. His pioneering television documentaries have more than once been credited with changing the course of history, and to this day, his name is synonymous with courage and perseverance in the search for truth.

The life and legacy of America’s most important journalistic trailblazer are the focus of Edward R. Murrow: This Reporter, a two-part American Masters exploration of Murrow’s often controversial career, which premieres on Channel 13 this month.

Marking the 25th anniversary of the famed reporter’s death, the one-hour programs feature the recollections of journalists Barbara Walters, Bill Shade], Charles Kuralt, David Brinkley, Don Hewitt, David Halberstam, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Diane Sawyer, Eric Sevareid, Howard K. Smith, Walter Cronkite and Fred W. Friendly. Murrow’s widow, Janet, and his son, Casey, as well as friends such as Lauren Bacall and Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell, also offer revealing comments about Murrow. Each program combines these in-depth interviews with archival footage, photos and clips from Murrow’s landmark radio and television broadcasts to paint a lively and telling portrait of the man who shaped electronic journalism. “I did hero-worship this man,” says Sevareid, who was one of the young reporters hired by Murrow to cover the war in Europe. “I really did, as juvenile as it may sound.

“There’s no such thing in life as a 100 percent hero – but if you’re half a hero, that’s a lot of heroism, and he was more than that – physically, morally, in every way.”

American Masters’ two-part documentary Edward R. Murrow: This Reporter begins Friday, August 3, at 9 p.m. and concludes Friday, August 10, at 9 p.m. on 13.