Cronkite wanted to defer to newspapers

Among various anecdotes about the late CBS-TV anchor Walter Cronkite, who died in July at the age of 92, were stories about his lifelong appreciation of newspapers.

On CNN, Tom Watkins reported that Cronkite did not end his first broadcast at the CBS Evening News with what would become his signature goodbye -- "... that's the way it is."

"The first night up, he ended the show by saying -- I'm paraphrasing -- 'That's the news. Be sure to check your local newspapers tomorrow to get all the details on the headlines we are delivering to you'," according to Sanford "Sandy" Socolow, a CBS colleague who spoke to CNN.

But the comment angered CBS brass, who prohibited the remark in the future, reports Editor and Publisher magazine.

Another Cronkite nod to the detail and resources newspapers bring to communications was a widely distributed essay he wrote for Ogilvy & Mather's 1983 advertising campaign for International Paper: "How to read a Newspaper."

Check out this pdf copy from Newspapers In Education --
http://www.nieonline.com/austin/downloads/2008how_to_read_a_newspaper.pdf