Murrow's Crusade

Colin Roose
colinroose42@gmail.com

"Good Night, and Good Luck." How many millions heard this phrase, which added a startling mark of finality to every word that Edward R. Murrow said? One of the most notable causes of this journalism giant was his bravery in calling out Joseph McCarthy, which is commemorated in this film with the same name as his catchphrase.

This movie does a remarkable job of describing the sheer amount of the trepidation with which America in the 1950s spoke of communism, and especially the difficulty approaching it in the world of journalism. Ethics are key here as Murrow takes on the very risky task of opposing McCarthy and his accusations. The key problem presented by the movie is this: should Murrow report on (and criticize) McCarthy's rampage against human rights, or should he leave the issue alone and spare the reputation and business of his network?

source: Shmoop.com

Stakes and Pressures

Short of another political figure, it's hard to imagine a more recognizable figure who had more to lose by going after McCarthy than Murrow. Known to the entire country as a notable news figure who reported on World War II, the news team's decision to enter the firestorm of controversy over communism meant that he would also be targeted. The witch hunt for communism would have claimed one of its highest-profile victims in Murrow. Even though a reporter's duty is to the public, the public would have condemned him if McCarthy himself had not been discredited soon after the report.

But there were many, many other stakeholders in the decision of CBS to let Murrow's team do as they wished with McCarthy. One that was explicitly stated in the film was the network's loss of the sponsorship of Alcoa. Murrow paid for his integrity by losing his show, but it also meant that the other employees also took the hit with everything from layoffs to the threat of being known as a communist network. The co-producer of the show, Fred Friendly, also paid a price as Murrow mentioned his name alongside of his at the beginning of the film. However, the public was the interest that won out above advertisers and those who subscribed to the ubiquitous Red Scare.

Ethical Values

In deciding to report upon what he saw as a violation of civil rights, with the Air Force officer and the woman suspected of being on a communist mailing list, Murrow acted ethically for the public. He was clearly met with intimidation for doing this, both from the army colonels who say that he would compromise national security, and from the CBS boss. But in resisting these interests and staying independent, he kept his journalistic reputation clean by keeping his focus on the audience.

However, Murrow is not perfect. When he is told that he was making the news, not reporting on it, and that he would be putting innocent people at risk for his actions, he accepts these charges. Some could have accused him of grandstanding for his own interests, and would have had a point. But through not attacking his critics, Murrow both stayed accountable for his actions.

What I think was most telling that Murrow was the real deal as a reporter was in how he responded to McCarthy's accusations that he worked for the IWW. Rather than responding with charges of his own, he addresses his story on what was true and what wasn't. As a viewer, I could feel the tension that Murrow had to have felt when he gave that broadcast. If I had gone through that, I don't think I could have believed that the truth and nothing but the truth would have been enough to get me through. But he did, and he survived with his credibility intact. He showed integrity in allowing McCarthy to speak, fairness in not providing his own malicious charges, and was honest about his past.

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So Why Should We Care?

People who are skeptical about the media are often not intimate with the process that almost everyone in the field goes through for their viewers. Good Night, and Good Luck is an analysis of just how far journalists in particular can go in search of the unbiased truth. If anyone needs faith in the purpose of journalism, here it is, in 93 minutes.