Risky Business of Edward R. Murrow

Hallie Rawlinson
hr244210@ohio.edu

In George Clooney's 2005 film, Good Night, and Good Luck, legendary broadcast journalist, Edward R. Murrow faces quite a few ethical challenges, making history as he goes. Murrow takes on the rampant Senator Joseph McCarthy as he runs his historical witch hunt of the American people, searching for anyone with the slightest affiliation with the Communist Party. As a journalism student, I looked at the actions of Murrow and his colleagues as documented in this film and drew my own conclusions.

He set a standard
But how did Murrow determine his role in all of this frenzy? He did so in a professional and objective manner with the American people's interest in mind. Murrow was obviously against Sen. McCarthy's tirades, along with the rest of his station. However, their reporting was not an attack based on political leaning, but rather a check on the government, as we as reporters have the right and the duty to do.

I found one of the quotes Murrow spoke in the film particularly telling. When asked if this is the start of him taking sides, he swiftly answers with, "It's just a little poke with a stick." I believe that this type of investigation and reporting is necessary to journalism. We need to be constantly checking our government and uncovering things that the public needs to know, rather than continue to dance around issues in fear that we might step on some toes.

A scapegoat
Once Murrow had decidedly taken on McCarthy, he was faced with just what he expected when McCarthy began to target him. Angry that he was being poorly represented (in his eyes), he accuses Murrow of having affiliations with the Communist Party nearly 20 years prior. While McCarthy may think he is defending himself, his actions only dig himself a deeper hole in the eyes of the American public. With television still relatively new, trust in the news anchor is high. The people believe Murrow when he denies all of McCarthy's accusations and begin to view the senator as power-hungry, leading to an investigation of his methods.

The risk of the run
This type of exposé is not always without consequence. In the film, Murrow's colleague, Don Hollenbeck commits suicide quite abruptly. While the film shows this event taking place very soon after the McCarthy piece, the reality is that Hollenbeck died about two months after. It can, however, be argued that along with a string of other unpleasant events in Hollenbeck's life, the criticism he and the station received from columnist Jack O'Brian added to the despair that led him to take his own life.

Why do we do it?
Why do men like Edward R. Murrow run this risk to expose men like Senator McCarthy? Why put your neck and possibly even your family on the line when you personally may have nothing to do with the issue at hand? Bravery and commitment to truth. Edward R. Murrow was pivotal in exemplifying the dedication to truth and service to the public that should lie in the heart of every good journalist.