Murk Evaluating Sources

Throughout his journalism career, Edward Murrow fought for what was right, not for what was easy. The movie, Good Night and Good Luck, shows how he made the controversial decision to challenge Joseph McCarthy in his news reports. McCarthy was a Wisconsin senator who played on the American’s fear of Communism, and he unjustly accused people of associating with Communism without proper evidence. Since McCarthy had the power of persuasion and people were so scared of Communism, he became a powerful figure. Murrow was not intimidated by the senator, and he thought it was vital to report on McCarthy’s actions in order to stop the madness. Overall, Murrow realized the importance of facing important issues and reporting them to the public in order

The Movie “good night good luck” is incredibly historically accurate. The Movie uses authentic clips that show McCarthy and many speeches Murrow used. World War ended in 1945 leaving a broken Europe and a communist block behind. The United States quickly receded back to the red scare that had existed before WWII. The United States quickly set an anti-communist stance and prepared for a war against the communists. While the war never came some enterprising individuals placed themselves in powerful positions using the paranoia created. Among these individuals one came forward and began one of the most controversial historical programs. Joe McCarthy a nobody Wisconsin’s junior senator made his name when he gave a speech claiming his

People were accused of affiliation with the communist party by Senator Joseph McCarthy. Mr. McCarthy shouted names recklessly into a void. He presented the information in a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia and accused around two hundred people in the United States government of association with the communist party (Bayley 16). On February 9, 1950, he stated specifically that people in the State Department were accused. The insane part about it was he did it with little to no evidence of the person (Bayley 22). One reason he may have got away with it for a while was the fact he had connections to the media. McCarthy would give a speech about the trials, or anything to do with it and within hours a source published information about it (CITE!). The rate at which that happened was too rapid for the fifties. Social media did not exist and news did not spread nearly as fast as it does now. It took time in the fifties. Many believed then and even now that the media worked with McCarthy to put out the information he wanted to be heard. Reasons for any of it? Maybe it was some quid pro quo between the media and politicians. Politicians promised the media additional information if they filtered what the general public . Situations similar to paying off the media happen in current day. (INSERT EXAMPLE HERE). Not only the politicians benefitted from it, but the media redeemed what they looked for to project to the public. This

This 1950’s era movie has a man of power that inflicts fear into the people of America. Senator Joseph McCarthy, the equivalent of Reverend Parris, accuses people of being communists or having ties to communists. This has a lasting influence on the people being interviewed, the people watching: and as shown in the movie, the media. McCarthy’s power turned Americans against each other, while also bringing them together; his ability to do so was made possible through the power he had and received. One senator, J. William Fulbright, said about McCarthy, “The junior senator from Wisconsin, by his reckless charges, has so preyed upon the fears and hatreds and prejudices of the American people that he has started a prairie fire which neither he nor anyone else may be able to control.”

Edward R. Murrow and Fred Friendly created the TV show See It Now on CBS. murrow and Friendly were able to use the show to reveal to the public Joseph McCarthy’s true colors. For one episode the program highlighted Milo Radulovich a twenty six year old meteorologists and reserve officer. Joseph McCarthy spread lies labeling Radulovich as a security risk because his sister and father subscribed to a Serbian newspaper. As a result a military board of inquiry proposed that Milo Radulovich be dismissed from the reserves. Also during See It Now the show broadcasted clips of McCarthy to reveal that he contradicts his statements and images that portrayed him as a bully. Murrow and Friendly’s stand against McCarthy could have cost them their careers

McCarthy claimed that Murrow had ties to communism saying that he was on the soviet pay role in 1932 and that he is a card carrying member for the international industrial

In the movie, Good Night, and Good Luck, it is portrayed that many people or news companies were too afraid of McCarthy to stand up to him. Although by the time the show, See It Now, aired on the 9th of March, 1954, many people wanted to remove McCarthy from chairman. Many Republicans joined Democrats in publicly denouncing him, including Richard Nixon. Many would state that mainstream news was also very anti-McCarthy, including Time Magazine and Chicago Tribune.

The conflict started off with Edward R. Murrow (An American broadcast journalist) pointing out all of the faults with American senator and politician Joseph McCarthy in an attempt to improve his evening talk show program. This plan backfired, however, and provoked McCarthy, who in turn went about accusing Edward Murrow of being a communist. This really hurt Murrow’s talk show, so bad in fact that it was moved to a different time of day with a lower viewing base of

They were harassed or threaten to lose their sponsorship to their programming if they didn’t follow directions. However Murrow’s honesty and courage was stronger than the harassment made about him losing his job if he continued to report on controversial issues. Another thing that I also found interesting how people didn’t have the right to a fair hearing during that mandate of McCarthy. I just think that it was very unfair to many people that were accused of having ties with communist or being a communist because they would lose their job without further investigation. Furthermore, I also found interesting how a Joe and Shirley couldn’t work together because they married and it was against policy rules.

The moment these words are spoken, the audience knows that Murrow is a principled man and on a mission to expose the illegitimacy of McCarthy’s actions. He furthers his actions by running a news story about an Air Force Officer who was discharged because his father had subscribed to a Serbian Newspaper. Most journalists would have been reluctant to air something so controversial, but

There was much protesting against communism. many new stations such as ABC and especially CBS broadcasted regarding the terror that spread due to McCarthyism. Hosts of popular radio shows would dedicate a whole show criticising McCarthy or discuss what was happening. A Senate subcommittee was formed to investigate McCarthy's strategies. ABC broadcasted the hearings live, this was the first time political hearings were on television. The hearings were known as The Army-McCarthy hearings which dominated television for three months and exposed McCarthy's strategies. A big part was contributed by Joseph Welch, The harsh Boston lawyer hired by the Army. When McCarthy fired at Welch, he responded cleverly: "Until thus moment, Senator, I think i had

From that point, it is also arguable that the movie is concentrating on antagonizing Mccarthy in his entirety, who oppressed Murrow’s broadcast statements. Certainly, the movie has been strictly modified and it features the things they want to show the audience, without running away from the core facts. The important points that the movie accurately features are Edward Murrow, his reporting career in CBS, and his communist-oriented controversy with Joseph Mccarthy. However, even though McCarthy’s case was considered very sensational, Murrow’s memoir written by Bob Edwards did not only cover McCarthy most times, but also includes Hitler and Munich crisis in big chunks in the book. Hence, i argue that the movie only focuses on one side of the story, the one that definitely had direct issue with Murrow for his activist trait and verbal

In their next episode they go after McCarthy, inviting him to the show, which he accepts. In McCarthys recorded response he claims Murrow is a communist. CBS then responds by stating we shouldn't use media to paint a negative view of others and then it turns in thier favor when McCarthy begins being investigated himself.

Murrow was more than willing to take the risks involved in order to inform the public of the deceptive nature of McCarthy’s methods, and it is not outright stated, but conveyed through Strathaim’s acting choices and characterization, that Murrow saw it as his duty to the American people.

In a flashback to 1953 the newsmen at CBS are in a conference room trying to decide news pieces for the next show. McCarthy, a senator who claimed that there were communist spies in every level of government, is brought up, but is immediately shot down due to its controversy. Another topic brought