Commentators, Television

History

In broadcasting, analysis or opinion presented by identifiable people has always had audience appeal. Early radio producers discovered that a thought-provoking commentator could draw an audience to almost any important news topic. By the 1930s, leading commentators such as H. V. Kaltenborn were building their radio reputations. By the 1950s, commentary played a respected role at the legacy networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC), one that would last into the 1970s and occasionally later.

Evening network newscasts in their 1960s to 1980s heyday, thanks to the dependably massive audiences they reached, were the most powerful broadcast news platforms (and revenue producers) available. This made them the logical sites to offer commentary as an added public service. A few specialists in news analysis and comment held regular slots in newscasts, though in some cases the higher-profile anchors of such programs delivered commentaries of their own (notably Walter Cronkite speaking about the Vietnam War in 1968). In addition to the dinner-hour limelight, some commentators thrived in dedicated news and interview hours elsewhere in the weekly schedule.

While network policies sought to draw a clear line between straight reporting and opinion, the divide was at best a fuzzy one. To some viewers, reporters often revealed the speakers' biases or at least their unconscious framing of stories. An interview program or segment positioning veteran reporters near outspoken experts in a field could combine fact, insight, and opinion that would both inform viewers and stimulate further thought. Additional programs such as CBS Reports and NBS White Paper unfolded in documentary style, using strong visuals to illustrate and frame reporting and analysis.

Selected Network Commentators