--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: CBS's Ed Murrow may have been…" description: "\"CBS's Ed Murrow may have been over-celebrated as the principled observer for the masses, fair yet unafraid to take on the bullies.\" — Tina Brown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/tina-brown-2434_been_cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celeb_1532096.png" --- # CBS's Ed Murrow may have been over-celebrated as the… ![“CBS's Ed Murrow may have been over-celebrated as the principled observer for the masses, fair yet unafraid to take on the bullies.” quote by Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/tina-brown-2434_been_cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celeb_1532096.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/tina-brown-2434_been_cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celeb_1532096.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/tina-brown-2434_been_cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celeb_1532096.png) > “CBS's Ed Murrow may have been over-celebrated as the principled observer for the masses, fair yet unafraid to take on the bullies.” [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ed Murrow is praised for his principled, fearless reporting, though some view that praise as excessive. **In simple terms:** Murrow is seen as a brave journalist, perhaps overly celebrated. Key Takeaway Balance admiration with critical assessment. Themes media integrity celebration Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical historical When to use this quote - newsrooms - media criticism - historical analysis Key Concepts journalism public perception Questions to Reflect On - What qualities define principled journalism? - How can we avoid idolizing figures? A Different Perspective Over‑praise can obscure nuanced evaluation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Bullies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullies/) [Cbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cbs/) [Celebrated Principled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celebrated-principled-5686851/) [Ed Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ed-murrow-4147369/) [Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Masses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masses/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murrow-590964/) [Murrow Celebrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murrow-celebrated-5686849/) [Observer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observer/) [Principled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principled/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Unafraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unafraid/) [Unafraid Bullies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unafraid-bullies-5686850/) ## Related quotes > [What separated Ed Murrow from the rest of the pack was courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/what-separated-ed-murrow-from-the-rest-of-the-pack-was-courage/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [I worked for CBS News in the aftermath of all the greatness. I actually brought coffee to Edward R. Murrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-worked-for-cbs-news-in-the-aftermath-of-all-the-greatness-i/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [The script for this film was written 52 years ago by Edward R. Murrow, who taught us many valuable lessons about responsibility and always,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-script-for-this-film-was-written-52-years-ago-by-edward-r-murrow/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [If anyone was talking about journalism in the '50s - it was Edward R.Murrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-strathairn/if-anyone-was-talking-about-journalism-in-the-50s-it-was-edward-r/) [David Strathairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-strathairn/) > [“A nation of sheep will "beget a government of wolves." – EDWARD R. MURROW CBS BROADCAST JOURNALIST 1908-1965”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-whitehead/a-nation-of-sheep-will-beget-a-government-of-wolves-edward-r-murrow-2/) [John W. Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-whitehead/) > [I did my teen-age years in World War II. War news was a constant. We kept the radio on in our house to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/i-did-my-teen-age-years-in-world-war-ii-war-news-was-a-constant-we/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [“‎"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." - Edward R. Murrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/a-nation-of-sheep-will-beget-a-government-of-wolves-edward-r-murrow/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [In the US, the 50s and 60s marked the documentary's golden age, especially at CBS, where pioneering televison journalist Edward R Murrow, immortalised in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/in-the-us-the-50s-and-60s-marked-the-documentary-s-golden-age/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [“Everything finally unraveled for McCarthy in early 1954. In March and April, Edward R. Murrow, a widely respected investigative reporter, ran a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/everything-finally-unraveled-for-mccarthy-in-early-1954-in-march-and/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [“The popular director of OWI was Elmer Davis, an ex-CBS radioman with an admiration for the wire services and Murrow. Working closely with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brinkley/the-popular-director-of-owi-was-elmer-davis-an-ex-cbs-radioman-with/) [Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) > [My journalistic heroes are Peter Jennings and Ted Koppel and Tim Russert and Edward R. Murrow, among others, because they were tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/my-journalistic-heroes-are-peter-jennings-and-ted-koppel-and-tim/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [ “In Europe, Murrow observed to his wife, people were dying and "a thousand years of civilization \[were\] being smashed" while America remained on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-olson/in-europe-murrow-observed-to-his-wife-people-were-dying-and-a/) [Lynne Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-olson/) > [ With "Good Night, and Good Luck," I think it's kind of obvious what \[Truman Capote\]'s getting at there, and the importance of how it's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/with-good-night-and-good-luck-i-think-it-s-kind-of-obvious-what/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [“The Founding Fathers are always spinning in their graves over something, as is Ronald Reagan, or FDR. Edward R. Murrow is a perennial grave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-founding-fathers-are-always-spinning-in-their-graves-over/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [In the U.S., the '50s and '60s marked the documentary's golden age, especially at CBS, where pioneering television journalist Edward R. Murrow, immortalised in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/in-the-u-s-the-50s-and-60s-marked-the-documentary-s-golden-age/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) ## More by Tina Brown > [Admitting weakness seems to be such a severe psychic threat for Bush that when he makes a mistake it's safer just to reinforce it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/admitting-weakness-seems-to-be-such-a-severe-psychic-threat-for-bush/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Oprah's stock in trade has always been her powerful unmediated connection. She could feel your pain and empower you to talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/oprah-s-stock-in-trade-has-always-been-her-powerful-unmediated/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [The digitally native generation has no idea what has been lost to the freedom of intimacy that has no fear of being recorded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/the-digitally-native-generation-has-no-idea-what-has-been-lost-to-the/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Obama can't change his cool disposition, though it would be nice if he lost the vaguely grudging air he gives off that problems of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/obama-can-t-change-his-cool-disposition-though-it-would-be-nice-if-he/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [I'm trying to be entertaining without being mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/i-m-trying-to-be-entertaining-without-being-mean/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > ['America' is synonymous with opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/america-is-synonymous-with-opportunity/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Washington's Alfalfa Club dinner is a populist's nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/washington-s-alfalfa-club-dinner-is-a-populist-s-nightmare/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Politicians have always been required to be fake, but now the career havoc wrought by a stray, flying sound bite means they have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/politicians-have-always-been-required-to-be-fake-but-now-the-career/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [American newspapers are dying mostly because they were so dull for so long, a whole generation gave up on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/american-newspapers-are-dying-mostly-because-they-were-so-dull-for-so/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Powerful women always interpret hostility as unrequited love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/powerful-women-always-interpret-hostility-as-unrequited-love/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Obama's great asset has always been an ability to maintain his air of authority without being baritone about it. He can be boring, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/obama-s-great-asset-has-always-been-an-ability-to-maintain-his-air-of/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > ['The Daily Beast' and Howard Kurtz have parted company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/the-daily-beast-and-howard-kurtz-have-parted-company/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [The women of Afghanistan, left behind as their men fought, did what the women of World War II did - used their wits and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/the-women-of-afghanistan-left-behind-as-their-men-fought-did-what-the/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Your normal Wall Street big-swinging Richard has enough of a lingering moral compass to at least tell himself that his wizardry benefits somebody or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/your-normal-wall-street-big-swinging-richard-has-enough-of-a/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Manners are the ability to put someone else at their ease...by turning any answer into another question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/manners-are-the-ability-to-put-someone-else-at-their-ease-by-turning/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) [Explore all 166 Tina Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) ## More Been quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) [Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "CBS's Ed Murrow may have been over-celebrated as the principled observer for the masses, fair yet unafraid to take on the bullies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tina Brown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celebrated-as-the-principled/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Been" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celebrated-as-the-principled/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/tina-brown-2434_been_cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celeb_1532096.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/tina-brown-2434_been_cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celeb_1532096.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/tina-brown-2434_been_cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celeb_1532096.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“CBS's Ed Murrow may have been over-celebrated as the principled observer for the masses, fair yet unafraid…” — Tina Brown", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tina Brown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "CBS's Ed Murrow may have been...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celebrated-as-the-principled/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/cbs-s-ed-murrow-may-have-been-over-celebrated-as-the-principled/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```