This Reporter

"This Reporter" is the story of Edward R. Murrow and his career at CBS, so beautifully told in the film "Good Night, and Good Luck." If possible, see the documentary first - you will appreciate the film even more. Murrow was a handsome man who always had a cigarette in his hand; this documentary traces his career, which includes his remarkable commentary overseas during World War II (during which time he had an affair with Pamela Churchill, who became Pamela Harriman), and covers his rocky career at CBS on what can be described as an early version of 60 Minutes that eventually finished him at that network. Once he took on Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare, Murrow became interested in other important and controversial stories, and his network protector, William Paley, became less and less supportive. During this time, Murrow started his famous "Person to Person" television show that took viewers into the homes of important people, which had never been done before. Gradually, however, he found his power at the network greatly diminished. He was too troublesome, and Paley was sick to his stomach over the constant controversy that surrounded the show.

Murrow immediately saw the tremendous potential of television and was frustrated that this promise was not being tapped fully. Many of his predictions -- about the news becoming tabloid, for instance, have become true.

An excellent and sobering documentary about one of the giants of journalism.