25 Edward R. Murrow Quotes on Honest Journalism

If you love classic journalism, you will enjoy our Edward R. Murrow quotes. 

Edward R. Morrow was a pioneer of radio and television broadcasting.

Find out what made his career so memorable with our Edward R. Murrow quotes below. 

Who was Edward R. Murrow?

Egbert Roscoe Murrow, better known as Edward, was an American war correspondent and journalist. 

He became a household name during his live radio broadcasts covering World War II. 

Check out these interesting facts about Edward R. Murrow below:

• Murrow produced the series See It Now.
• Murrow’s journalism coverage lead to the censure of Senator Joseph McCarthy. 
• He recruited brave and tough journalists to cover the war known as the Murrow Boys. 

Murrow and World War II

Edward R. Murrow would join CBS as the director of talks and education in 1935. 

By 1937, he traveled back and forth to London to help head up CBS offices in Europe. 

He recruited a team of gritty and courageous reporters to cover the war. 

Murrow would see bloody battles and carnage as World War II raged on. 

It is hard to imagine in the 2020s, but London sustained 57 consecutive nights of bombing during WWII. 

Murrow was there to cover all of it, and he made the opening phrase “This is London” famous. 

What did Murrow do after the war?

When World War II ended, Murrow returned home to the United States and served as the vice president of the network and head of CBS News. 

He would impact how newsrooms across the country were managed.

In 1950, Murrow did a special radio documentary called The Case of the Flying Saucer. 

In his documentary, Murrow explored the UFO phenomenon, which was very popular in the US in the fifties. 

The piece featured interviews with astronomers and witnesses. 

He was one of the first well-known journalists to produce a balanced look at the unexplained aerial phenomenon sweeping the nation. 

Later, Murrow would produce another very popular segment, called This I Believe. 

This program was ahead of its time, allowing everyday people to speak for five minutes on the radio. 

To learn more, check out our Edward R. Murrow quotes below. 

Short Edward R. Murrow quotes about taking control of the truth

Let’s get started with these Edward R. Murrow quotes that encouraged audiences to be critical thinkers. 

1. “To be credible, we must be truthful.” — Edward R. Murrow

2. “Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences.” — Edward R. Murrow

3. “A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” — Edward R. Murrow

4. “No one can eliminate prejudices; just recognize them.” — Edward R. Murrow

5. “Anyone who isn’t confused really doesn’t understand the situation.” — Edward R. Murrow

The best Edward R. Murrow quotes about learning from the past

Murrow knew that the present moment determines both our future and our history. 

6. “Our history will be what we make it.” — Edward R. Murrow

7. “Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.” — Edward R. Murrow

8. “The best speakers know enough to be scared.” — Edward R. Murrow

9. “We cannot make good news out of bad practice.” — Edward R. Murrow

10. “The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer.” — Edward R. Murrow

The top Edward R. Murrow quotes about history and freedom

Murrow always suggested that knowing history helps avoid mistakes in the future. 

11. “The obscure we see eventually.”— Edward R. Murrow

12. “Our history will be what we make of it.” — Edward R. Murrow

13. “We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.” — Edward R. Murrow

14. “So, just once in a while, let us exalt the importance of ideas and information.” — Edward R. Murrow

15. “It is well to remember that freedom through the press is the thing that comes first.” — Edward R. Murrow

Famous Edward R. Murrow quotes about evil

As a journalist, many would say that Murrow had to face the world’s evil constantly. 

16. We will not walk in fear, one of another.” — Edward R. Murrow

17. “It has become more difficult than ever to distinguish black from white, good from evil, right from wrong.” — Edward R. Murrow

18. “I am seized with an abiding fear regarding what these two instruments are doing to our society, our culture, and our heritage.” — Edward R. Murrow

19. “There is a mental fear, which provokes others of us to see the images of witches in a neighbor’s yard and stampedes us to burn down this house.” — Edward R. Murrow

20. “And there is a creeping fear of doubt, doubt of what we have been taught, of the validity of so many things we had long since taken for granted to be durable and unchanging.” — Edward R. Murrow

Edward R. Murrow quotes and sayings about new media

Murrow worked in the media industry and knew the potential dangers of propaganda. 

21. “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty.” — Edward R. Murrow

22. “The speed of communications is wondrous to behold.” — Edward R. Murrow

23. “No one can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices.” — Edward R. Murrow

24. “We hardly need to be reminded that we are living in an age of confusion.” — Edward R. Murrow

25. “It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that we know to be untrue.” — Edward R. Murrow

Journalism makes the world go round 

It is easy to take the journalist for granted in our age of technology. 

However, journalists are critical to our species’ evolution. 

Objective reporting will never go out of style. 

What is your favorite Edward R. Murrow quote?

Be sure to let us know in the comments below.