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Daniel Schorr

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For the actor, seeDan Shor.
Daniel Schorr
Schorr (left) and NPR'sScott Simonprepare for a Saturday broadcast
Born
Daniel Louis Schorr

(1916-08-31)August 31, 1916
New York City,U.S.
DiedJuly 23, 2010(2010-07-23)(aged 93)
Washington, D.C.,U.S.
OccupationJournalist
SpouseLisbeth Bamberger

Daniel Louis Schorr(August 31, 1916 – July 23, 2010)[1][2]was an Americanjournalistwho covered world news for more than 60 years. He was most recently a Senior News Analyst forNational Public Radio(NPR). Schorr won threeEmmy Awardsfor his television journalism.

Early life[edit]

Schorr was born in theBronx, New York,the son ofRussianimmigrants Tillie Godiner and Gedaliah Tchornemoretz.[2][3]He began his journalism career at the age of 13, when he came upon a woman who had jumped or fallen from the roof of his apartment building. After calling the police, he phonedtheBronx Home Newsand was paid $5 for his information.[4]

He attendedDeWitt Clinton High Schoolin theWest Bronx,where he worked on theClinton News,the school paper. He graduated fromCity College of New Yorkin 1939 while working for theJewish Daily Bulletin.Schorr also worked for theJewish Telegraphic Agencyas a chief news editor from 1934 to 1948.[5][6]DuringWorld War II,Schorr served inArmy IntelligenceatFort Polk,Louisiana,and atFort Sam Houston,Texas.

In January 1967, he married Lisbeth Bamberger,[7]a graduate of theUniversity of California, Berkeley.[4]

CBS News[edit]

Following several years as astringer,including bylines inThe New York Times,which led to a tryout but no job despite repeated attempts, in 1953 he joinedCBS Newsas one of the recruits ofEdward R. Murrow(becoming part of the later generation ofMurrow's Boys). In 1955, with the post-Stalinthaw in theSoviet Union,he received accreditation to open a CBS bureau in Moscow. In June 1957, he obtained an exclusive interview withNikita Khrushchev,theSoviet Communist Partychief. It aired on CBS'sFace the Nation,Schorr's first television interview. Schorr left theSoviet Unionlater that year, because of Soviet censorship laws. When he applied for a new visa, it was denied by the Soviets.[4]

In January 1962, he aired the first examination ofeveryday lifeundercommunisminEast Germany,The Land Beyond the Wall: Three Weeks in a German City,which the Times called a "journalistic coup". After agreeing not to foster "propaganda" for the United States, Schorr was granted the rights to conduct the interviews inRostock.By airing everyday life, Schorr painted a picture of the necessity for a Communist state to seal itself off from the West in order to survive.

PresidentJohn F. Kennedy'sSecretary of StateDean Ruskcriticized Schorr's actions in an August 10, 1962diplomatic cablefor acheckbook journalismstory in which, "Schorr involved himself in a matter which was far beyond his private or journalistic responsibilities and proceeded amateurishly in a matter filled with greatest danger for all concerned. As we anticipated, [the] other side turned out to be fully aware of the matter and laid a trap which could have resulted in [a] massacre [of] those involved.”[8]A meeting with the State Department over the matter recorded in a cable stated, "Schorr appeared chastened by fact that a plan which was to be his greatest achievement had failed. He did not give slightest appearance of being contrite."[8]

CBS executives were not amused when Schorr reported—incorrectly—thatBarry Goldwaterwas said to "travel to Germany to join-up with the right-wing there", and visit "Hitler's one-time stomping ground" inBerchtesgaden,immediately after he became the Republican nominee for president.[citation needed]For obvious reasons, this did not fare well with Goldwater, who demanded an apology for the "CBS conspiracy" against his campaign for president.[4]

Schorr took a close journalistic interest in the career ofVice President of the United StatesHubert Humphrey.[citation needed]

1970s[edit]

"A real media enemy": Schorr is listed on page three ofNixon's Enemies List,compiled byCharles Colsonand written byGeorge T. Bell.

Schorr attracted the anger ofRichard Nixon'sWhite House.In 1971, after a dispute with White House aides, Schorr's friends, neighbors, and co-workers were questioned by theFederal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) about his habits. They were told that Schorr was under consideration for a high-level position in the environmental area. Schorr knew nothing about it. Later, during theWatergatehearings, it was revealed that Nixon aides had drawn up what became known asNixon's Enemies List,and Daniel Schorr was on that list. Famously, Schorr read the list aloud on live TV, surprised to be reading his own name in that context.[9][10]Schorr wonEmmysfor news reporting in 1972, 1973, and 1974.

Schorr provoked intense controversy in 1976 when he received and made public the contents of the secretPike Committeereport on illegalCentral Intelligence Agency(CIA) and FBI activities.[2]Called to testify beforeCongress,he refused to identify his source onFirst Amendmentgrounds, risking imprisonment. This did not mollify CBS executives, and Schorr ultimately resigned from his position at CBS in September 1976. Although scolded at first for his television report by former CIA directorRichard Helms,[11]Schorr was vindicated by the text of the report, which he had obtained from an undisclosed source and sent toThe Village Voice.[4]

Schorr "remained silent in the face of false suspicions that another CBS correspondent,Lesley Stahl,had given the (Pike) report to The Voice ".[2][12]Roger Muddstated in his autobiography that Schorr personally spread rumors that Stahl had leaked the paper,[13]while Stahl in her autobiography stated that she was "flabbergasted" at the accusation from Schorr and the resulting furor within CBS as the executives were "deciding what to do" with her over the serious journalistic breach she was accused of,[14]whileNora Ephronreports that Stahl considered aslandersuit against Schorr.[15]Schorr later donated his profits from the sale of the Pike papers to theReporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press.[citation needed]

On May 14, 2006, on NPR'sWeekend Edition,Schorr mentioned a meeting at the White House that took place with colleagueA. M. Rosenthaland president Gerald Ford. Ford mentioned that theRockefeller Commissionhad access to various CIA documents, including those referring to political assassinations.[16]

Later work[edit]

In 1977, Schorr was hired byReese Schonfeldas a White House correspondent for ITNA (Independent Television News Association), a news agency serving independent television news stations in the U.S. In 1979, Schonfeld andTed Turnerbrought Schorr to Cable News Network (CNN), where he was the first on-camera employee hired. He reported news and delivered commentary and news analysis on the fledgling CNN. His contract was not renewed in 1985, one of the two times he stated he was "fired".[17]He then took the position as Senior News Analyst at NPR, a position he held for decades up to the time of his death. In that position, he regularly commented on current events for programs includingAll Things ConsideredandWeekend Edition.He also wrote a column forThe Christian Science Monitorfor several decades. Schorr was called "reliably liberal",[18]and was "widely regarded as a liberal" according to another source, though he regarded the label as inaccurate.[19]

In 1994, Schorr narrated the TV miniseries,Watergate.In the late 1990s, he appeared briefly as a newscaster in three Hollywood movies:The Net(1995),The Game(1997), andThe Siege(1998). InThe Game,Schorr appeared as himself as an agent of an organization that interferes with the main character's life. He also appeared as himself in thedocufictionfilmWorld War Threethat presented an alternative ending to the USA/USSR Cold War.

Schorr was elected to theAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciencesin 2002.

Other[edit]

Though not a fan ofrock music,Schorr became friends with composerFrank Zappaafter the latter contacted him, asking for help with avoter registrationdrive. Schorr made an appearance with Zappa on February 10, 1988, where he sang "It Ain't Necessarily So"and"Summertime".[20]Schorr delivered the eulogy on NPR after Zappa's death on December 4, 1993; he professed not to understand Zappa's lengthy discourses onmusic theory,but he found a kindred spirit—a serious man with a commitment tofree speech.[citation needed]

About 20 years after Nixon's resignation, Schorr attended a dinner where Nixon spoke about the Soviet Union. After the dinner ended, Schorr walked up to Nixon and said, "Mr. Nixon, I'm not sure you'll remember me." Nixon replied, "Dan Schorr, damn near hired you once."[21]

Death[edit]

Schorr died from an apparent "short illness" on July 23, 2010, at aWashington, D.C.hospital, at the age of 93. Schorr's last broadcast commentary forNPRaired on Saturday, July 10, 2010 (onWeekend Edition).[2][22][23]His remains were buried atParklawn Memorial ParkinRockville, Maryland.

Awards[edit]

  • Emmy Award for "outstanding achievement within a regularly scheduled news program", 1972, 1973, and 1974.
  • George Polk Awardfor Radio Commentary, for his work on NPR, 1993.
  • Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University"Golden Baton" for "Exceptional Contributions to Radio and Television Reporting and Commentary", 1996.
  • Edward R. Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement in Broadcasting, 2002.[24]
  • Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) degree fromWhittier College(2003)[25]

Listed as number 17 onNixon's Enemies List,something he discovered while reading the just obtained list live on the air. He was later named in the Nixon articles of impeachment. Even late in life, he considered being named on the Enemies List one of the greatest honors in his life.[26]

Books[edit]

External videos
video iconBooknotesinterview with Schorr onStaying Tuned: A Life in Journalism,July 1, 2001,C-SPAN
  • (2007)Come to Think of It: Notes on the Turn of the Millennium.Viking Adult.ISBN0-670-01873-2.
  • (2005)The Senate Watergate Report: The Historic Ervin Committee Report, Which Initiated the Fall of a President.Carroll & Graf.ISBN0-7867-1709-2.
  • (2002)Staying Tuned: A Life in Journalism.Washington Square Press.ISBN0-671-02088-9.
  • (1998)Forgive Us Our Press Passes: Selected Works (1972–1998).O'Brien Center for Scholarly Pubns.ISBN0-9626954-6-7.
  • (1978)Clearing the Air.Berkley.ISBN0-425-03903-X.
  • (1970)Don't Get Sick in America.Aurora Publishers.ISBN0-87695-103-5.

References[edit]

  1. ^Journalism Legend Daniel Schorr Dies At 93
  2. ^abcdeHershey Jr., Robert D. (July 23, 2010)."Daniel Schorr, Journalist, Dies at 93".The New York Times.Retrieved2010-07-23.he remained silent in the face of false suspicions that another CBS correspondent, Lesley Stahl, had given the report to The Voice
  3. ^Staying Tuned: A Life in Journalism: Daniel Schorr.ISBN978-0-671-02088-0
  4. ^abcdePhilip Hilts (1976-03-28). "Daniel Schorr Had A Secret; Then he passed it on-and all hell broke loose".The Washington Post.
  5. ^Arnold, Martin (27 February 1976)."Controversial Reporter".The New York Times.
  6. ^Hershey, Robert D. Jr. (23 July 2010)."Daniel Schorr, Journalist, Dies at 93".The New York Times.
  7. ^"Lisbeth B Schorr | Welcome to my Website".Lisbethschorr.org.Retrieved2015-11-08.
  8. ^ab"Declassified cables from Berlin Wall tell tale of drama, dare".The Washington Times.2014-10-10.Retrieved2015-11-08.
  9. ^Staying Tuned,PBS NewsHour,2001-05-29. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
  10. ^Interview forThe Interviews: An Oral History of Television,May 22, 2001.[1]
  11. ^"Helms Terms Newsman 'Killer' for Hint of Murders by C.I.A.".The New York Times.1975-04-29.
  12. ^Daniel Schorr dies at 93; controversial CBS and CNN broadcaster became elder statesman at NPR - latimes
  13. ^(schorr+stahl+pike) The Place to Be: Washington, CBS, and the Glory Days of Television News - Roger Mudd - Google Books
  14. ^(schorr+stahl+pike) Reporting Live - Lesley Stahl - Google Books
  15. ^(schorr+stahl+pike) Crazy Salad and Scribble Scribble: Some Things About Women and Notes on Media - Nora Ephron - Google Books
  16. ^"Remembering Journalist Abe Rosenthal".Weekend Edition Sunday.NPR. 2006-05-14.
  17. ^"Schorr, Daniel".Archived fromthe originalon 2005-08-22.Retrieved2005-08-17.
  18. ^Jaffe, Harry (1 August 2008)."No Bull Bill".The Washingtonian.Retrieved28 May2011.
  19. ^Molotsky, Irvin (27 November 1997)."One Tough Bird, After All; How Public Broadcasting Survived the Attacks Of Conservatives".The New York Times.Retrieved28 May2011.
  20. ^NPR.org – "Daniel Schorr And Frank Zappa Were Friends. Really."
  21. ^Michele Norris & Robert Siegel (23 July 2010)."NPR's 'Voice Of Experience,' Daniel Schorr, Dies".All Things Considered.NPR.Retrieved2010-10-14.
  22. ^ Sullivan, Patricia (July 23, 2010)."Daniel Schorr, veteran broadcast reporter and news analyst, dead at 93".The Washington Post.Retrieved2010-07-23.
  23. ^Serjeant, Jill (Jul 23, 2010)."Veteran journalist Daniel Schorr dies at 93".Reuters.Retrieved2010-07-23.
  24. ^The Edward R. Murrow SymposiumArchived2005-03-17 at theWayback Machine
  25. ^"Honorary Degrees | Whittier College".whittier.edu.Retrieved2020-02-13.
  26. ^Perks, Ashley (6 January 2009)."Journalist recalls the honor of being on Nixon's Enemies List".The Hill.Retrieved11 April2021.

External links[edit]

Multimedia
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