(October 30, 1915-March 3, 1998)
Born in New York City, New York
Birth name was Ferdinand Friendly Wachenheimer
With Edward R. Murrow co-produced 'See It Now' and 'CBS Reports'
President of CBS News (1964-66)
Professor of Broadcast Journalism at Columbia University (1966-79)
Wrote 'Due to Circumstances Beyond Out Control,' 'The Good Guys, The Bad Guys and the First Amendment' and 'The Constitution: That Delicate Balance'
Portrayed by George Clooney in 'Good Night and Good Luck' (2005)

He said his first decision as head of CBS News was 'the worst thing I've ever done': removing Walter Cronkite as anchor for the network's coverage of the Democratic National Convention.
He constantly clashed with superiors at CBS.
He left CBS in protest after the network refused to pre-empt an episode of 'The Lucy Show' to broadcast US Senate hearings about the Vietnam War.
He announced his resignation in a letter to the New York Times before bothering to inform CBS.
Author David Halberstam called him 'a man who always came equipped with his own precipice from which to jump.'

He and Murrow were among the first people in TV news to speak out against Joseph McCarthy during the anti-Communist witch hunts of the 50s.
He won ten Peabody Awards during his career.
He fathered public access television when he recommended to New York Mayor John Lindsay that the cable companies set aside two channels for public use (1968).
Bill Moyers said, 'He never thinks that because something is serious it has to be dull.'

Credit: C. Fishel

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For 2009, as of last week, Out of 25 Votes: 48.00% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying

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