Fare Thee Well, Andy Rooney

I've been writing a lot recently about unemployment and the job search, so I thought I'd briefly switch gears and discuss an aspect of journalism which certainly deserves attention -- broadcast journalism.  As a college graduate back in 1995, my first professional foray into journalism was actually an internship in the news department of a local radio station, so needless to say, this is a subject very close to my heart.  And with the recent retirement of veteran broadcaster, Andy Rooney, from CBS's 60 Minutes, it's both a timely and relevant topic. 

Reading Mr. Rooney's biography online, it boasts an array of impressive journalistic accomplishments in addition to a distinguished career in the U.S. Army.  Mr. Rooney, a graduate of Colgate University, began his career in journalism in 1942 at the military newspaper, Stars and Stripes.  In 1949, he was hired by CBS as a writer for Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, a long-running radio and television variety program.  He moved on later to The Garry Moore Show, which eventually achieved hit status.  It was at this time that Rooney began writing with a public affairs focus, eventually joining The Twentieth Century, an informative news program where he focused on the television essay niche that would become his professional trademark.  This eventually led him to 60 Minutes, a program he joined in 1978 and stayed with until the autumn of 2011. 

For all his accomplishments -- and Rooney has many respectable ones -- his career was not without its fair share of controversy.  Rooney may very well have been a product of his upbringing, stuck in a time warp or perhaps he was just plain disagreeable, but he spoke his mind and his straightforwardness apparently resonated with many in the viewing audience.  His unabashed lack of political correctness -- on any number of occasions -- eventually led to a three-month suspension without pay in 1990, numerous public outcries against his 60 Minutes segments, and a series of apologies/retractions from both CBS and Rooney himself.  But Rooney did it his way.  And even though his mindset may have caused upset to some, he stuck with his methodology throughout his tenure, parlaying it into one of the longest-running careers in professional broadcast journalism.  For better or worse, he remained a fixture for over 33 years at 60 Minutes, providing a voice for the disgruntled, whether the matter was mundane, mass or myriad.  For this and so much more, he undoubtedly deserves the respect of all journalists -- no questions asked and no comments uttered.

In the wake of Rooney's departure, it is interesting to assess the cast of characters now dominating the broadcast landscape.  There will never be another Rooney, but there will always be eager, inquisitive journalists determined to make their mark in print, on television or radio airwaves or online.  As long as there's a story to tell -- and there always will be -- the future of journalism is assured.  The question now becomes who will fill Andy Rooney's shoes, and if the shoes should fit, is it at all possible for the wearer to sport these shoes with the same passion and aplomb as their bushy-browed predecessor, Andy Rooney?