Fred W. Friendly
A broadcast news pioneer who weaponized television journalism to confront power, most famously taking on Senator Joseph McCarthy.
1915–1998 (age 83)·President of CBS News·Birthday: October 30·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Fred W. Friendly was a force of nature in broadcast journalism, a man whose name became synonymous with integrity and courage. He began in radio but found his defining partnership with Edward R. Murrow. Together, they created 'See It Now,' a television documentary series that transformed the medium. Friendly's producing genius was most evident in the 1954 episode that directly challenged Senator Joseph McCarthy, a monumental moment that demonstrated television's power to hold authority accountable. After leaving CBS following a principled stand against preempting Senate hearings for soap operas, he dedicated his later years to elevating journalism education. At the Ford Foundation and Columbia University, he championed the idea that an informed public is essential to democracy, leaving a legacy that shaped generations of reporters.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Fred was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Fred Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Fred's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 70
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 80
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Died at 83
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
Key Achievements
- Co-created and produced the landmark CBS documentary series 'See It Now' with Edward R. Murrow.
- Produced the historic 'See It Now' broadcast that critically examined Senator Joseph McCarthy, altering the national conversation.
- Resigned as President of CBS News in 1966 in protest of the network's programming decisions, a famous act of principle.
- Pioneered the concept of the public-access television channel while an advisor at the Ford Foundation.
- Co-founded the Columbia University seminars on media and society, later known as the Fred Friendly Seminars.
Did You Know?
His real name was Ferdinand Friendly Wachenheimer; he legally changed it early in his career.
He served as a radio correspondent for the U.S. Army during World War II.
He won numerous Peabody Awards for his work in broadcast journalism.
He was the executive producer of the acclaimed television documentary series 'CBS Reports.'
“Our history will be what we make it. And if there are any historians about fifty or a hundred years from now, and there should be preserved the kinescopes for one week of all three networks, they will there find recorded in black and white, or color, evidence of decadence, escapism and insulation from the realities of the world in which we live.”
