Morley Safer

Morley Safer was a pioneering broadcast journalist whose distinguished career spanned over five decades, most famously as a correspondent for the CBS News program 60 Minutes. Renowned for his incisive reporting, literary writing style, and iconic mustache, he became one of the most trusted and recognizable figures in American television. His groundbreaking work from the Vietnam War and his long tenure on the iconic news magazine helped define modern investigative journalism.

Early Life and Education

Morley Safer was born in Toronto, Ontario, to an Austrian-born father who worked as a upholsterer. He attended Harbord Collegiate Institute before enrolling at the University of Western Ontario, though he left before graduating to begin his career in journalism. His early professional experiences included a stint as a reporter for various newspapers in Canada and England, including the Woodstock Sentinel-Review and the London Free Press. These formative years honed his writing skills and instilled a foundational commitment to thorough reporting.

Career

Safer's broadcast career began in 1955 with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), where he worked as a correspondent and producer. In 1964, he joined CBS News as a London-based correspondent. He gained significant prominence in 1965 with a controversial report from Cam Ne, Vietnam, which showed U.S. Marines using Zippo lighters to burn thatched huts, offering a starkly critical view of the war's conduct. This report drew the ire of President Lyndon B. Johnson but established Safer's reputation for fearless journalism. He later served as the bureau chief for CBS News in London and Saigon.

60 Minutes and Investigative Journalism

In 1970, at the invitation of executive producer Don Hewitt, Safer joined 60 Minutes, becoming a mainstay of the program for 46 seasons. His segments were characterized by a distinctive, often wry narrative style and a focus on cultural, artistic, and human-interest stories alongside hard investigations. Notable reports included an interview with Mikhail Baryshnikov after his defection from the Soviet Union, a profile of the reclusive artist Marlene Dumas, and exposés on subjects ranging from the Tiananmen Square protests to the American criminal justice system. His partnership with colleagues like Mike Wallace, Ed Bradley, and Steve Kroft solidified the program's status as a television institution.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout his career, Morley Safer received numerous prestigious accolades for his contributions to journalism. He was honored with a Peabody Award for his lifetime achievement and earned 12 Emmy Awards for his reporting. Other significant honors included the Paul White Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 2009, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honors.

Personal Life and Legacy

Safer married Jane Fearer in 1968, and they had one daughter. A man of refined tastes, he was an avid collector of modern art and fine antiques, passions often reflected in his reporting. He retired from 60 Minutes in 2016, shortly before his death from pneumonia in Manhattan. Safer's legacy is that of a journalist who elevated the craft of storytelling within television news, blending the rigor of a print reporter with the power of the broadcast medium. His body of work remains a benchmark for integrity, elegance, and depth in American journalism.

Category:American television journalists Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States Category:60 Minutes correspondents Category:Peabody Award winners