Norah O'Donnell invokes Edward R. Murrow in her first CBS Evening News broadcast

Variety

O'Donnell showed a clip of the legendary CBS Newsman grilling Senator Joseph McCarthy as a preview of what to expect during her tenure. “This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and even it can inspire,” O’Donnell said, reading from an excerpt of a famous Murrow speech about the power of TV.  “But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise, it’s nothing but wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful.” She added: “For Mr. Murrow, we will try to use it well  – and with integrity.”