[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 21 (Wednesday, March 1, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CONGRATULATIONS TO WALTER CRYAN UPON HIS RETIREMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). Under a previous order of 
the House, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Weygand) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stress my congratulations 
and sincere thanks to a good friend, Walter Cryan, who is retiring from 
a 35-year career in broadcast journalism. Walter will be deeply missed. 
This great man, whom we have watched as anchor on Channel 12 for the 
last 35 years, will be missed because we know that the kind of 
journalism that he represents is not the norm today.
  Walter Cryan heard the call of the media at a very early age. As a 
child growing up in Cambridge and Lowell, Massachusetts, a young Walter 
was enraptured by the world of radio and displayed a particular love 
for the Lone Ranger. At this time he was also exposed to journalistic 
greats such as Walter Winchell and Edward R. Murrow, who would 
undoubtedly influence his later career, though at the time he actually 
preferred the world of sportscasting.
  With dreams of becoming a baseball announcer, Walter enrolled in the 
Leland Powers School of Radio and Television in Boston and later 
transferred to Boston University. After being drafted in the Army in 
1952, Walter was stationed in Germany where he served as a broadcaster 
for the Armed Services Network.
  Upon his return to the United States, Walter completed his 
communications degree and embarked upon a career that would eventually 
make him one of the most respected journalists in our State. After 
spending several years with a Massachusetts radio station, Walter made 
a decision that would shape the remainder of his life. With his wife's 
encouragement, he took a chance, and a pay cut, to move to Rhode Island 
in 1965 to pursue a position at WPRO Radio, which also happened to own 
Channel 12, a television station.
  One year later, he was tapped as station anchor on the 11 p.m. news; 
and in 1967, he was tapped to be the 6 p.m. anchor, where he would 
remain for the next 33 years. With his straightforward reporting style 
and his dignified presence, he quickly developed into a Rhode Island 
favorite amongst all viewers.
  Mr. Speaker, Rhode Island is not a large State; with a population of 
only a million people within about 1,200 square miles, the entire State 
has only one local affiliate for each of the network stations. And for 
this reason, though, our local nightly news anchors are particularly 
well known and recognized just as Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, and Dan 
Rather.

  From his anchor desk, Walter Cryan has succeeded admirably in 
becoming a reliable and respected source of news in our State. His 
sincere demeanor and his warm personality contribute to his ability to 
relate to the viewers at home, which inspires a great deal of trust in 
all who watch this wonderful anchorman.
  In times of prosperity and turmoil, of joy and despair, Walter has 
remained a steady presence at the anchor desk of Channel 12 news.
  In 1996, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences recognized 
Walter's service to the southeastern New England area by inducting him 
into the Silver Circle, a prestigious award given only to those who 
have served more than 25 years in the broadcasting industry.
  One of Walter's greatest assets that he brings to his work is his 
great sense of perspective. The arrival of cable television and the 
Internet have caused the network ratings, especially in news 
broadcasts, to decline over recent years. In an attempt to attract more 
viewers, many network news programs have added more sensational 
reporting and entertainment type of news, a style very different from 
the days of Edward R. Murrow or Walter's youth.
  Walter held a place for himself in the news media wonderland by 
maintaining his professional demeanor and his no-nonsense style of 
reporting. He carved a unique niche in Rhode Island media by displaying 
a remarkable understanding of why certain events occur and how they 
impact the public.
  As a person, he has witnessed riots and war, deaths of public 
figures, economic booms and busts, countless elections and moments 
essential to our State's history. He has been always able to explain 
not only the news, but truly their significance to the people.
  But there is also another side of Walter Cryan, a side that is 
certainly more sincere and dedicated and really shows the warm side of 
Walter Cryan. Walter has highlighted the cause of a facility, an 
institution known as Meeting Street Center, a Providence organization 
that assists special needs handicapped children. For the last 22 years, 
Walter has been an active advocate and a vocal advocate of this 
organization and he annually hosts their fund-raising telethon which 
has raised over $4 million during his time.
  During his telethons, he highlights extraordinary advances of the 
children at Meeting Street Center, how they have moved forward, the 
things they have done. Rhode Islanders have witnessed, live on TV 
sometimes, the first steps and the lives of these remarkable children.
  Mr. Speaker, I end by saying that Walter Cryan has not only been a 
tremendous journalist for our State, a person who represents 
sensitivity and determination to his profession, but he has been a 
great family man dedicated to our community, to public service in the 
finest of ways. He is a great guy, and we are going to miss him dearly.

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