Edward R. Murrow is considered by many to be the first serious practitioner of broadcast journalism. In the 1950s he pioneered in developing the television documentary form with the "See It Now" series. A second series, "Person to Person," played a large part in popularizing the televised celebrity interview. Characterizations of Murrow as "swashbuckling" and "a genuine hero," while perhaps true, serve to obscure Murrow's real contributions to television journalism. Despite his production of many provocative and probing video segments, for example, for the most part he used television in a conservative manner--both "See It Now" and "Person to Person" were as formulaic and predictable as many other television programs. Both "See It now" and "Person to Person" were geared to mass audiences, as the medium of television demanded. The audience for each program differed, as did Murrow's demeanor on each night. Both of Murrow's programs influenced television journalism. He set standards still in effect at the networks today and was the role model for the television foreign correspondent. Journalists, critics, and media historians would like to remember Murrow as being something he was not: an individualist who never compromised his high journalistic standards in face of corporate pressure. He did compromise, and the result had many tangible benefits for him and for CBS. (One hundred and sixty-three notes are included.) (MS)