Gee, how’s that Evening News program from the Conservative Broadcasting System working out for Katie Couric (links here and here...hat tips to Atrios for both)?Not so good, huh?
What a shame.
I found this column on the subject of this news program written by Eric Deggans of the St. Petersburg, FL Times in March of 2005 (ancient history now, but still interesting), and it contains some information worth noting:
Under (CBS News president Andrew) Heyward's tenure, the news division hasn't groomed a successor to Rather or figured out how to make the tightly wound anchor more attractive to viewers. The network's promotions department even sends out news releases featuring "Danisms," those oddball phrases Rather drops during extended coverage stints in what he seems to think is a burst of folksy wisdom (my fave head-scratcher: "If a frog had side pockets, he'd carry a handgun.")The column does go on to praise Bob Schieffer, who achieved ratings success of a fashion before Couric was installed.
Such news releases may seem like a nod to Rather's unorthodox style. But all they really do is give a legion of TV writers ample material to further lampoon an already awkward figure - who just happens to be the news division's lead face.
And amid increasing questions of credibility, effectiveness and accountability at CBS News, it doesn't help that the top two guys in the division emerged largely unscathed in a supposedly independent report on the biggest journalism scandal of the year (the “Bush/National Guard” thing, of course).
As talented as CBS TV president Les Moonves is, he and Heyward have an awful track record when it comes to programming news. The longstanding success of 60 Minutes has camouflaged a network that plunged from first to worst in the evening news race and has been unable to create another successful prime time newsmagazine franchise.
Deggans also had this good idea.
My suggestion for revamping the Evening News is much more modest than those spitballed in public by network showman Moonves: Move the show to 7:30 p.m.Nah, I’m sure granting more air time for Flush Limbore will do the trick (as opposed to unkempt, nasty little liberal bloggers like yours truly, of course).
One problem with today's network news shows is that they air too early to catch an American workforce working longer hours and stuck in significant commutes. These days, many workers are greeted by Jeopardy or reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond in the 7:30 p.m. "access" time period leading to network prime time.
Why not give viewers something substantive instead: a real news show that highlights all the significant issues of the day at a time when most Americans can watch it?
2 comments:
What really twists my knickers about all this is that some of our fellow countrymen (that strange 35-40%) don't like Katie because they think she's TOO LIBERAL!
By the by -- I know you've been doing a great job shining a bright light on the rock underbelly known as Joe Pitts: check out Lois Herr's diary at DKos on Pitts' endorsement of the job Hastert is doing for our contry.
"You're doing a heckuva job, Denny!"
Lois Herr Diary
PS - Joe's endorsement of Hastert has yet to make the Lancaster papers. Wonder why?
I see what you mean - there are people in this country who look at a TV personality and say, "yeah, she hosts a show from New York, she's a woman and she has a brain, so she has to be a liberal" and that's what passes for decision making.
As to the other matter, my guess is that some "markers" are being called in by our buddy Joe on this - I'm planning to get to this shortly, but thanks for checking in.
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