Sign of the Apocalypse #32: Katie Couric heads to CBS
According to The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz, long-time Today Show co-host Katie Couric is set to take over the CBS Evening News from Bob Schieffer. An announcement is expected this week. (Update: It's official.)
Why is this a SOTA? Not because of Couric herself, although I don't think she's the right person to take over a nightly network news broadcast (although, in terms of ratings, her popularity may help her lead the show out of the basement). No, it's that this isn't about the news, nor about broadcasting integrity or excellence. It's about entertainment. It's Network. We've known this all along, of course, but now it's just so transparent. And so grotesque. Consider this: "Couric's pending departure has been the focus of intense media speculation, both because of her celebrity and the historic nature of the move."
Can Couric report the news with the appropriate gravitas? Perhaps, but she's a morning-show host, not an anchor (in the more traditional sense of that term). Does that even matter anymore? Maybe not. The era of Cronkite and Chancellor -- even the era of Brokaw, Rather, and Jennings -- is over. Is she enough of a journalist? Maybe not. But, again, it's not at all clear that an anchor even needs that sort of experience anymore. Besides, even Brokaw hosted Today.
Other than her celebrity, which is what this is all about, is this "historic"? Well, it's different. No woman has ever hosted a nightly network news broadcast by herself. Fair enough. But then why not hire Couric's possible replacement at Today, Meredith Vieira, currently co-host of The View? She's a former 60 Minutes correspondent "with deep roots in network news". Well, because she's not enough of a celebrity, because she's not a celebrity of Couric's caliber.
Remember: This isn't about the news and the reporting thereof. And it's certainly not about journalism. It's about ratings. It's about the show. It's about money. CBS has lagged in third place for a long time. Couric -- who is expected to make even more than the $15-16 million she makes at NBC (there's another SOTA for another time) -- may change that.
Good for Katie Couric, but still a Sign of the Apocalypse.
**********
Update: For an alternative view, see Slate's Troy Patterson, who says that he is "disinclined to regard this as a sign of the apocalypse". I wonder if he's read The Reaction.
Also, this post was quoted (but not linked to) at The Philadelphia Inquirer's Blinq blog -- see here. The author of that blog, Daniel Rubin, considers this SOTA "a little heavy handed". But at least he correctly identifies me as a "liberal blogger".
Why is this a SOTA? Not because of Couric herself, although I don't think she's the right person to take over a nightly network news broadcast (although, in terms of ratings, her popularity may help her lead the show out of the basement). No, it's that this isn't about the news, nor about broadcasting integrity or excellence. It's about entertainment. It's Network. We've known this all along, of course, but now it's just so transparent. And so grotesque. Consider this: "Couric's pending departure has been the focus of intense media speculation, both because of her celebrity and the historic nature of the move."
Can Couric report the news with the appropriate gravitas? Perhaps, but she's a morning-show host, not an anchor (in the more traditional sense of that term). Does that even matter anymore? Maybe not. The era of Cronkite and Chancellor -- even the era of Brokaw, Rather, and Jennings -- is over. Is she enough of a journalist? Maybe not. But, again, it's not at all clear that an anchor even needs that sort of experience anymore. Besides, even Brokaw hosted Today.
Other than her celebrity, which is what this is all about, is this "historic"? Well, it's different. No woman has ever hosted a nightly network news broadcast by herself. Fair enough. But then why not hire Couric's possible replacement at Today, Meredith Vieira, currently co-host of The View? She's a former 60 Minutes correspondent "with deep roots in network news". Well, because she's not enough of a celebrity, because she's not a celebrity of Couric's caliber.
Remember: This isn't about the news and the reporting thereof. And it's certainly not about journalism. It's about ratings. It's about the show. It's about money. CBS has lagged in third place for a long time. Couric -- who is expected to make even more than the $15-16 million she makes at NBC (there's another SOTA for another time) -- may change that.
Good for Katie Couric, but still a Sign of the Apocalypse.
**********
Update: For an alternative view, see Slate's Troy Patterson, who says that he is "disinclined to regard this as a sign of the apocalypse". I wonder if he's read The Reaction.
Also, this post was quoted (but not linked to) at The Philadelphia Inquirer's Blinq blog -- see here. The author of that blog, Daniel Rubin, considers this SOTA "a little heavy handed". But at least he correctly identifies me as a "liberal blogger".
10 Comments:
The nominal half-hour network evening news programs have been downsized contentwise, streamlined and larded in with infotainment and other fluff that they really don't matter much any more.
Anchors don't generally anchor a worldwide force of eager, on-scene network correspondents. Any more, they seem mostly to be Veejays for segments picked up from independent reporters and local news oprations, catch as catch can.
Anderson Cooper is good enough for CNN. Couric is good enough for CBS. Aaron Brown, a newsman, is too good for either.
By Anonymous, at 4:05 AM
Very true, S.W. Which is why, when it comes down to it, I really don't care about Couric doing the evening news. Or, I should say, it all makes perfect sense, given how network news works. It's just such a shame that it's come to this.
And I agree with you about Aaron Brown. I like him a lot. He stands so far above these hosts/anchors. I didn't have much respect for CNN as it was, but when they let him go... well, that was it. I wrote a post on him when his firing was announced and it generated a lot of positive responses. It's good to know that I'm not along. There are a lot of Brown fans out there.
By Michael J.W. Stickings, at 2:37 AM
I seriously thought that when Couric's name was being thrown around after Dan Rather was ousted, that she was only mentioned as a point of comic relief. Maybe, to even poke a bit of fun at Dan, who was an actual journalist.
But, the CBS wants ratings, and not respectability!
In the long run they will get neither, as I suspect there are enough people like myself who once had respect for CBS, will turn to more respectable sources.
By Anonymous, at 5:43 PM
This is some very valueable information, thank you very much.
Düzce kontör market
online kontör market
kontör satış sitesi
Düzce Bilgin Nakliyat
parça kontör market
Düzce Elif Mutfak
parça kontör
By Anonymous, at 8:25 AM
Oyun oyunlar oyun oyna gibi kelimeler toner kartuş konuları yer almakta bedava oyunlar
2 Oyunculu Oyunlar - Yetenek Oyunları - Dövüş Oyunları - Aksiyon Macera Oyunları - Nişancılık Oyunları - Spor Oyunları - Yarış Oyunları - Zeka Hafıza Oyunları - oyun çocukta doğuştan gelen bir tabiat ve Allah'ın onda yarattığı bir içgüdüdür. Bunun temelinde çocuğun fiziksel gelişiminin mükemmel bir tarzda gelişimdirMotor Oyunları - Mario Oyunları - Savaş Oyunları - Strateji Taktik Oyunları - Yemek Pişirme Oyunları - Dekor Oyunları - Boyama Kitabı Oyunları - 3 Boyutlu Oyunlar - Hugo Oyunları - Sonic Oyunları - Webcam Oyunları - Peri Güzellik Oyunları - Battleon Oyunları - Süper Oyunlar - İlizyon Oyunları - Komik Oyunlar - Teletabi Oyunları - Giysi Giydirme oyunları - Makyaj yapma oyunları -çocuğun en özenli işidir. Yetişkin için iş ve kazanç ne ise onun için de oyun odur... Dış dünyanın kavranılması öğrenilmesi ve hayata hazırlanmanın en ... Kız oyunları - Çocuk Oyunları - işletme oyunları - varmısın yokmusun - Bebek Oyunları - Oyun - Animasyon - Oyun Oyna - Oyunlar - Oyun Cambazı - Bedava Oyunlar - motosiklet dergisi - animasyon - renkli toner tozları - fotokopi toneri - kartuş - toner - boş toner - boş kartuş - toner dram - toner chip - toner tozu - toner dolumu - kartuş dolumu - kartuş dolum malzemeleri - kartuş dolum makinesi - renkli toner dolumu - Bedava Oyun - Kral oyun
haber
By cicicocuk, at 5:19 PM
buy wow gold,wow power leveling,cheap wow gold,world of warcraft power leveling,sell wow gold,wow power level,wow gold,world of warcraft gold,world of warcraft gold,buy wow gold,world of warcraft power leveling,wow gold for sale,power leveling,wow power level,wow power level,ffxi gil,buy wow gold,wow power leveling,ffxi gil,power leveling,wow gold for sale,buy cheap wow gold.
By Anonymous, at 1:36 AM
best weight loss weight loss now weight loss tips
weight loss pills ,
penis enlargement
By Anonymous, at 6:52 PM
http://european.Frgoldwow.com
http://watch.goldbarbar.com
http://show-za.goldbarbar.com
http://quest.goldbarbar.com
http://museum.goldbarbar.com
http://level.goldbarbar.com
By Anonymous, at 1:44 AM
thanks.
boya
söve
dış cephe
mantolama
dış cephe kaplama
boya
izolasyon
e-ticaret
ısı yalıtım
söve
boya
dış cephe söveleri
söve fiyatları
söve imalatı
söve kaplama
söve nedir
söve sistemleri
söve firmaları
pencere sövesi
dış cephe süsleme
hazır söve
siding fiyatları
siding
amerikan siding
kartonpiyer söve
cephe söveleri
söve harcı
dekoratif söve
plastik boya
dış cephe boyaları
antibakteriyel boya
astar boya
dış cephe macunu
saten boya
dış cephe boyaları
ahşap koruyucu
söve mantolama pencere sövesi siding söve fiyatları söve resimleri söve nedir söve firmaları söve kaplama söve uygulamaları strafor söve prekast söve söve imalatı dış cephe söveleri söve sistemleri hazır söve dekoratif söve hazır söve mantolama dış cephe mantolama dış cephe süsleme söve tasarımı söve dekorasyon siding söve çeşitleri
By söve, at 8:13 AM
^^ nice blog!! ^@^
徵信, 徵信, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信社, 徵信社, 感情挽回, 婚姻挽回, 挽回婚姻, 挽回感情, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信, 捉姦, 徵信公司, 通姦, 通姦罪, 抓姦, 抓猴, 捉猴, 捉姦, 監聽, 調查跟蹤, 反跟蹤, 外遇問題, 徵信, 捉姦, 女人徵信, 女子徵信, 外遇問題, 女子徵信, 徵信社, 外遇, 徵信公司, 徵信網, 外遇蒐證, 抓姦, 抓猴, 捉猴, 調查跟蹤, 反跟蹤, 感情挽回, 挽回感情, 婚姻挽回, 挽回婚姻, 外遇沖開, 抓姦, 女子徵信, 外遇蒐證, 外遇, 通姦, 通姦罪, 贍養費, 徵信, 徵信社, 抓姦, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信公司, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信公司, 徵信社, 徵信公司, 女人徵信, 外遇
徵信, 徵信網, 徵信社, 徵信網, 外遇, 徵信, 徵信社, 抓姦, 徵信, 女人徵信, 徵信社, 女人徵信社, 外遇, 抓姦, 徵信公司, 徵信社, 徵信社, 徵信社, 徵信社, 徵信社, 徵信社, 女人徵信社, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 女子徵信社, 女子徵信社, 女子徵信社, 女子徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社,
徵信, 徵信社,徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 外遇, 抓姦, 離婚, 外遇,離婚,
徵信, 外遇, 離婚, 徵信社, 徵信, 外遇, 抓姦, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 外遇, 徵信社, 徵信, 外遇, 抓姦, 徵信社, 征信, 征信, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 征信, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信社, 徵信社, 徵信, 外遇, 抓姦, 徵信, 徵信社, 徵信, 徵信社,
By Anonymous, at 11:08 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home