Posted on 11/30/2005 8:13:59 AM PST by MindBender26
Edited on 12/02/2005 3:12:15 AM PST by Jim Robinson. [history]
This just in….
From reliable sources at the nets in NY and DC. CBS is pulling out all stops to get Katie Couric to replace Dan Rather to front the “CBS Evening News.” Insiders say it would be like replacing an idiot with an imbecile.
From reliable sources at the nets in NY and DC. CBS is pulling out all stops to get Katie Couric to replace Dan Rather to front the “CBS Evening News.”
CBS prez Lester Moonves sees himself as on a “mission from God” to get Couric. He has opened his checkbook (and closed the door to any common sense) in a frantic attempt to get the far-left wing “Today Show” hostess to replace Rather.
The “Suits” at NBC realize that although Miz Perky has been a staple at the Big Peacock for more than 15 years, she will go wherever the money is. There will all sorts of comments about “new challenges” and “a change of scene,” but in the end, Couric and her agent will go where the money is, and there is more cash in the budget for an evening news show anchor than for a morning show cutie.
Brain Williams still trying to find his identity as Brokaw’s replacement on “NBC Nightly News.” His ratings are acceptable and pushing him out the door to keep Couric at NBC would have all sorts of problems. Of course, remember that CBS fired (excuse me, retired) Walter Cronkite so Rather wouldn’t defect to ABC. Of course, ABC wasn’t about to pay Rather the big bucks he wanted, so it was a game by the agents about making CBS promote Rather at that instant…. and for big money.
Insiders say there is much headshaking by practical people at both networks. In the words of one older newsroom type, “They just don’t get it. Couric and Rather are both distrusted by Middle America. These guys never get more than 50 miles away from the Empire State Building unless it’s to go to The Hamptons and they think they know what America wants.”
Insider went on to say “Couric has zero news background. Forget about the fact that she would gush and blush over every Frenchman who wanted to say the U.S. was horrible; can you imagine her trying to cover a breaking news event? When the Challenger blew up, Rather had the “deer in the headlights” look all day. Can you imagine Couric trying to anchor a WTC type event? She would have spent her airtime complaining that the North Tower just fell on her favorite little Parisian bistro in the West Village area!”
Couric’s possible appointment is seen by experienced newspeople as a perfect example of the wrong person, in the wrong job, trying to revive an obviously dead format. It makes about as much sense as Pee Wee Herman hosting a kids’ show.
This is a classic case of the people who encouraged the phone Bush TANG story trying to kiss some phony celebrity’s butt, but when the ratings go into the dumper, they will all claim it was someone else’s idea.
Couric has a contract with NBC through the spring, so this will be an ongoing saga until then.
Water is wet.
CBS suits are idiots.......
It really shows how biased, desperate, stupid and out-of-touch, the MSM is...Couric, you must be kidding? What a joke. On the other hand, what critical-thinking, professional journalist would work for the lib-networks anyway??
This is wonderful! That stupid, vacant grin reading Marxist lies every night. Popcorn time!
bump
I think it would be a good move to put a 300-pound gorilla in a sinking rowboat. Go for it, CBS!
Leslie, not Lester. FWIW, natch.
Jumping through butt?
Kinda like the colonoscopy that Katie had on TV a few years back?
"Fox 2. Fox 2. You're wanted in Henhouse 3. Henhouse 3."
Drop the word "like" and this statement reads much more accurately.
Goes to show what CBS really thinks a television journalist really is. And Rather the rest of the talking heads try so hard to pretend they are important.
Is it contract renewal time for Katie? (Just a little suspicious...)
The NYC inner circle is so out of touch with the rest of the world.
This is not exactly true. Katie Couric was a regular reporter for NBC-4 in Washington, D.C. before she was hired by the network, and was a pretty good one. She did substitute news reading for Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams on many occasions before getting the Today Show gig. It isn't like she is just some dumb broad who answered a casting call one day to be the hostess of the Today show. I think she always aspired to be a network anchor, not the queen of the morning chat shows.
1) Eliminate the newscast completely. Crush ABC and NBC with repeats of Everyone Loves Raymond.
2) Transform the newscast into something like Nightline. Delve deep into one or two stories that no one else is reporting on. Feature a 5-min. roundtable discussion of the subject at the end using experts, not journalists.
3) Keep the newscast, but broadcast from Chicago (middle America), or more expensively, a different location every week or month. Get someone untraditional to host: Shep Smith, Bob Costas, or preferably some good local anchor we've never heard of.
They have to blow up the whole "Eyewitness News" model and create something new or no one will watch.
elizabeth vargus is hotter
They just want an extension of Oprah watchers.......dumbed down, mind-numbed women who are VERY easily swayed to the left.
I've always skipped over CBS Evening News when changing channels. Now I'm going to have to invest in a "speed skipper remote" or block CBS all together.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.