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Katie may have leg up, but it’s not on news
Boston Herald ^ | 9/06/06 | Mark Perigard

Posted on 09/06/2006 12:23:48 AM PDT by raccoonradio

CBS is spending $15 million a year on Katie Couric. That comes to $7.5 million per shapely leg.

The new CBS anchor flashed her gams just a few minutes into her debut on the “CBS Evening News” last night.

Couric opened strong.

After a taped voiceover introduction from Walter Cronkite, Couric segued to stories on the Taliban’s growth in Afghanistan from correspondent Lara Logan and President Bush’s warning about complacency in the war on terror.

Then it hurtled downhill.

Couric interviewed New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, asking him to essentially translate what Bush had just said. Just a little chit-chat about the war on terror over a coffee table.

The camera framed Couric, chic in a white jacket and dark skirt, in a sultry position as she listened to her guest.

“Are we safer now?” she asked. Viewers across America were probably thinking her legs should be registered as weapons of mass destruction.

Is it sexist to be talking about an anchor woman’s appearance? TV is a visual medium, and a lot is riding on Couric’s new role. She is the first solo female news anchor for a weeknight network news programand CBS is expecting she will bring younger viewers to the third-place news program. Too bad somebody made the decision it was necessary to play up Couric’s assets over her intellect.

You never saw Dan Rather’s biceps.

After rushing through some headlines, Couric introduced two new features. In “freeSpeech,” “30 Days” star, filmmaker and grump Morgan Spurlock warned viewers not to fall for media hype about the state of the union’s divisiveness. In “Snapshots,” Couric reached back to 1949 to show pictures of Prince Charles as a baby.

That wasn’t the only baby onboard. In what passed for an exclusive, she unveiled Vanity Fair’s cover portrait of Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom and Katie Holmes.

“This is proof positive, yessiree, that she does exist,” Couric said.

Sounding like a third-grade teacher, Couric asked for viewers to suggest her signoff. For $15 million the 49-year-old managing editor can’t write her own? A montage of signoffs from across the years included Dan Rather, Ted Baxter and Ron Burgundy. Two of those characters are fictional. Here’s hoping CBS knew which ones.

Couric debuted on a new set with spiffy translucent desk, new credits and theme music from “Titanic” composer James Horner.

As last night’s broadcast demonstrated, CBS is spending a lot of money.

Too bad the network couldn’t dig up some spare change for actual news.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: cbsnews; fluff; headlineoftheweek; katiecouric; liberalmedia
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To: Socratic

He was probably out with Matt Lauer celebrating Katie's departure from NBC.


21 posted on 09/06/2006 1:14:37 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (Bring your press credentials to Qana, for the world's most convincing terrorist street theater.)
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To: raccoonradio

Katie is just a joke!

Now we can all go on ignoring CeeBS news and continue with our lives in the real world.


22 posted on 09/06/2006 1:14:40 AM PDT by Bullish ( The pig headed monkeys of Islam can kiss my grits!)
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To: Thinkin' Gal

23 posted on 09/06/2006 1:17:55 AM PDT by Cobra64 (All we get are lame ideas from Republicans and lame criticism from dems about those lame ideas.)
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To: Yardstick

"Journalists have ditched being messengers and instead have promoted themselves into the role of teachers."

That's the best description of how many of them apparently see and conduct themselves that I've ever heard. Inherent in feeling justified to self-promote oneself into the role of teacher is the belief that you know more than those you're teaching. It's a position lacking appropriate humility.


24 posted on 09/06/2006 1:21:04 AM PDT by pieceofthepuzzle
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To: raccoonradio

She wants a tagline? Okay...

"All The News That Fits Our Views"
"Unfair and Unbalanced"
"And That's The Way It Isn't"
"Kisses From The Apple"
"Fake but ACCCKKKK!"
"Give Us A Half-Hour And We'll Give You 30 Seconds"
"Bush Sucks"


25 posted on 09/06/2006 1:24:26 AM PDT by Tall_Texan (I wish a political party would come along that thinks like I do.)
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To: BigSkyFreeper
>>Rather's famous and idiotic "courage"


26 posted on 09/06/2006 1:25:51 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: raccoonradio

edited version of Entertainment Tonight--er, the CBS Eve.
News with Couric, via hotair.com

http://hotair.com/archives/2006/09/05/video-katie-couric-debuts-on-the-cbs-evening-news/


27 posted on 09/06/2006 1:34:24 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: raccoonradio

For the first time in I don't know how many years I tuned into a nightly network news program. In the first few minutes it felt like I was getting a case of vertigo. I actually felt disoriented. Heaven help us if Americans are tuning into crap like that to get their news.

At least I can still watch Imus, The Daily Show or the Colbert Report if I want to be entertained.




Good analysis by this fellow, Mark Perigard, btw.


28 posted on 09/06/2006 1:57:56 AM PDT by leadpenny
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To: A CA Guy

"Too bad somebody made the decision it was necessary to play up Couric's assets over her intellect."

I don't think they had a choice. What intellect???


29 posted on 09/06/2006 2:21:14 AM PDT by GoodWithBarbarians JustForKaos (LIBS = Lewd Insane Babbling Scum)
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To: raccoonradio

LMAO


30 posted on 09/06/2006 2:44:13 AM PDT by Arpege92 (If you don't stand behind our troops...please feel free to stand in front of them!)
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To: GoodWithBarbarians JustForKaos
I watched as I am a student of Broadcasting (5o+ yrs old...)
She lost me at the first comment - "Is it back to square one in the War on Terror?"
Went back to sorting through the mail and, honestly, only watched a couple of more minutes. Typical Katie, she has traded her perkometer for a snideometer. On that she scored a 100 last night.
31 posted on 09/06/2006 2:47:59 AM PDT by Shady
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To: Leroy S. Mort

... a healthy little sucker.


32 posted on 09/06/2006 2:52:13 AM PDT by beyond the sea (Face piles of trials with smiles, It riles them to believe that you percieve the web that they weave)
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To: Tall_Texan

"......... I'm Katie Couric on your nerves, and goodnight for now."


33 posted on 09/06/2006 2:55:22 AM PDT by beyond the sea (Face piles of trials with smiles, It riles them to believe that you percieve the web that they weave)
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To: raccoonradio
Couric interviewed New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, asking him to essentially translate what Bush had just said. Just a little chit-chat about the war on terror over a coffee table.

Good grief, I'm so glad I read your post rather than watch.

Isn't Thomas Friedman a raving, forthing, barking moonbat? And she LEADS with the moonbat? *shaking head*

What a spectacular waste of air.

34 posted on 09/06/2006 2:56:08 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: raccoonradio
Is it just me or is Cruises kid wearing a baby wig?


35 posted on 09/06/2006 3:08:45 AM PDT by Clint N. Suhks (If you don't love Jesus, you can go to hell.)
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To: Clint N. Suhks

BREAKING NEWS

Imus just called Katie fat.


36 posted on 09/06/2006 3:10:21 AM PDT by Clint N. Suhks (If you don't love Jesus, you can go to hell.)
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To: beyond the sea; MotleyGirl70; Larry Lucido; Mr. Brightside
I was surprised SeeBS didn't give her a glass desk ala Mary Hart.

There's something about Mary Hart's voice that gives me seizures.

37 posted on 09/06/2006 3:28:11 AM PDT by Cagey
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To: BigSkyFreeper; Yardstick; DoughtyOne
As much as Meredith Viera is a left wing liberal, she still would have done a much better job than Katie. She has the professionalism about her.
38 posted on 09/06/2006 3:41:24 AM PDT by LauraleeBraswell (Try reading the article before you post)
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To: Cagey
There's something about Mary Hart's voice that gives me seizures.

You're not the only one.

39 posted on 09/06/2006 3:45:07 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: raccoonradio
Couric asked for viewers to suggest her signoff

How about:

"What's the frequency, Dan?"

40 posted on 09/06/2006 3:46:39 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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