Couric’s Rocky Path to a Likely Parting With CBS (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

The New York Times ^ | April 11, 2011 | Bill Carter

[abb]

For Katie Couric, the offer in 2006 to become the anchor of “CBS Evening News” came with another incentive, one she prized almost as highly, according to two of her friends: the chance to report for “60 Minutes,” the newsmagazine that for Ms. Couric stood for the kind of serious journalism she had always aspired to.

Regular appearances on “60 Minutes” were written into her $15 million-a-year contract with CBS, but once she arrived at the network, she found a chilly reception from some of the staff members at the venerable program. Some of Ms. Couric’s associates said that the chilliness seemed to stem from the top, the show’s executive producer, Jeff Fager. That view was disputed by people close to Mr. Fager, who said that Ms. Couric has praised his stewardship of her “60 Minutes” pieces.

Still, her appearances on the show have been fewer than she hoped for — averaging not even five a year. Even after the show won an Emmy for her interview with the airline pilot Chesley B. Sullenberger III, Ms. Couric’s visibility on the program never increased.

“They never let her learn the secret handshake there,” said one former NBC colleague.

In February, when Mr. Fager was named chairman of CBS News, his tepid response to the hugely public question of whether she might continue as anchor (Mr. Fager said he hadn’t thought about it yet) sent an additional signal to Ms. Couric and her representatives: it was time to move on.

Ms. Couric and CBS are now negotiating how and when to end her five-year run as anchor, one marked by early criticism, later journalistic successes and disappointing ratings over all.

Ms. Couric is pursuing the idea of her own syndicated talk show, possibly with her former “Today” show co-host, Matt Lauer.

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ping

[maggief]

“They never let her learn the secret handshake there,” said one former NBC colleague.

Handshake? I don't think that's how she 'worked' her way up the ladder.

[abb]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/business/media/11carr.html?ref=business&pagewanted=all
At Gannett, Furloughs but Nice Paydays for Brass

[AlexW]

“Ms. Couric is pursuing the idea of her own syndicated talk show, possibly with her former “Today” show co-host, Matt Lauer.____________________________________

Did she not get the memo that Airhead America went belly-up?

Marxist talk radio, wow.
Maybe she can get tapes of the old Radio Moscow (1960s),
or even better, Radio Albania.

[Steely Tom]

At Gannett, Furloughs but Nice Paydays for Brass

Ha ha. Looks like Gannett's management is moving toward the Arianna Huffington model.

[org.whodat]

That would be knee burns, she was way to ugly for anything else, before she spend millions on her face.

[Rummyfan]

Ms. Couric is pursuing the idea of her own syndicated talk show, possibly with her former “Today” show co-host, Matt Lauer.

These two are delusional, although maybe MSNBC would give them a slot. Or Al Gore's network....

[org.whodat]

That would be knee burns, she was way to ugly for anything else, before she spend millions on her face.

[Carley]

How typical. Her failures are always attributed to others.

[This I Wonder32460]

I thought they were talking about a syndicated TV talk show not a radio show since both are TV talkers.

[AlexW]

“I thought they were talking about a syndicated TV talk show not a radio show”

Well, I guess you may be right.
I just never think of a TV show being called
a “talk show”, but I have not seen US TV since 2005.
I do, however, listen to “talk shows” all day via internet.

[abb]

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=148341&nid=125570
Japan, Mid East Crises Take Steam Out Of ‘11 Global Ad Expansion

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2011/04/Heritage-s-Luce-Award-Goes-to-Fox-Chairman-Ailes
Heritage’s Luce Award Goes to Fox Chairman Ailes

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/04/10/journalism/index.html
The Washington Post’s dependence on the government it covers

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704641604576255742421018756.html
Couric Explores Show With Lauer

[gusty]

One rung wss my cousin’s husband, who was a TV news executive at the time in the 1970’s

[PATRIOT1876]

Maybe she’ll be lucky enough to appear on the “Young Turks” non-news Anti-America YouTube program. The guy makes nonsensical pretend reports in his basement all day long, pausing only long enough for his mom to bring him some cookies and baloney sandwiches. He’s never right once, even accidentally

[maggief]

Sorry for your cousin.

FWIW:

http://www.nationalledger.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=16&num=15743

More from Star: “After landing her first TV news job at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters, Klein claims that Katie plunged into a steamy affair with a married, considerably older CNN exec. Soon, says the author, they were the talk of the newsroom - and were even spotted “making out.” Klein writes that the exec saved her from getting fired several times. But even though Katie ditched the CNN honcho when she accepted a job at an NBC affiliate in Miami in the mid-1980’s, his marriage soon ended.”

***

The report details that once in Miami, Klein claims, Katie quickly lined up another high-profile lover, a 12-years-older, married, dad-of-two who was a media spokesman for the Miami-Dade Police Department. “[That] position put him in the know and made him a source par excellence for an ambitious young journalist like Katie,” writes Klein. The two dated until Katie left Miami for Washington D.C. and took a job at anther NBC affiliate, according to the author.

[abb]

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/play_for_today_DvUr27zHZUdSMiEDyeeeJP
Play for ‘Today’ - Chris Cuomo for Lauer spot?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704641604576255201735560600.html
Time Warner Eyes Headquarters Move

http://newsosaur.blogspot.com/2011/04/who-needs-newspapers-one-couples-answer.html#comments
Who needs newspapers? One couple’s answer

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/connie-chung-the-times-just-aren%E2%80%99t-right-for-network-anchors-anymore_b60883
Connie Chung: ‘The times just aren’t right for network anchors anymore’

[N. Theknow]

CBS believed its best, maybe only, hope was to throw out the traditional format and attract new viewers with a more interactive and accessible half-hour built around Ms. Couric.

This is called the SSDA model: Same $hit Different A$$hole

[OnlyTurkeysHaveLeftWings]

One would like to imagine they learned their lesson. One would like to imagine that instead of shutting down bureaus and firing journalists to give an obscene amount of money to an anchor they'd try out the novelty of, oh, I dunno, re-opening their foreign bureaus and hiring men and women to do the real work of reporting and whatever talking head they hire to anchor can go without the millions they gave to Couric.

But I wouldn't hold my breath.

[chiefqc]

Looks like her knee pads are no longer working for her.