Katie Bar The Door (Sorry, CouldnKatie Bar The Door (Sorry, Couldn't Resist)

By: Vaughn Ververs
Topics: CBS News Issues

As Katie Couric acknowledged this morning, her move to the "Evening News" anchor chair was among the "worst kept" secrets in America. Still, now that it is official, the reactions are starting to come in – from the blogosphere, the rest of the Web and in our Public Eye comments and e-mails. As far as all the news and official statements and reaction is concerned, TVNewser has the authoritative roundup (you can read the official CBS press release here).

Here's a brief roundup of some of the other reactions we've seen. As you can tell from a brief romp through some of the comments sections on posts below, there are some viewers unhappy with the move. Many of those sentiments are echoed in what we've seen expressed in our e-mails, with this one from Judy H. being pretty representative of most:

I am disappointed with Katie Couric going to CBS. I think you have a lot of talent right at CBS you could have given the position to with a lot more creditability. I never thought CBS would hire a personality versus someone with a more news persona.

We have gotten some comments supportive of the change but it's fair to say the bulk of those weighing in to us so far today have been more negative. It's also worth noting, I think, that we are going to hear more from those displeased with any issue than those who aren't as moved by it. The very nature of PE to help facilitate a discussion between with the news division means we're going to hear more complaints than compliments. I may be wrong, but it seems to me that people are more apt to tell you when they're angry about something than when they're pleased or happy.

Anyway, on to some of the blog buzz.

National Review's Jonah Goldberg sees no problem with Couric coming to CBS, but has a rough take on the value of broadcast news in general:

"One thing few people invested in the glamour and seriousness of big-league television news will say is what a sham the whole enterprise is. Broadcast journalism is one of the only fields in American life where the job gets demonstrably easier the higher you go. Or, to be more fair, the parts of the job that have to do with what everyone thinks of as "journalism" get easier and easier, and in some cases the journalism simply vanishes altogether.

Consider how the respected television analyst Andrew Tyndall defines the job of news anchor. The job has two parts, he told the Washington Post. First, they have to read the TelePrompTer. The second part involves "sitting behind the desk when there's a crisis."

Eric Deggans draws some conclusions, including this unique take about the dominance of women in television news:

Already, Couric was the highest-paid woman in the TV news business. She, Barbara Walters and ABC's Diane Sawyer were also, arguably, the most powerful journalists on TV for their salaries and ratings muscle. Now, Couric makes it official by taking a job always symbolically held -- at least in part -- by a man.

The big question now, how will CBS change its news program to fit her personality? By virtue of her salary and ubiquity, Couric becomes the 800-pound gorrilla of the news division. Will she shed the softer interviews and feature pieces which made her a star on Today? Or will she craft a new vision for a network newscast which combines celebrity, soft news and anchor accessibility in a way we've never seen before?

BuzzMachine's Jeff Jarvis isn't impressed:

She's there simply because she's a celebrity, a news star. And what that tells me is that they still think the news is defined by the person who reads it. They think that's what matters more to us than the news itself. They think they can keep this old form of lite news — give us 22 minutes and we won't give you much — and make it liter and it will survive. What they should have done, instead, was blow up the old assumptions. But they didn't. They just spent a lot of money on them.

Michael Stickings at The Moderate Voice sees the move as another Sign of the Apocalypse:

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.

Not so surprisingly, the Media Research Center, a conservative media watchdog group, presents a roundup of what they see as Couric's "years of liberal tilt."

Finally, blogger Frank Barnako wonders if Couric will blog:

While CBS has eagerly moved to expand its Web sites, pioneered in Webcasting, podcasting and RSS, it's kind of nowhere in blogging.

The "Public Eye" blog is "the story behind the story" at CBSNews.com. It's a valuable peek inside the network. Kind of a "procedural" (as they say in TV-speak these days) for the news division. But there are no big-name talent blogs being produced.

Besides an audience, a great smile, and a lot of ambition, perhaps Katie can bring to CBS some of NBC's blog-savvy. Writing a Web log, she could generate a lot of interest about the CBS Evening News and its correspondents - which is what the 3rd place network news TV show needs.

We don't know about a blog of her own, but the door is always open for Katie – or anyone else at CBS News – to weigh in here.

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by msnewsjunkie April 7, 2006 11:04 PM EDT: When Bob S. quits doing the CBS news, I quit watching CBS news... As a retired female I never watch daytime TV other than CNN, because I have little tolerance for "fluff" pieces. Always watched CBS news; I lived in Houston during Carla when Dan R made it to the "bigtime"...The only thing that kept me watching CBS this long is Bob S. You really blew this one!!!; Reply to this comment


by desno06 April 6, 2006 2:46 PM EDT: The Evening News AND 60 Minutes? As the daughter of a long-time CBS radio newscaster, I am disappointed with the decision to hire Katie Couric for the top spot. Does Ms. Couric possess some hidden ability to be CONSISTENTLY serious, responsible and compassionate? With the notable exception of her consistent, commendable work on the colon cancer issue, that her morning show "air stream" doesn't fit the bill for your evening newscast. She is,and always has been, a features interviewer, not a newscaster. All the insider awards in the universe can't make up for that. This is not to say that a person cannot acquire these qualities as a newscaster. As Ms. Couric is nearly 50 years old, maybe she is ready for the change. Maybe she is able to change. (For $60K per day, one would hope so.) However, was there not someone already at CBS who possesses the ability and integrity that viewers expect of the news department? In the morass that much of American journalism has become over the past 30 years,CBS had at least retained some of its old "Murrowesque" luster. Perhaps those who hold the most sway over the state of the American brain have won; perhaps we have been white-washed, or is it bleached blonde, into Lowest Common Denominator compliance. And now CBS is reluctantly forced to jump on the bandwagon?; Reply to this comment


by jdroberts71 April 6, 2006 2:02 PM EDT: What a great experiment! I bet it fails. i don't think she can transfer her audience. She'll get some trial at first and then a long slow slide. I was ready to move from NBC to CBS, but this is not compelling. Guess it's more half hours of watching David Gregory going at it. How stupid to fire Neal Shapiro when Katie was leaving anyway.; Reply to this comment


by formercbsfan April 6, 2006 1:50 PM EDT: One other thing, why didn't CBS capitalize on this a bit more by having "Anchorperson Island" and have Katie, Chris Matthews, the blond guy from kweer eye, and maybe Ann Coulter, fight it out for the job while doing challenges and stuff. Kind of fits don't it? Oh my dear Les, you really blew this one.; Reply to this comment


by formercbsfan April 6, 2006 1:45 PM EDT: I think CBS Entertainment has control over this KC deal. She is a wonderful person, but not someone I will watch for "hard news". (Although you probably have conceded that to cable) Bad move. Equally bad fallout I presume. But the %%$%% is out of the barn, and the management team that made the decisions have to be very nervous. Very nervous indeed.; Reply to this comment


by calvinsmom1 April 6, 2006 1:34 PM EDT: I didn't think anything could stop me from watching the CBS Evening News but the chirpy little cheerleader will do it. Come September it will be so long after 40+ years. I get my news from newpapers & tv - CBS was always the best. Now it's NBC for me.; Reply to this comment


by bb4421 April 6, 2006 1:31 PM EDT: The problem all along has been the tenure of Dan Rather as your anchor...CBS should have fired this "bag of wind" years ago...although a big fan of Katie I will not jump ship after almost 25 years of watching NBC...that I might add started when Rather replaced Cronkite...you have always been in 3rd place since then with me.; Reply to this comment


by alphaa10-2009 April 6, 2006 9:59 AM EDT: Not one contributor in this thread has saluted Couric for her journalistic achievements or standards of professional excellence. Her few boosters blow soap opera kisses to her personality-- as if that has anything to do with the job. What led CBS to shoot itself with such deadly aim? What I suspect is some media marketing mavens who know absolutely nothing about news as content or a profession managed to persuade CBS upper management they are now in the entertainment business. Such people should still work at PEOPLE Magazine covering trivia, but misfortune struck and CBS gave them their big break.; Reply to this comment


by librarylady7 April 6, 2006 5:22 AM EDT: I am astonished that CBS made such a blunder. I actually LIKE Katie Couric and have faithfully watched her for 15 years on the Today Show but she is a lightweight compared to veteran newspeople that were available. It has nothing to do with her sex, she is just too much "personality" to be an anchor. I have been reading all over the Internet and have found almost no one planning to follow her to the evening news.Big mistake.....huge. Did you pay NO attention to polls that were done before you stepped off this pier?; Reply to this comment


by tallknees April 6, 2006 2:11 AM EDT: I simply cannot believe that the network of Edward R. Murrow would hire a bimbo like Katie Couric for its news anchor. If Bob Schieffer won't stay, get on your knees and beg John Roberts to come back. I only watch CBS for news so now what will I do after September?? It is a total disaster.; Reply to this comment