Katie: Rome Hartman
(CBS)
Rome was one of the reasons I came here to CBS. We’d known each other peripherally for years – everyone in the news business seems to know everyone else, don’t they? – so I knew his reputation. And I have to say: he is truly one of the “good guys,” a man of integrity, character and honor. In the TV news business, those characteristics are too often mutually exclusive. But Rome is the living embodiment of those things. He’s also a guy of great intelligence, dedication and – importantly -- fun. He made all of us work harder, and shine brighter, and made us proud of what we do.
It’s been such a privilege to have him by my side these last six months. He’s been a wonderful partner as I’ve embarked on this new chapter in my life. I’m so grateful for his indefatigability and perseverance. And it’s not surprising to me that he has handled his departure with typical grace, classiness and humor.
He’s earned my unwavering and enduring respect, affection, and love.
And you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone at CBS News who doesn’t feel the same way.
One sponsorship of the Evening News may be extremely successful, and give you more time to devote to breaking news, interviews, and features.
Blessings..
The problem with the CBS Evening news is not Mr. Hartman - but you. I do not dislike you personally, but you do not have the gravitas to be handling the nightly news. Sylvia Chase or any of the nightly news correspondents at MSNBC/NBC - Norah O'Donnell, Kelly O'Donnell - even Diane Sawyer (beautiful but serious, thoughtful) could handle this job. But it is precisely your perky, glamourous, "uplifting" personna that is the last thing I want to see if the sky is falling. And your botched attempts at enliving the nightly news have been the most problematic. Your "Free Speech," and then refusing to allow Bill Mahr to speak against religion - is the 1st Amendment actually 50%? If you were going to celebrate free speech, have Rush Limbaugh, Mahr, and everyone in-between speak. Denying a speaker from "Free Speech" essentially made this segment look ridiculous. Your long personal interviews about issues still only scratch the surface and took up valuable time from covering the most news possible in 30 minutes. When there was rumor that CBS was hiring you, I wrote them and told them that if you came, I was going. Evidently I am not the only one. You are a nice person, but I actually watched Edward R. Murrow, and well, being female is not the only difference you have with him.
Two suggestions I have:
1. Time is the issue for me. I live in MST and CBS evening news is on at 5:00 p.m. - who is ever home to watch news at 5:00 p.m? It irritates me to miss CBS and have to switch to another station, but I have to because I usally miss the 5:00 p.m. start time.
2. Give up any connection to the way you did things on TODAY. That morning show stinks now! Don't try to be cutesy like they are.
You are a pleasure to watch. Just try to be balanced and very professional with news topics. Know what people want.
If I want to watch her, i watch, If I want to watch the news, I dont watch her. She just dosnt have it. Sorry Katie, Its true!!!!
Every time ratings slip further they try something new; a new anchhor person, then a new hairdo, then different makeup. What never changes, however, is their policy of favoring Democrat liberal political agendas.
This annoys lots of folks and sends them to Fox news where there is a far more fair and balanced approach to news. Of course CBS and their liberal fans will proclaim that it isn't so. That it's Fox that's biased to the right and CBS is square in the middle. It's kind alike Uncle Tim who insisted that he didn't have a drinking problem.Six or eight drinks a day were what most people consumed.
I know that this was a hard pill for you to take, losing a long-time boss & friend, one who undoubtedly had more influence on your move to CBS than any other (other than possibly family members). I am truly sorry.
You were the right choice as the first stand-alone woman anchor. The TV news needs change or it will die. And in any change, there is instability and momentary setbacks. I believe that the CBS management is foolish for this move.
From what I have learned about you, you are an excellent mother, daughter, friend, childrens' book author, colon-rectal cancer treatment advocate (no one else could get me to do a colonoscopy), and anchor. You do not hesitate to speak what you believe to be the truth, yet you sincerely listen to others, even when their view differs from your own. You stood up to David Duke, and in this case, you stood for a friend----you have courage, Katie. I admire you for that. Sometimes I think that courage is becoming a shrinking commodity in this world.
I do not agree with everything you believe, but I believe that you are a true friend, one that does not scurry for cover when times are bleak. I wish everyone had a friend like you. Maybe there would be less hopelessness in this world.
Continue to be you, continue to be a force for change (however slow), and continue to have hope for better things: these self-appointed critics likely would not have had half the guts it took for you to write this.
Eric
Katie, you were excellent on the morning fluff news programs. Evening news broadcasting is not a good fit for you. I, like most of America, watched you for the first two weeks. Now, I tune in to other programs. It's not the programming, not the producing, not the timeslot - sorry, but it's you Katie.
its strenghts & weaknesses and will fix a format
so the public viewing audience will see hard hitting news, special report news, world news and yes human interest stories and special series
segments all within a 30 minute time slot. I personally feel that's great content to have in 30 mins. To concentrate on Katie's style of reporting as a anchor on a nightly news cast with
so much venom is absolutely disgustingly heart breaking and childish and your parents haven't taught you very well in the art of politeness and
manners.GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OF THE NEWS CAST ONLY! FORMULATE IDEAS FOR A BETTER NEWSCAST
what you think it should be and tell CBS NEWS in
a intelligent matter they'll listen in a serious matter if you do! It's change and we all need to work together. Change can be hard but growth always comes from change. Life revolves constantly its a journey.Now lets just see were
this new journey takes us ok?... ROME HARTMAN
your the best.
Katie your doing a great job. Be encouraged! Whatever format is decided on you will do it well as the consumate professional you are!.... I'm sad today to see
Rome move on great producers are hard to find
in the news world believe me!.....But i know his departure is no reflection of Rome's abilities.
its just the coin toss of the news world.
Rich
It's too slow, and the topics seem too conveniently aligned with the disconnected Liberal political interests.
What about the Navy guy that was caught spying for terrorist? No news stories about him? Or did they report that while I was using the restroom?
Speaking about stories that CBS didn't report, did CBS ever report about that former top ACLU lawyer being arrested for possession of child porn?
Also, did Katie have recent facial cosmetic surgery? Not that it matters. It seems like she's a different person than the one she was on those morning programs.
... just trying to help.
Someone who is a lot smarter than I am once said, "Opinions are like *****, everybody has one." In response to these posts which have nothing to do with the departure of Rome Hartman, allow me to throw in my two cents worth.
The first cent is that we do not have to agree with everything that a news cast has to say. I happen to enjoy watching CBS News and posting here even though I do not always see eye to eye with CBS. The content is interesting, and often gives you something to think about.
The second cent that I will throw out is a comment on Katie Couric's performance. I happen to think she does a pretty nice job; for example, in Friday's newscast she paused to point out to all of us that it was a sad newscast. Was it obvious? Of course it was, but didn't it cause us to take closer note of the stories we had just seen? It did for me.
By the way, those who disagree with any of this should do so wih respect and without personal attack.
:) I try to. Fox is ok, but just a tad too much hyper-reporting. I think they are trying to capture the old Morning-radio format with the fast pace ( i.e. news from around the world in 60 seconds ... or something like that) etc. But still a better format than CBS-ABC-NBC.
The one big difference, I think, is that CBS-ABC-NBC are anchor personality driven but Fox is format driven. By that I mean that for Fox, "who" reports the news isn't terribly important. CBS (etc) on the other hand are stuck in the 50's format ... it's like they want the person reporting the news to sound and "feel" trustworthy and honest. But, Americans no longer trust the media news personnel, none of them, and for CBS to continue holding on to that old format it comes across like a Carvette retro-fitted with an old 28 horsepower volkswagon engine.
Just my thoughts.
beauty, as well as just hardboiled news, in your newscast,rather than the endless moaning and groaning, droning,mechanical,robotic hardboiled news reporting of your competitors. You've come a long way, baby!! You go,girl!!
I do not think her personality is suited to the "hum-drum" of an evening newscast. I also do not think she has enough experience as a field reporter doing "hard news", especially when you compare her to other anchors. That said, however,
I do not think comments about appearance, cosmetic surgery, etc. would be made if we were discussing a male anchor!!!!
Thirty-five comments, but I only want to repeat ONE:
"Continue to be YOU, continue to be a force for change (however slow), and continue to have hope for better things: these self-appointed critics likely would not have had half the guts it took for you to write this."
Eric
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by haley04062
March 10, 2007 11:55 PM PST
- Good Luck Rome...no one else leave especially you Katie...Please!
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