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November 22, 2006 1:55 PM Since there may be some moments this Thanksgiving when you'd rather not be spending time with your friends and family, and would instead prefer to glue yourself to a computer, here's a handy compendium of Public Eye posts from the past few weeks that you may have missed. (You can also check out some of our Editor's Picks in the right column.) You'll probably want to take a gander at two Q&A's with correspondent Jim Stewart, who retired last month, for some of his reflections on 37 years at CBS News. He told us how he developed his sources over the years, and he answered our traditional "10 Plus 1" – which includes a pretty good "biggest jerk" story...
November 13, 2006 3:05 PM 
If you’ve been watching the CBS “Evening News” over the past few weeks, you might have noticed a slight trend – fewer “freeSpeech” segments. In fact, the last time the segment aired was November 3, when representatives of both major political parties split the allotted 90 seconds to give closing-day campaign pitches. Well, Washington Post media writer Howard Kurtz today reports that the “Evening News” is reducing the segment from every day to one-to-three times a week. Executive producer Rome Hartman tells the Post it is a fine-tuning of sorts and that the show has learned better how to use the segment.
Since anchor Katie Couric debuted, “freeSpeech” has been one of the most-discussed elements of the new “Evening News,” drawing criticism on a number of different levels. Some were upset at the content of them, others complained that it has featured too many recognizable voices. And one would-be participant initially suggested that the network sought to stifle his “freeSpeech” idea.
Hartman has also indicated there was a level of opposition to the segment within the news division, telling Kurtz that some correspondents felt it took up valuable air time while others were opposed to the idea of commentary on the broadcast altogether. Everyone has opinions on the segment, it seems, including me. I like the idea, if not the execution to this point.
“Evening News” Cuts Back On “freeSpeech” But Here’s Hoping It Won’t Disappear
(CBS)
Since anchor Katie Couric debuted, “freeSpeech” has been one of the most-discussed elements of the new “Evening News,” drawing criticism on a number of different levels. Some were upset at the content of them, others complained that it has featured too many recognizable voices. And one would-be participant initially suggested that the network sought to stifle his “freeSpeech” idea.
Hartman has also indicated there was a level of opposition to the segment within the news division, telling Kurtz that some correspondents felt it took up valuable air time while others were opposed to the idea of commentary on the broadcast altogether. Everyone has opinions on the segment, it seems, including me. I like the idea, if not the execution to this point.
October 26, 2006 1:55 PM 
The new freeSpeech segment on the CBS “Evening News” has been the subject of much criticism lately, some of which we’ve addressed before. Columbine parent Brian Rohrbough’s commentary was received with much ire from viewers, for example, and Executive Producer Rome Hartman discussed his decision to air it.
We’ve also taken a look inside the process -- how do the producers choose their subjects? What is the philosophy behind the segment? Producer Marc Rosenwasser told us back in September that the intent of the segment is that over time, it will be “the most unpredictable mix of well known people and completely unknown people,” he said, adding that, “We’re anxious for it not to be the ‘usual suspects.’ We’re anxious to hear from parts of the community that are typically not heard from on network television.”
“It’s going to be a rich mix of people, well-known and less well-known and it will only reveal itself in its fullness over time,” Rosenwasser said at the time.
After two months, however, some viewers don’t feel there is enough attention being paid to those less well-known individuals.
Too Many Of The Usual Suspects?
(CBS)
We’ve also taken a look inside the process -- how do the producers choose their subjects? What is the philosophy behind the segment? Producer Marc Rosenwasser told us back in September that the intent of the segment is that over time, it will be “the most unpredictable mix of well known people and completely unknown people,” he said, adding that, “We’re anxious for it not to be the ‘usual suspects.’ We’re anxious to hear from parts of the community that are typically not heard from on network television.”
“It’s going to be a rich mix of people, well-known and less well-known and it will only reveal itself in its fullness over time,” Rosenwasser said at the time.
After two months, however, some viewers don’t feel there is enough attention being paid to those less well-known individuals.
October 3, 2006 4:20 PM
Strong Commentary On School Violence But A Little Off Topic
Judging from the e-mails we’ve received, many of the comments over at the Couric & Co., blog and the comments left at CBSNews.com, yesterday’s “freeSpeech” segment on the “Evening News” has raised the ire of plenty of viewers. The segment featured Brian Rohrbough, the father of one of the students killed at Columbine High School in 1999, addressing the recent school shootings in Pennsylvania and Colorado. You can watch the commentary by clicking on the image to the left or read the transcript here.
Here is part of what’s drawing the most criticism, from Rohrbough:
Video: This country is in a moral free-fall. For over two generations, the public school system has taught in a moral vacuum, expelling God from the school and from the government, replacing him with evolution, where the strong kill the weak, without moral consequences and life has no inherent value.Here are some of the comments that have landed in our in-box – William R. says:
We teach there are no absolutes, no right or wrong. And I assure you the murder of innocent children is always wrong, including by abortion. Abortion has diminished the value of children.
It is sad to see CBS pander to the extreme right wing. The network that brought us Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite has now become a cheap imitation of Fox (false) news.Barbara R. was also disappointed:
We have been CBS evening news watchers for many years, but tonight was the last night I will ever watch the news on CBS.
What in the world was Couric thinking of when she had the Columbine parent on Free Speech? He blamed the lack of religious teachings in school, Darwin and abortion rights for the murderous rampages in Colorado and Pennsylvania.
September 15, 2006 3:35 PM “FreeSpeech” is a new feature on the “Evening News,” which bills itself as “a segment of opinion and commentary from a wide range of Americans” that is “intended to create a candid and robust dialogue among viewers about issues important to them, their families and the nation.” We’ve received quite a few e-mails about the segments, most expressing viewers’ agreement or disagreement with contributors’ points of view and questioning CBS’ motivations in choosing them for the broadcast. So, to get a better sense of how subjects are chosen, we spoke with Marc Rosenwasser, a senior producer who is overseeing the project for the “Evening News.”
Rosenwasser hopes that over time, the segment will be “the most unpredictable mix of well known people and completely unknown people,” he said. “We’re anxious for it not to be the ‘usual suspects.’ We’re anxious to hear from parts of the community that are typically not heard from on network television.”
If you haven’t seen them yet, you can watch the commentaries that have aired so far here.
Some of the early criticism of the segment is that it hasn’t been balanced enough in terms of political persuasion. “I’m completely mindful of balance,” said Rosenwasser. “On any given night, there is one point of view, but over time it will be seen as balanced.”
He explained that in developing the segment, it was decided early on that “we were not going to have a tit for tat” in which opposing opinions a given issue would be presented side-by-side, “but that over time we would accomplish that.”
“It’s going to be a rich mix of people, well-known and less well-known and it will only reveal itself in its fullness over time,” said Rosenwasser.
In seeking out those people, Rosenwasser said many suggestions come from CBS News staff, including producers and correspondents in bureaus around the country and other reporters and news directors from affiliate stations.
Putting Together freeSpeech
(CBS)
Rosenwasser hopes that over time, the segment will be “the most unpredictable mix of well known people and completely unknown people,” he said. “We’re anxious for it not to be the ‘usual suspects.’ We’re anxious to hear from parts of the community that are typically not heard from on network television.”
If you haven’t seen them yet, you can watch the commentaries that have aired so far here.
Some of the early criticism of the segment is that it hasn’t been balanced enough in terms of political persuasion. “I’m completely mindful of balance,” said Rosenwasser. “On any given night, there is one point of view, but over time it will be seen as balanced.”
He explained that in developing the segment, it was decided early on that “we were not going to have a tit for tat” in which opposing opinions a given issue would be presented side-by-side, “but that over time we would accomplish that.”
“It’s going to be a rich mix of people, well-known and less well-known and it will only reveal itself in its fullness over time,” said Rosenwasser.
In seeking out those people, Rosenwasser said many suggestions come from CBS News staff, including producers and correspondents in bureaus around the country and other reporters and news directors from affiliate stations.
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