As expected, Katie Couric didn't drastically change how the networks do the nightly news, though there were a few interesting tweaks and one major scoop.
Couric has been saying that she wants to go deeper into the news headlines, and she seems to be doing that, by having more than one guest come on during a story about the war. At the same time, there seems to be less stories covered in the half hour than there used to be. And, of course, the web is going to play a big part in the program. The broadcast is the very first to be simulcast on the web live, and Couric is keeping a blog. Well, she started it. Looks like "CBS & Co." will be contributing, which probably means that Couric won't do much at all and other staff members and reporters will do most of the blogging.
One major new feature is the "Free Speech" segment, where a well-known personality gets to do a little essay on whatever is on their mind. Sort of like Nancy Giles does on CBS Sunday Morning, right down to the black background. Tonight it was Morgan Spurlock, who talked about the "smackdown hype" of the media and ratings and pundits. Future essayists will include Bill Clinton, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill Maher.
Another new feature: "SnapShots," which will...well, not really sure. I think it's classic pictures or something. Tonight they showed a vintage clip of Douglas Edwards from the CBS Evening News decades ago, holding up pictures of a baby Prince Charles. An odd choice for the first SnapShots segment, but maybe they wanted to tie it in to the history of The CBS Evening News.
The scoop: OH MY GOD SURI CRUISE EXISTS! The show had the cover of the new Vanity Fair (on newsstands tomorrow), which has an Annie Leibowitz photo of the baby, along with parents Tom and Katie. The other Katie, Holmes. This is the only part of the show I wasn't sure about. It's dangerously close to an infotainment show.
Couric ended the show by saying she hasn't figured out how to end each show. She showed a clip of other CBS news anchors and how they did it. She says if you have an idea, go to the web site and give her your suggestion. Maybe they'll even use it.
I think she should end each show by saying, "I'm Katie Couric, and I like asparagus."
As for the much-hyped James Horner score, they don't really play much of it before Walter Cronkite introduces the show. You know what would have been interesting? Dump the majestic movie score that all of the networks now use and go with a really bare, retro opening with just Cronkite announcing the show and maybe having one of those old ticker machines. Wouldn't that have been something?
OK, maybe the modern equivilent of the old news ticker, whatever that would be.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-05-2006 @ 7:17PM
MacGuffin said...
I'm a little perturbed because I wanted to watch the simulcast online at cbsnews.com.
Didn't work at all. And it still doens't now that the broadcast has finished.
If they want to reach a non-geriatric crowd, it might be helpful to get the simulcast fixed.
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9-05-2006 @ 7:53PM
TVGenius said...
I've always had problems streaming from their site, but that's what I get for using Firefox on a Mac I guess. Back when I was still in local news, our news director taped one of the entries for the Top Ten Least Popular News Anchor Sign-off Lines... number 5 below...
10. "For Kelly Bostic, this is Joe Dawes wishing you a miserably unfulfilling evening"
Joe Dawes and Kelly Rostic from KOLR in Springfield, MO
9. "Thanks for watching and peace out, homeys"
Jerry Anderson from WTOL in Toledo, OH
8. "Let's take a few moments to notice just how handsome I am"
Tim Cable from WJHL in Johnson City, TN
7. "That ought to hold you little bastards"
Amy Rutledge from KDLH in Duluth, MN
6. "Good night from all of us. And a special good night to all of our viewers who are doing it right now"
John Mercer and Wendy Wyness from KTVN in Reno, NV
5. "I'm Mike Stafford, and I make a boatload more money than you"
Mike Stafford from KSWT in Yuma, AZ
4. "If I had a pet monkey, I'd name him after you"
Matt Mulcahy and Maureen Green from WTVH in Syracuse, NY
3. "Good night from all of us. David Letterman is next, so for God's sake change the channel now"
Jade Moon from KGMB in Honolulu, HI
2. "Thank God we're at the end -- I've got to take a wicked leak"
Matt Schmidt and Angie Quigley from KHQA in Quincy, IL
1. "By the way, honey, if you're watching tonight, I'm sleeping with your sister"
Don Shriver from WSEE in Erie, PA
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9-05-2006 @ 8:35PM
MrsEldubya said...
I watched out of curiosity and I didn't have a problem with a woman doing the evening news but I'm not a fan of Katie. So when she went to interview the person about the war, they showed her legs. Just like at the end of the broadcast, the leaning against the desk and being all casual. Just wasn't my cup of tea, it's the news.
I did like the Free Speech segment. It would be nice to get some average Americans to do the segment as well as famous people. Why not find out what Middle America really thinks that way?
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9-05-2006 @ 9:42PM
Tracey said...
I'm not an over-the-top fan of Katie Couric, but I have to say, I really do admire her. All the hype, all the attention, all the muss and fuss... and then, tonight, when it got right down to it, she did the news. I don't think I would have been able to face those tv cameras and millions of viewers, and do it without a trace of nervousness in my voice... but she did it - in her friendly, intelligent, confident tone, she did her job and made me smile a bit in the process. The gal is contagious, and I do like that about her. There is a part of me that can't help but pull for her, and so Katie, I do wish you the best. Great job on your first newscast, and good luck with all the future ones!
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9-05-2006 @ 10:00PM
Douglas said...
At first I thought; Why don't she just kiss The President's butt. It was Ok, nothing enlightening, same ole-same ole. A little to leaning to the right for my taste. Not that well balanced.
The Free Speech segment was good... but perhaps should be balanced with opposing opinions. For Rush Limbaugh to go on TV unchallanged Thursday night kills the idea of free speech. He's been stiffiling free speech for years if you don't agree with him.
Katie Couric probably does fit very well doing the national news for CBS. I stopped watching the national news a long time ago when the news became all about fluff and less about truth.
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9-05-2006 @ 10:07PM
Barbara Tyrrell said...
I am not a big of Catie Couric, so Im glad I didnt get to see her big debut! Where in the world is Matt Lauer??
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9-06-2006 @ 1:46AM
Joan said...
Dear CBS,
This is my first time to write you and its to tell you good bye as a viewer of ANY CBS News. Today you rolled out "Katie" to anchor your evening news, or at least that's what was advertised because in over 45 years I'm not watching. Katie is fit for your computers breakfast AM time slot but a joke for serious news. Now that you've got the "breakfast girl" instead of a real photojournalist like "Laura Logan" with field reporting and journalism credentials, you have no credibility, just the "breakfast girl" reading from the TelePrompTer.
Ratings, aside, you screwed up, my family is not watching or buying.
CWO
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9-05-2006 @ 10:21PM
Smeagle said...
At $15 million a year, couldn't she afford a jacket that fit her properly? And at that price you shouldn't sound like you're reading directly from a teleprompter. And last but not least you shouldn't fumble over words at this level like she did. I'll stick with Brian Williams, thank you.
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9-05-2006 @ 10:29PM
Linda said...
Katie - you go girl! You're a true inspiration.
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9-05-2006 @ 10:27PM
James said...
I had to work this evening so taped the newscast and watched it later. It was okay, lite on hard news, reminded me of Dateline alot. I have no problem with Katie doing the evening news. She will be good at it. But when, and if, terrorists strike our soil again it's not her I'll be turning to for 24/7 coverage, it will be Gibson, Williams, or cable news. What some people don't realize is that Katie is not just the face of the evening news, she is the face of CBS News, and as such I feel she falls short.
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9-06-2006 @ 2:32PM
Frank Poppy said...
I came back to CBS when Bob S took over. I was disappointed in the news tonight as Curic seemed better suited to a People magazine presents the news. The snap shots are ridiculous....is this a news show. I love having a woman as anchor but someone failed her in not recognizing her real strength (morning show)and thinking she would be good at news. Sorry, I'm outta here.
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9-07-2006 @ 1:02PM
Doug McMillan said...
Just more gimmickry. Will Katy bring back vaudeville?
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9-10-2006 @ 6:02PM
Lori said...
I am neither a fan nor a detractor of Couric. I saw her first night and was disappointed by the interview with Bush. To me it seems CBS went out of their way to get pictures of her legs. Making a big deal out of how to sign off shows her morning show thinking and goes further to make her look like fluff. I was glad when I learned CBS wanted a woman anchor but why not look at the women correspondents who do hard news? Taking her from Today leads many of us to think that the most important quality they valued was the good looking fluffy woman who would not be a threat to the male newscasters. I was a loyal viewer when Bob Scheiffer did the nightly news because he was honest in his reactions and questions while maintaining his reputation as an impartial reporter. You've lost me for the nightly news.
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10-06-2006 @ 7:30PM
helen holtz said...
my husband and i both think that katy is doing a great job. the toning down of makeup sure did the job. she is the lady next door who you can beleive and wish you were her friend. keep up the good work we love you
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10-17-2006 @ 7:40PM
Jim Caputo said...
Regarding Katie Curic: I have been watching the CBS evening news for several years and now that Katie Curic has come on board this past Sept/06, I nolonger find it interesting the way she comes across with the stories, Katie herself doen't look or comes across with the news as other achora do. I think Katie works well together a team line the NBC Today Show, but as a single achor she should be replaced A.S.A.P., before the CBS rating completely drop to its lowest ever.
Regards
Jim
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