"Seriously?!"
That's what I thought when I received an e-mail from NewsBusters reader Lori Puente informing me that Yahoo News is listing an article about Katie Couric's upcoming trip to report from Iraq and Syria in the "entertainment news" section.
Sure enough, I took a look at Yahoo News and there the headline was: "Katie Couric to report from Iraq, Syria."
Given the nature of news on the Web, it's likely to change by the time many of you folks read this, so for a screencap, check out Puente's blog here.
The story in question is from the AP's David Bauder. Here are the first few grafs:
NEW YORK - Katie Couric plans to leave Wednesday for an ambitious reporting trip to Iraq and Syria — the CBS anchor's first time in the war zone — in anticipation of a crucial military report on progress of the American effort.
Couric will anchor the "CBS Evening News" from Baghdad next Tuesday and Wednesday, then from Damascus on Thursday and Friday.
Couric will travel throughout Iraq to talk to military and civilian leaders, soldiers and average Iraqis, spending most of her time outside of Baghdad. CBS News would not reveal many specifics of her plans in advance because of competitive and safety concerns. The trip, in the works for six weeks, anticipates the surge progress report by Gen. David Petraeus that is expected the second week of September.
While I doubt the listing in entertainment news is not a deliberate swipe at Couric's journalistic style or her reputation as a long-reigning queen of fluffy news features on NBC's "Today" show, it is amusing precisely because of those persistent criticisms of the "Evening News" anchor.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Comments Policy
Hopefully Couric will leave
August 29, 2007 - 13:42 ET by Senior ChiefHopefully Couric will leave her bias in the US and report the news- good or bad! If she really want gravitas, take a trip with the SEALs and our Special forces and go find OBL.
Really, entertainment or not, Couric already lost it- even in the entertainment department of reading fluppy "news".
Ken...
August 29, 2007 - 13:43 ET by LionKingActually, I find it appropriate to put news of Katie under entertainment. She is not journalist and this is a publicity stunt IMO to boost ratings.
Couric
August 29, 2007 - 14:54 ET by bravefacariNews OF Katie under entertainment yes. But Katie REPORTING on the news being under entertainment, I think must be a terrible frustration for her to not be taken seriously. Certainly I don't take her seriously, but for YAHOO NEWS to put an AP story on her reporting and traveling to Irag and Syria is a bit comical and certainly insulting to her and to her news organization. Don't you think?
Yes it is insulting
August 29, 2007 - 15:01 ET by LionKingI think that CBS News has become a joke. It started with Rathergate and is in its current state of despair because of the choice of Couric.
[ At the risk of sounding sexist...I do not think the American public is ready for a woman anchor. I do not think the American public is ready for a female president. JMHO]
Ready
August 29, 2007 - 15:43 ET by bravefacariI think we are ready for female anchor and female president, but none of the choices that are being presented to us are appealing to me (as a female). And I won't support them JUST because they are female - no way - no how. :)
AAA travel
August 29, 2007 - 13:46 ET by Mica the MagnificentIf the Perkette is 'traveling throughout Iraq . . " Can she really report that the surge isn't working with a straight face?
Now That's Entertainment!
August 29, 2007 - 14:25 ET by NoMoreClintonsIt should be placed under entertainment because she is an entertainer, not a journalist. She should take Oprah with her and they could interview each other. This is nothing but an obvious attempt to not only increase ratings but to give this bimbette a shot of credibility. I seriously doubt that it will work. The timing alone is suspect and blatantly obvious - right after Labor Day when there will be a marked increase in the number of people who watch TV, which traditionally takes a big dip in the summer. It's a naked ploy and I hope that most people will see that. I won't because I NEVER watch this woman or any of the non-cable newscasts for any reason.
Save Katie
August 29, 2007 - 15:23 ET by JDWAirhead report or war zone news?
JDW
News media: Scoreboard for terrorists
The media is sick and tired
August 29, 2007 - 18:12 ET by KhyrisThe media is sick and tired of journalists going to the crucible or war and developing "ethics" in reporting good news. They need to send someone there so empty-headed and indoctrinated that they can count on her to ignore everything she sees and continue parroting propaganda, in the hopes that her location will cause viewers to take her words seriously.... because nothing else has.
Is CBS trying to kill off Couric for Ratings?
August 29, 2007 - 18:14 ET by Lame CherryConsidering that Syria just moved up a comando force onto the Golan and everyone "knows" Iraq is more dangerous than having a blonde alone with Bill Clinton why would CBS be sending Couric into the hot zone?
Ratings of course is the answer........but..........
We do remember CBS has an affinity for scuffing up it's girly reporters. There was Lara "al Qadea babe" Logan crying in hysterics in Baghdad when her hotel got popped and she got scuffed up in Afghanistan. Then there was that Kim Dozier wasn't it who got brained when Bob Woodruff was auditioning for the Darwin Award in getting out of APC to take pictures of himself.
So could the compassionate CBS execs be looking for ratings again and maybe a way of ridding themselves of Moonves mania in hiring the worst people in the world?
It will be interesting if Katie will be up on the Golan with a two way t shirt with the front having "Jews bite this" and the back "Muhammed Sucks" followed if she survives by a tour walking point in her cheerleader costume outside the Green Zone armed with a camera and a locked and loaded microphone.
CBS has a strange employment policy, "Either you get to Iraq and pop your ratings Katie or you will be fired over bad ratings".
Maybe it all comes around what goes around as I recall a great blog featured here how Katie at NBC had bets taken on her on how she would make it pay over her dead husband. Maybe CBS is going to make it pay over Katie.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
"Entertainment" ? I think
August 29, 2007 - 20:22 ET by drillanwr"Entertainment" ?
I think Yahoo News is setting the bar a bit HIGH for Couric ...