CBS's $15 million experiment of hiring Katie Couric has not
paid any dividends. Six months into her tenure as anchor of the
"Evening News," Couric has actually fallen in the ratings from her
predecessor, Bob Schieffer, sparking talk within the network that the
former NBC star will soon be shown the door.
Besides ratings, CBS insiders and TV observers quoted by Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Gail Shister take issue with Couric over her inability to relate to the 50+ news viewer and fluff news background.
Couric's personal pride seems to be the stickler, though:
Network-news analyst Andrew Tyndall agrees. "Evening News" "is absolutely salvageable," he says. The key will be Couric's learning to relax into her role as an evening anchor.
That won't be easy, given the pressure of impossibly high expectations. Many say Couric was painted as a white knight brought in to resurrect the once-mighty "Evening News."
"She's trying too hard," Tyndall says. "She's overthinking her role. She's got to stand back. It's a very Zen problem. To be the face of 'Evening News,' she's got to be self-effacing."
Self-effacing isn't the first adjective that comes to mind with Couric. She arrived at CBS with her own group of producers, bookers and assistants, which didn't sit well with the staff.
"She sees herself as a star and thinks the whole news department is here to serve her," says a longtime CBS correspondent. [...]
"From the moment she walked in here, she held herself above everybody else," says a CBS staffer. "We had to live up to her standards. . . . CBS has never dealt in this realm of celebrity before."
I tend to agree with that analysis. Humility has never been Couric's strong suit. But it's also never been CBS's strong suit either. Anyone who's followed or worked in television for a while can tell you this. CBS News actually thinks it's better than every other news organization in the world. And not just in a we're-all-a-team kind of way. I've had several CBS employees (current and former) tell me this. "There's a cult of CBS," one put it.
It's strange enough on its own that a TV news operation should think of itself as a "magical kingdom" but what's even stranger is that this is the same news operation that has been dead-last in the ratings for most of 20 years and further tarnished its name through its infamous Memogate scandal. It makes no sense at all. Throw a prideful Katie Couric into the mix and it's no wonder the viewers are tuning out.
If CBS really were serious about getting things back together, it'd start assuming that CBS News is the underdog. It's trying to dig itself out of a hole, not look down from on high.
Oh, and fix that liberal bias problem while you're at it, too.
Editor's Note (Ken Shepherd): Besides poor ratings, there's another recent problem casting a shadow over Couric, but it was eclipsed by the Don Imus controversy coverage. A since-fired CBS producer, Melissa McNamara, was found to have plagiarized the Wall Street Journal for a vlog she wrote for Katie Couric.
—Matthew Sheffield is the creator of NewsBusters and its Executive Editor.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
In what is being widely
October 10, 2009 - 08:30 ET by hanahIn what is being widely interpreted as fallout from the shifting ratings picture, NBC has made plans to replace the executive producer of the network’s “Nightly News With Brian Williams
Office Chairs
Couric no surprise
April 23, 2007 - 10:27 ET by Six String SpiffBwaaahahahahahahahaha! Sorry Katie. It aint the viewers fault either. It's the messenger.
I wonder if the Producers at CBS are singing this tune...
I used to love her
But I had to kill her
I used to love her, Mm, yeah
But I had to kill her
I had to put her six feet under
And I can still hear her complain
I used to love her, Oo, yeah
But I had to kill her
I used to love her, Oo, yeah
But I had to kill her
I knew I'd miss her
So I had to keep her
She's buried right in my backyard
Oh yeah, Oo yeah, whoa, oh yeah
I used to love her
But I had to kill her
I used to love her, Mm, yeah
But I had to kill her
She bitched so much, She drove me nuts
And now I'm happier this way, yeah
Whoa, oh yeah
I used to love her
But I had to kill her
I used to love her, Mm, yeah
But I had to kill her
I had to put her, Oo, six feet under
And I can still hear her complain...
My two cents is she's just pl
April 23, 2007 - 10:31 ET by MivvisMy two cents is she's just plain unattractive. I would not be able to watch her.
Hmmm..
April 23, 2007 - 10:33 ET by Six String SpiffI think she is pretty, but that's just one fellow's opinion.
Well, she's no Bob Schieffer.
April 23, 2007 - 10:40 ET by Hero SquadWell, she's no Bob Schieffer.
*****
"Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine no possessions?'" - Elvis Costello
She's attractive, but her voi
April 23, 2007 - 11:06 ET by SouthJersey1953She's attractive, but her voice is like fingernails on the chalkboard.
Add to that the "all fluff, no news" broadcast and most people stay away.
Ted Turner was attributed t
April 23, 2007 - 11:22 ET by GretztxTed Turner was attributed to saying that if the
male viewer wanted to "f---" (i.e. have sexual intercourse with) the
female new anchor, the anchor was right for the job.
I don't think CBS used this criterion.
Can I have another one of these with some booze in it?with a resume that includes p
April 23, 2007 - 10:29 ET by pmohbuckwith a resume that includes participating in "where in the world is matt lauer", ditzy today show summer weddings and an annoying obsession with the Kennedy family ... it is mind-boggling that these executives would ever think anyone would take this woman seriously as a news anchor.
Maybe Sheryl Crow is available....
April 23, 2007 - 10:35 ET by RJIt is mind-boggling, but no one would accuse these genuises of being geniuses. Instead of honest journalism, they tried to buy ratings with "star power."
Maybe Sheryl Crow is available.....
Instead of honest journalism
April 23, 2007 - 11:27 ET by Darth DutchInstead of honest journalism, they tried to buy ratings with "star power."
And that right there sums it up about as well as anyone possibly could.
Dutch
Katie, here's a suggestion,
April 23, 2007 - 10:36 ET by MightyMouthKatie, here's a suggestion, go conservative, or at least non-biased! Insist on non biased news reporting and you WILL get the 50+ crowd. They want the truth, because they can't tolerate BS.
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
We all know what the probl
April 23, 2007 - 10:43 ET by Chris NormanWe all know what the problem is with the MSM broadcast news. Putting Couric on board to rescue the CBS Evening News is like putting the iceberg onboard the Titanic in hopes of keeping the ship from sinking and guess what?
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
All the King's Horses and all
April 23, 2007 - 10:46 ET by bigtimerAll the King's Horses and all the King's Men ....couldn't put poor ol' Katie back together again.
Has anyone at CBS proposed th
April 23, 2007 - 10:51 ET by BeowulfHas anyone at CBS proposed the thought that she's just plain smarmy, has waaaay too much of a personal agenda, and she's one of the most biased talking heads on TV? And oh, BTW, she's incredibly overpaid???
The Closed Mind Builds Strong Barriers
During the newscast, I'd like
April 23, 2007 - 11:21 ET by RackieDuring the newscast, I'd like to see a ka-ching meter totaling up the money KC is being paid.
Why is everyone getting so ex
April 23, 2007 - 10:53 ET by CaringwhiteguyWhy is everyone getting so excited here? If Katie is dumped do we expect CBS to replace her with Michelle Malkin or Laura Ingraham or John Gibson? Of course not. The slants and biases will be exactly the same.
You're right, we're more like
April 23, 2007 - 11:00 ET by Gary HallYou're right, we're more likely to get Laurie David replacing Couric, than an actual news reporter.
CaringWhiteguy...
April 23, 2007 - 11:00 ET by Six String SpiffOf course we don't expect anything but the worst from this station. However, I am smiling gleefully as I watch the turd we call CBS News circling the bowl :-)
A Bigger Problem
April 23, 2007 - 11:02 ET by dwillmoreThe problem that CBS is not addressing is the 50+ demographic. It is one thing to state that Couric does not relate well with and to the 50+ crowd, but it is quite another to realize that your core audience, Baby Boomers, are at the end of their life span. Will the big 3 networks maintain their dominance when telling and shaping the news for the US? I think the Big Three are soon to go the way of the print news. I would think that by 2017 the Big Three will have an audience hoping to attain an audience equal to a cable news outlet, and that they will be unable to match interactive, internet news.
No excitement here regarding
April 23, 2007 - 11:04 ET by Chris NormanNo excitement here regarding Couric. Just a yawn, more or less. Still, doesn't it show that their problem never was the messenger? The NB theory gets proved more every day. They can put anyone in there and the result will still be the same - until the biased reporting changes...
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
If they really just wanted th
April 23, 2007 - 11:11 ET by SouthJersey1953If they really just wanted the ratings (and didn't care about advancing their left-wing agenda) they would do good to replace her with Michelle Malkin or Laura Ingraham.
MM,I'm guessing a non-p
April 23, 2007 - 14:54 ET by Dave RMM,
I'm guessing a non-profit outfit or perhaps a government gig.
Either that, or a security guard at the local hazardous waste facility. :-)
This republic will not survive the continued neglect of its people.-
Neal Boortz.
or, better yet, a "not-f
April 23, 2007 - 15:01 ET by kathleenirishor, better yet, a "not-for-profit"....twisting the perception that it's a charity when it most certainly is not.
" 'Fred's Slacks' is a winner!!"
Nah I work in the world of bu
April 23, 2007 - 15:02 ET byNah I work in the world of business.
Thanks for guessing though.
Back to work see you all later.
Syg,I was just kidding.
April 23, 2007 - 15:13 ET by Dave RSyg,
I was just kidding.
This republic will not survive the continued neglect of its people.-
Neal Boortz.
or, better yet, a "not-f
April 23, 2007 - 15:02 ET by kathleenirishor, better yet, a "not-for-profit"....twisting the perception that it's a charity when it most certainly is not.
" 'Fred's Slacks' is a winner!!"
Yeah, see, I didn't take Calc
April 23, 2007 - 13:13 ET by dmntd1Yeah, see, I didn't take Calculus from my mother, you big dope! Then again, I didn't take higher maths from anyone but accredited teachers my JR/SR year of High-School. One big benefit of being home-schooled is that your parents realize just where you are in your education so you then go on to government schools where you can learn what they cannot.
My mom was an RN, my dad a chemist so by the time I got to my JR/SR year of Highschool (notice, JR/SR YEAR, not YEARS), I was able to take and pass the Chemistry AP test which put me on the road to, wait-for-it... a BS in MATH... yeah, I didn't take math from my mom, but I knew how to LEARN because my mother was a passionate TEACHER.... as opposed to the 'educators' that are all to abundant in today's government schools...
And, again, today's home-schools are wonderful collaborations of parents. My aunt is a college-professor of English Comp. She can typically tell which students were home-schooled by the end of the first essay, assigned and written the first day of class. Vocabulary is up and the grammar is typically more correct.
Please make sure your train of thought carries freight.
Jersey, You must admit the
April 23, 2007 - 20:40 ET by Night WatchmanJersey,
You must admit them two gals come from the right as much as Katie comes from the left.
How did LBI fair the last storm?
Her personal pride?
April 23, 2007 - 10:56 ET by goldenthroatYou have got to be kidding - the Clinton Broadcasting System is hestitating firing sweet, adorable, cutsey, egotisical, left-coast, bleeding-heart, 'do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do', 'God's-gift-to-broadcasting' Katie because her wittle pwide might be hurt and fwacture her wittle ego? She was a loser at the Nobody But Clinton network - if CBS thought she could bolster their sagging ratings in news primetime, then I have some real estate at the base of Mt. St. Helens I'll sell ya!
Of course, if sweet wittle Katie does get the axe, she'll spin it to try to blame Bush for it!
Never dance on an emtpy stomach unless it's a liberal.
Don't worry Katie - - - there
April 23, 2007 - 11:02 ET by CaringwhiteguyDon't worry Katie - - - there's a spot open at "Good Morning Peoria".
Another possibility?
April 23, 2007 - 11:09 ET by goldenthroatRumors are hot and heavy that "Good Morning, Baghdad" is looking for help, too!
Baghdad
April 23, 2007 - 11:39 ET by Cool ArrowKatie, my perky burkha baby.
imho they won't replace her u
April 23, 2007 - 11:13 ET by buddycimho they won't replace her until after the 2008 election because they know she will promote the democratic candidate.
you know who would be a great replacement if cbs had the nerve? it would be bill O-Reilly. he has ties to cbs. he would be great. he has a conscience. he has substance. of course he would move to the left but he would remain a social conservative. i would actually remove my cbs channel block if they did this.
I think it's a pretty safe be
April 23, 2007 - 11:42 ET by Chris NormanI think it's a pretty safe bet that anyone they hire will definitely promote the Democrat candidate. Still, I don't think they will unceremoniously dump Couric. There's lots of egos that went into hiring her. She might get "promoted" out - perhaps to "Goddess of News"...
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
News for the sake of news
April 23, 2007 - 11:37 ET by Cool ArrowIf they really cared about taking over the #1 spot, CBS would go after Sheperd Smith. He's probably not making as much as "Perky" right now, but imagine the fan base he would take with him.
But they can't drop Perky. Her feelings might be hurt.
Evening News Market Saturated With Liberal Programming
April 23, 2007 - 12:10 ET by deerjerkydaveThe evening news market is saturated with liberal programs. Trying to get more viewers from this market is like squeezing juice from a turnip. I predict that if CBS went conservative, or even "fair and balanced" like Fox News, that within a year they would consistently rank first among their competition. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) I don't see CBS accomplishing this via Katie Couric who is not even capable of understanding the conservative viewpoint. They would need to tap into someone like Sheperd Smith, like Riled One mentioned. Perhaps a list of names should be generated? Who do you think would be a good replacement for Couric? Here's a few off the top of my head: George Will, John Stossel, Tucker Carlson, Bill O'Reily, Sean Hannity.
hey CBS, Max Headoom is avail
April 23, 2007 - 11:51 ET by jwm45hey CBS, Max Headoom is available and he'll work for free...
make that Max Headroomhttp://
April 23, 2007 - 11:54 ET by jwm45make that Max Headroom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSvAWOFdNJk
katydidn't
April 23, 2007 - 12:33 ET by NortoBeliever
I never thought she would last 6 months, and I agree that if cbs(the only msm channel we get) were to go for a quote-unquote "conservative(fair and balanced) commentator/reporter, they would leap to the top and be unstoppable! Scarey thought, what?
CBS
April 23, 2007 - 12:38 ET by pocomocoAs stated so eloquently by many of the previous commenters, Couric is not the problem, and never has been. Couric has only exacerbated the problems at CBS News. They have a mind-set there that says,’ trust us and we’ll tell you what we want you to know’, which has relegated them to permanent third place status.
William S. Paley, founder of CBS, if he could see what has become of his network news division, would not be a happy camper. In reading his biography, I can’t help but thinks that he’d get rid of the current lot, and start all over again.
Paley’s “Tiffany Network” is now nothing more than a pawn shop for liberal pandering, and its CBS eye has become bloodshot in the process.
How can Couric's ratings be c
April 23, 2007 - 13:44 ET by TEHow can Couric's ratings be considered "poor"? Brian Williams only has about 20% more viewers than Couric. Bill O'Reilly, though, has 400% more viewers than Keith Olbermoronn, who routinely finishes fourth out of five shows among Fox News, CNN, Headline News, CNBC and MSDNC at 8 p.m., yet every useful idiot writing for American newspapers and magazines has written a glowing tribute to Olbermoronn and Olbermoronn's "impressive" "ratings". Evidently, Couric should hire Olbermoronn's press agent.
Here's why...
April 23, 2007 - 14:45 ET by goldenthroatTE, the ratings of the four major 'non-cable' networks' - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX - are not compared to the cable networks like Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, and others. Since prissy Miss Couric's arrival at the Clinton Broadcasting System, she has floundered against her non-cable competition. As the article states, her ratings have dropped even further than her predecessor. It is merely comparing apples with apples.
And why does the media praise Olbermann more than O'Reilly? Simple - he is a liberal and so are they!
Never dance on an empty stomach unless it's a liberal.
I'll admit she's easy on the
April 23, 2007 - 14:58 ET by slayerwatcherI'll admit she's easy on the eyes. However, I've never watched the CBS Evening News in my life. The fact that the "media darling" is there now means nothting to me whatsoever. Besides, I get most of my news from this site and others like The Drudge Report. It usually takes the MSM days to finally break a story that I've already read here or DR.