TV Columnist Wants CBS Boss Moonves in a "Che T-Shirt," Leading News "Revolution"?

December 5th, 2005 1:48 PM

Less than a month ago, San Francisco Chronicle TV columnist Tim Goodman declared that Keith Olbermann ought to be the future of broadcast network news. This morning, Goodman touts Olbermann (and Oprah, and Jon Stewart) for Dan Rather's old job, opines that Katie Couric-to-CBS "will not change the network news blues," and gives CBS boss Les Moonves a fashion tip. (Speaking of which, a hat tip to Romenesko.)     

Goodman opens, "The truly sad part about the rumors of Katie Couric becoming anchor of the 'CBS Evening News'" is that Couric's choice wouldn't signify "a revolution." He goes on:

Wake us up when you get Oprah. Or import Keith Olbermann and "Countdown" from cable. Or burn the whole building down with Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" starting a synergy fire.

Because there has been such substantial buzz about Couric jumping from NBC's "Today" show to CBS and thus becoming this country's first solo female anchor of a broadcast network newscast, it's clear that any real thinking -- any real ideas about change as it relates to the network news dinosaur -- is not on the docket.

Sad, that.

Les Moonves -- is that all you've got?

Moonves is the head of CBS, a man who once said that network news had to be revolutionized, rethought, repackaged... 

And, towards the end of the column:

This isn't about Couric. Hiring her just shoots fireworks over a graveyard. That's pretty and all, but what's needed is a paradigm shift...

...It'll be up to someone like Moonves (in a Che T-shirt under a Brioni suit?) with the power to televise the revolution before the audience gets small enough for Brian Williams to drive around to everyone's home and deliver the news in person.