Bob Schieffer And CBS News

[Mark_Giardina]

I was reading a newspaper article which quoted a source saying that he believes Bob Schieffer wouldn’t mind staying on as the host of the CBS Evenings News.

The story claims Schieffer was at lunch with a friend when he pulled out press releases showing that since he took over as anchor, ratings for the CBS Evening News have increased.
The article said despite his age, Schieffer still loves the news business and wants to be competitive.

So here comes the big question. Will CBS keep Schieffer on as anchor or will they continue to look for a replacement? John Roberts, as many of you know, left CBS for cable news because he wasn’t being considered for the top anchor job at Black Rock.

And of course there is all of this talk about CBS trying to woe Katie Couric away from NBC’s Today Show.

Any thoughts?

<P ID="signature">______________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them".</P>

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

I believe Bob Schieffer is about to turn 69 years old. Had he been ten years younger, he might well have been named the "long-term" anchor of the "CBS Evening News" when Dan Rather departed.

I don't know what CBS would do in the (unlikely) event that Katie Couric stays at NBC. Should Couric stay at NBC, I feel CBS might have to either (a) get Schieffer to stay on the "Evening News" for another year or two to give the network more time to find a long-term successor, or, (b) try to woo former ABC correspondent (and current evening news anchor for Canada's Global network) Kevin Newman back to the 'States.

 

[Almo]

> I was reading a newspaper article which quoted a source
> saying that he believes Bob Schieffer wouldn’t mind staying
> on as the host of the CBS Evenings News.
>
> The story claims Schieffer was at lunch with a friend when
> he pulled out press releases showing that since he took over
> as anchor, ratings for the CBS Evening News have increased.
> The article said despite his age, Schieffer still loves the
> news business and wants to be competitive.
>
> So here comes the big question. Will CBS keep Schieffer on
> as anchor or will they continue to look for a replacement?
> John Roberts, as many of you know, left CBS for cable news
> because he wasn’t being considered for the top anchor job at
> Black Rock.
>
> And of course there is all of this talk about CBS trying to
> woe Katie Couric away from NBC’s Today Show.
>
> Any thoughts?
Bob will be thanked for a job well done transitioning between Dan Rather and .....Katie? CBS has indicated (primarily a Les Moonves call) they have nothing to lose and would like to make a significant change. Schieffer just isn't in the plan. His ratings success may be do to difficulties at ABC and Brokaw's leaving NBC.

 

[BRice16]

> I don't know what CBS would do in the (unlikely) event that
> Katie Couric stays at NBC.
>

I still don't undertsnad why you keep harping on it being unlikely that she'll stay. Everything I've read in trade papers and the mainstream media indicate that she's close to an extension with NBC. You seem to be the only "news" source that still thinks she's headed for CBS. And with your record of accuracy lately...

 

[TXengineer]

> I still don't undertsnad why you keep harping on it being
> unlikely that she'll stay. Everything I've read in trade
> papers and the mainstream media indicate that she's close to
> an extension with NBC. You seem to be the only "news" source
> that still thinks she's headed for CBS. And with your record
> of accuracy lately...

It's 50/50. Some of the trades say shes staying, others don't. Ive read message boards that also indicate the same.

 

[nuzguy]

> I believe Bob Schieffer is about to turn 69 years old. Had
> he been ten years younger, he might well have been named
> the "long-term" anchor of the "CBS Evening News" when Dan
> Rather departed.
>
> I don't know what CBS would do in the (unlikely) event that
> Katie Couric stays at NBC. Should Couric stay at NBC, I feel
> CBS might have to either (a) get Schieffer to stay on the
> "Evening News" for another year or two to give the network
> more time to find a long-term successor, or, (b) try to woo
> former ABC correspondent (and current evening news anchor
> for Canada's Global network) Kevin Newman back to the
> 'States.


Were the network to opt for plan "A" the question obviously would be whether Shieffer would concede to being CBS's finger in the dike and then sent away when a "suitable" replacement was hired. Or would Schieffer demand an all-or-nothing deal--either elevate him to permanent status or he walks.

As many others gave said, Schieffer's age is a major factor in Black Rock's decision to offer a staying position outright or rolling the dice on him staying put knowing it was a continuation of his interim status as anchor.

Perhaps he's comfortable with being a fill-in anchor--old enough to retire gracefully when the position is filled and for the time being no doubt pulling in some decent scheckles for anchoring between now and whenever.

 

[studiotwenty]

The final nail in the coffin for what "was" the greatness of CBS News. Katie Couric, good woman that she is, has neither the background, the skills, nor the journailistic credibility to fill the anchors chair.

Then again, that apparantly is "old school". When one had to cut their teeth in the newsroom, then the streets, then the anchor chair.

Today all that is needed a pretty/handsome face, and the quasi-ability to interview someone for about 90 seconds to get a few soundbites out.

Pauline Frederick* shes not.


*: An over age 40 reference. Most anyone younger will not have a clue.

 

[TheREALJM1]

I am still puzzled on why CBS let John Roberts leave the building. I thought he did an excellent job on Sundays and filling in on the Evening News. Was he disliked by someone higher above?

 

[Thunderhead]

> The final nail in the coffin for what "was" the greatness of
> CBS News. Katie Couric, good woman that she is, has neither
> the background, the skills, nor the journailistic
> credibility to fill the anchors chair.
>
> Then again, that apparantly is "old school". When one had to
> cut their teeth in the newsroom, then the streets, then the
> anchor chair.
>
> Today all that is needed a pretty/handsome face, and the
> quasi-ability to interview someone for about 90 seconds to
> get a few soundbites out.
>
> Pauline Frederick* shes not.
>
>
> *: An over age 40 reference. Most anyone younger will not
> have a clue.
>

I'm not a big Katie Couric fan, but I do believe she has the journalistic skills to do the job at CBS. She was a local reporter in Miami, a big news town. She was a Pentagon corespondent for NBC News during the first Gulf war and everyone thought she did an outstanding job. She has done hard news interviews and covered breaking news (9/11) during her Today years.

I remember her filling in for Tom Brokaw on NBC Nightly a few times during the summer when Brian Williams wasn't available (remember Brokaw's three month vacation in 2001?) and I thought she did a fine job delivering the newscast.

My only problem with Katie as the main anchor of CBS News is the amount of money they'll spend to get her. Bob Schiefer has even mentioned how many reporters and photographers and bureaus they could have if that kind of money went to the news division instead of just one person. He has said, that kind of worldwide news organization would make CBS #1 again.

 

[nuzguy]

> I am still puzzled on why CBS let John Roberts leave the
> building. I thought he did an excellent job on Sundays and
> filling in on the Evening News. Was he disliked by someone
> higher above?


John Roberts is the consummate journalist and has a terrific on-camera presence, but perhaps he can't do the warm fuzzies routine like Katie can.
>

 

[RipNRead]

A Brief History OF CBS News Decline

> > I am still puzzled on why CBS let John Roberts leave the
> > building. I thought he did an excellent job on Sundays and
> > filling in on the Evening News.



To answer your question I believe John Roberts, like Roger Mudd before him, left CBS because he wasn't being considered for the top anchor spot, and he knew it. So why stick around where you are not wanted nor have the chance for advancement?

This is just my personal opinion but The “CBS Evening News” began its ratings decline right after Walter Cronkite retired and Dan Rather became lead anchor. While Cronkite earned the trust of his audience, viewers didn't feel comfortable with Rather and saw right through his phony home-spun persona. That “Kenneth" incident didn't help Rather's image either along with that hokey (and thankfully short-lived) sign off of his.

Another major mistake CBS made was trying to pass off Connie Chung as a believable anchor by teaming her up with Rather. Why in the love of God did any consultant in his, or her, right mind think that Chung actually has talent is beyond me. What a waste of time and money on CBS’s part trying to pass her off as being creditable when the network could have used that money and effort in recruiting younger talent.

ABC and NBC were smart enough to have two veteran news anchors in Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings. Even before Brokaw “retired” and Jennings passed away, both networks realized the importance of grooming a successor; something CBS has failed to do.

All of this talk of CBS trying to lure Katie Curic away from NBC just proves my point that CBS isn’t planning for the future. That network should have been grooming someone from inside their own company to replace Bob Schieffer, instead of relying on talent from another network. As an example If CBS had a creditable morning program of its own, it wouldn’t be trying to woo Curic away from “The Today Show.” Harry Smith has creditability, but, as we all know, creditability doesn’t mean a thing in today’s world of TV “eye candy.”

 

[DrBear]

> Pauline Frederick* shes not.
>
>
> *: An over age 40 reference. Most anyone younger will not
> have a clue.
>
These days, I'd settle for Nancy Dickerson

 

[DrBear]

Re: A Brief History OF CBS News Decline

That network should have been grooming someone from
> inside their own company to replace Bob Schieffer, instead
> of relying on talent from another network.

The problem is that they aren't looking for good newspeople, they're looking for ratings draws.

As for Schieffer, he wrote in "This Just In" that he was cured of anchor lust after running into a former CBS anchor (Doug Edwards?) drunk outside a Manhattan restaurant at noon, apparently still unable to cope with losing the job, and he said he never wanted a job that badly.

 

[Mediafrog]

Re: A Brief History OF CBS News Decline

> This is just my personal opinion but The “CBS Evening News”
> began its ratings decline right after Walter Cronkite
> retired and Dan Rather became lead anchor.

But the biggest damage was done under the Larry Tisch corporate regime, when CBS News was gutted to cut costs. They still haven't really recovered nearly 20 years later.

 

[zoey]

Re: A Brief History OF CBS News Decline

>
> The problem is that they aren't looking for good newspeople,
> they're looking for ratings draws.
>
> As for Schieffer, he wrote in "This Just In" that he was
> cured of anchor lust after running into a former CBS anchor
> (Doug Edwards?) drunk outside a Manhattan restaurant at
> noon, apparently still unable to cope with losing the job,
> and he said he never wanted a job that badly.
>

Douglas Edwards was a real class act. He deserved better than he got from CBS. Another real class act treated poorly by two networks was John Charles Daly. Intelligent, erudite and a true man of integrity.

Shieffer is in a great position. He does not lust after the starring role and he excels in it - maybe because he does not lust after it. Like Cronkite, he cares more about the work than the job.

It's a shame that CBS, rather than finding a younger person in the Cronkite-Schieffer mold, they go after Couric.

 

[KeithE]

> I was reading a newspaper article which quoted a source
> saying that he believes Bob Schieffer wouldn’t mind staying
> on as the host of the CBS Evenings News.
>
> The story claims Schieffer was at lunch with a friend when
> he pulled out press releases showing that since he took over
> as anchor, ratings for the CBS Evening News have increased.
> The article said despite his age, Schieffer still loves the
> news business and wants to be competitive.
>
> So here comes the big question. Will CBS keep Schieffer on
> as anchor or will they continue to look for a replacement?
> John Roberts, as many of you know, left CBS for cable news
> because he wasn’t being considered for the top anchor job at
> Black Rock.

Bob Schieffer is 69 years old. That makes him 5-10 years younger than the average CBS viewer. :-D

> And of course there is all of this talk about CBS trying to
> woe Katie Couric away from NBC’s Today Show.
>
> Any thoughts?

Being the host of The Today Show isn't a handicap in the world of television journalism. It certainly didn't hurt the careers of John Chancellor, Frank McGee, Hugh Downs (who also hosted a game show in the '60s), Barbara Walters, and Tom Brokaw. But they were/are hard-news people (OK, Babwa Wawa's gone Hollywood but she has done real news), which Katie Couric is not, at least by reputation.

Katie Couric has the same problem as Dan Rather. She's had problems keeping her personal views out of her reporting/interviewing and is viewed by some as leaning a bit toward the left. OK for a Keith Olberman or John Stewart; not good for a national news anchor. Walter Cronkite could get away with that. Rather couldn't and Couric won't, should she get the CBS job. Also, she is viewed as somewhat of a lightweight despite her reporting experience.

True or not, perception is reality in TV and Katie Couric isn't viewed as a journalistic equal to Cronkite, Schieffer, or even Rather. I don't think she's up to the job even though she certainly isn't incompetent by any means. That's no knock on her as a person or as a reporter, but that's just not the right job for her, IMHO. If Larry King ever hangs it up, she'd be a good replacement for him. Celebrity interviews are more her "thing."

Schieffer should stay as long as he wants to, despite his age. In fact, he should have replaced Cronkite in 1981.

 

[KMRichards]

Re: A Brief History OF CBS News Decline

> But the biggest damage was done under the Larry Tisch
> corporate regime, when CBS News was gutted to cut costs.
> They still haven't really recovered nearly 20 years later.

I highly recommend the book "Who Killed CBS: The Undoing of America's Number One News Network" by Peter J. Boyer for a more detailed look at the subject. There are copies for sale on Half.com for less than a buck ... <P ID="signature">______________


</P>

 

[radiolover78]

> > I was reading a newspaper article which quoted a source
> > saying that he believes Bob Schieffer wouldn’t mind
> staying
> > on as the host of the CBS Evenings News.
> >
> > The story claims Schieffer was at lunch with a friend when
>
> > he pulled out press releases showing that since he took
> over
> > as anchor, ratings for the CBS Evening News have
> increased.
> > The article said despite his age, Schieffer still loves
> the
> > news business and wants to be competitive.
> >
> > So here comes the big question. Will CBS keep Schieffer on
>
> > as anchor or will they continue to look for a replacement?
>
> > John Roberts, as many of you know, left CBS for cable news
>
> > because he wasn’t being considered for the top anchor job
> at
> > Black Rock.
>
> Bob Schieffer is 69 years old. That makes him 5-10 years
> younger than the average CBS viewer. :-D
>
> > And of course there is all of this talk about CBS trying
> to
> > woe Katie Couric away from NBC’s Today Show.
> >
> > Any thoughts?
>
> Being the host of The Today Show isn't a handicap in the
> world of television journalism. It certainly didn't hurt
> the careers of John Chancellor, Frank McGee, Hugh Downs (who
> also hosted a game show in the '60s), Barbara Walters, and
> Tom Brokaw. But they were/are hard-news people (OK, Babwa
> Wawa's gone Hollywood but she has done real news), which
> Katie Couric is not, at least by reputation.
>
> Katie Couric has the same problem as Dan Rather. She's had
> problems keeping her personal views out of her
> reporting/interviewing and is viewed by some as leaning a
> bit toward the left. OK for a Keith Olberman or John
> Stewart; not good for a national news anchor. Walter
> Cronkite could get away with that. Rather couldn't and
> Couric won't, should she get the CBS job. Also, she is
> viewed as somewhat of a lightweight despite her reporting
> experience.
>
> True or not, perception is reality in TV and Katie Couric
> isn't viewed as a journalistic equal to Cronkite, Schieffer,
> or even Rather. I don't think she's up to the job even
> though she certainly isn't incompetent by any means. That's
> no knock on her as a person or as a reporter, but that's
> just not the right job for her, IMHO. If Larry King ever
> hangs it up, she'd be a good replacement for him. Celebrity
> interviews are more her "thing."
>
> Schieffer should stay as long as he wants to, despite his
> age. In fact, he should have replaced Cronkite in 1981.
>

I agree with you. I don't think Couric would be right for the CBS Evening News. Maybe they can sign Schieffer into a contract that last five years or so. Thats a pretty good span of time.

 

[radiolover78]

Re: A Brief History OF CBS News Decline

> >
> > The problem is that they aren't looking for good
> newspeople,
> > they're looking for ratings draws.
> >
> > As for Schieffer, he wrote in "This Just In" that he was
> > cured of anchor lust after running into a former CBS
> anchor
> > (Doug Edwards?) drunk outside a Manhattan restaurant at
> > noon, apparently still unable to cope with losing the job,
>
> > and he said he never wanted a job that badly.
> >
>
> Douglas Edwards was a real class act. He deserved better
> than he got from CBS. Another real class act treated poorly
> by two networks was John Charles Daly. Intelligent, erudite
> and a true man of integrity.
>
> Shieffer is in a great position. He does not lust after the
> starring role and he excels in it - maybe because he does
> not lust after it. Like Cronkite, he cares more about the
> work than the job.
>
> It's a shame that CBS, rather than finding a younger person
> in the Cronkite-Schieffer mold, they go after Couric.
>

Yeah, like someone stated above, CBS isn't thinking about the long term. I really don't think Couric would be a major success long term, maybe short term since viewers will likely be curious.

If CBS was smart, they could try to lure Couric to become a host of the CBS Early Show, although I think they would have to dramatically change the look and format of the show, maybe even a name change like "CBS Morning" or something like that. What do ya think?

I said in a post near the top of this thread that CBS could sign Schieffer for five years or so. That way, he'll be on the evening news for a pretty good amount of time and he will be able to retire by the age of 74 or 75, maybe 76. I don't think that is a bad idea, but I'm sure CBS would be looking to keep someone for 10+ years and I seriously doubt Couric would be a success that long, but you never know. If she does join the evening news, maybe she'll do well.

 

[Almo]

Re: A Brief History OF CBS News Decline

This is less about news value, and more about presentation. Anybody who doesn't think Couric will do well, to start anyway, is dreaming. She could easily go to #1. I don't know if she can hold it,but I don't rule that out either. Brokaw and Jennings aren't around anymore. CBS has an opportunity, they can't afford not to give it a try.<a target="_blank" href=http://tmz.aol.com/article1?id=20060312142509990001>http://tmz.aol.com/article1?id=20060312142509990001

</a>
There's a growing consensus within the industry that Couric will leave. Ultimately, though, it's one person's decision and she hasn't dropped any public hints about whether she'll opt for a new challenge or the comforts of home.
"It's an unusual situation, bordering on unique, given that Katie is one of the few bona fide superstars in the history of television news. It's not a routine talent change," said former CBS News President Andrew Heyward, who stressed he has no inside knowledge about what NBC is thinking.