Scott Pelley begins CBS Evening News

[searadiofreak]

I watched Pelley's first newscast this evening, I believe it was the east coast feed airing locally at 5pm mountain.

Interesting he did not lead with the Weiner story, as NBC did. Instead it was a good 11 minutes into the newscast. Is this a signal that CBS wants to maintain, and/or get back to a "serious" presentation?

I thought Pelley did well, but he was a little slow-paced. Easily corrected, I'm sure we will see a little more energy in coming days and weeks. I'm also surprised the basic set is unchanged. It isn't a bad set, but it has been in use since the Rather days. What a good opportunity for a new look, but evidently not to be.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

The CBS Evening News set was brand new when Couric took over. 

Rather's final set: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2005/03/08/danrather372.jpg
Couric set: http://files6.fliiby.com/images/_thumbs/me_9knfm4xp7x1.jpg and http://www.frumforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/katie-couric-cbs-news.jpg

UPDATE: TVNewser reports that there have been subtle changes to the set: http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser...t-for-scott-pelleys-first-evening-news_b70027

 

[searadiofreak]

Thanks for that, but this viewer didn't notice. I would say the changes have been somewhat subtle since Rather left. Atleast in comparison to how ABC and NBC have changed in the past half-decade.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

There were also changes to the open. Gone is Morgan Freeman's voiceover, and also gone is the theme music that debuted with Couric. Instead, the CBS News staff announcer (Wendell Craig) opens the program, with an update of the theme used in Rather's final years.

 

[theradiokid]

No that's not Wendell Craig. The voice you hear is the same voice that voices sixty minutes promos and such, whomever he is... at least, in the east coast, that's the voice that opened the newscast.

 

[Stitch]

There were also changes to the open. Gone is Morgan Freeman's voiceover, and also gone is the theme music that debuted with Couric. Instead, the CBS News staff announcer (Wendell Craig) opens the program, with an update of the theme used in Rather's final years.

Actually it's not an update to the music of Rather's final years...it's the ORIGINAL version by John Trivers and Elizabeth Myers, which ran from 1987 to 1991.

From Pelley's first broadcast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A7M_xZMaQw

and a broadcast from 1990 (though to note it is in fact a shorter cut of the music):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZe4W9_kojg&feature=related

and cuts of the theme itself:
http://tvpmm.com/documents/204.html

 

[searadiofreak]

I think the point may be here that CBS had an opportunity to create something new, and they didn't. You are in third place, and have been there for awhile. Why not toss the dice and create a new image? Probably because upper CBS management insists on doing it "the way we have always done it". I can understand this thinking to an extent, but it does not bode well for the future.

 

[TheBigA]

Katie was their attempt at creating something new. When they go backwards to Bob Schieffer, it did better. Based on that, it would seem that spending time and money on things like set and graphics is focusing on the wrong things. 60 Minutes doesn't have a flashy set. No big theme with an actor introduction. And it's a big hit. So following the 60 Minutes model might be a good idea.

 

[DToTheJ]

Someone from CBS tweeted out a new show logo "The CBS Evening News with All Of Us," citing Pelley doesn't want his name on the program. Not sure if it's a legit logo, or not.

 

[TheBigA]

Someone from CBS tweeted out a new show logo "The CBS Evening News with All Of Us," citing Pelley doesn't want his name on the program. Not sure if it's a legit logo, or not.

That discussion ended a while ago. He was told that every anchor since the broadcast began has had his name on the show.

 

[therealjm12]

Gotta say I like Windy Craig's intros better but maybe it's the Syracuse connection.

 

[brian4]

I watched most of Mondays broadcast and thought Pelley did a good job.

On Sundays (5 June) Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer ending with giving his vote of confidence to Pelley. Schieffer also put out some veiled shots at Katie Couric, saying how Pelley earned his way by reporting around the world while others got their "suntans from the studio lights." He went on to say it was nice that when people get their job when they "deserve it."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/05/ftn/main20069092.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColUpperPromoArea

 

[searadiofreak]

After almost a week, I would offer that the show still looks very professional, very tight, albeit a bit more PBS in imaging than the Couric version. Not sure if this is intentional, but it definitely has a more serious tone. I certainly stand corrected on the set, there have been modifications, however, I still don't think the general public will really notice. I don't think this version will catch up with NBC and ABC, but I'm not sure that is their goal. Improvement, step by step, may be the gameplan, which brings up the question of how important these newscasts are to their respective networks. Their demise has been predicted for atleast two decades, but they still compete.