-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Scott Pelley to replace Katie Couric at CBS
- Thread starter JayR
- Start date
If CBS were doing what works they wouldn't have hired Katie, and they would have been grooming a successor. Pelley is not a bad choice but right now he is sort of out of left field for most viewers. If he'd had time to function as a prominent number two, he'd be a good choice. Now he has to learn on the job and prove himself to viewers on the job. And if he can't do that right away, suits will panic and hire somebody else (probably an outsider with name recognition, like they did with Katie).
I will ask him if this is true when I see him next week.
MattParker said:
I hope you're wrong - bringing in some outsider "big name" would just be repeating a mistake.
Remember that Pelley has been a reporter on 60 Minutes for a few years now, a program that is still very popular program, and often still rates among the top 10 shows for the week. I guess he hasn't had the time, nor does he have the outsized personality to make as big an impression as say - Mike Wallace- but people should recognize him without any problem.
If I remember correctly, The CBS Evening News has been in third place for many years now - since a few years into the Dan Rather era. I believe Rather was third for at least half of his time in the anchor chair. I doubt any new anchor can turn that around...unless CBS makes a really bold out-of-the-box choice. Bill O'Reilly, maybe. ;D
S
searadiofreak
Guest
CBS has a history of NOT auditioning this position. It was widely assumed that Rather would take over for Cronkite, and while there was some time between Rather and Couric, (Shieffer), Katie was the rumored successor well before she went on the air. The Pelley story seems pretty solid. Bigger story perhaps is how long these half-hour network newscasts can be relevant, although I have been hearing that question for the past 30 years.
As for Anderson, he already has a syndicated talk show in the works, doubt he is in the mix.
As for Anderson, he already has a syndicated talk show in the works, doubt he is in the mix.
searadiofreak said:
Harry Reasoner was heir apparent through much of the 60s but he got tired of waiting and jumped to ABC. Later on, Dan Rather and Roger Mudd were both in the running. Rather had a better agent and threatened to go to ABC and CBS caved; they eased Cronkite out and gave the job to Rather. Mudd went to NBC. Back then the number two at CBS was stronger than number one at ABC or NBC, so there was the real possibility your next-in-line would bail.
Pelley is the man I wanted in the job when Dan Rather retired. About time that they listened 
I'd rather hear Wendell Craig intone the words "This is the CBS Evening News with Harry Smith" rather than Scott Pelley's name.
He's pretty blah as anchors go. Bob Schieffer would've been better.
One thing I noticed ABC News doing more and more is using David Muir to complement Diane Sawyer. Sure she'll start out reading it and the in depth follow up is given over to Muir very quickly.
While network news seem to have given up the idea of co-anchors, the way Sawyer and Muir do this is pretty low key and gives him the exposure while not taking any "star" power off of Sawyer.
One thing I noticed ABC News doing more and more is using David Muir to complement Diane Sawyer. Sure she'll start out reading it and the in depth follow up is given over to Muir very quickly.
While network news seem to have given up the idea of co-anchors, the way Sawyer and Muir do this is pretty low key and gives him the exposure while not taking any "star" power off of Sawyer.
Like Cronkite, Rather, & Schieffer, Pelley happens to be a true born & bred Native Texan. But I think Harry Smith happens to be the guy who'll be replacing Katie, If and whenever she leaves in May or June. I think CBS's experiment with Katie have really completely failed, time and again.
I seem to recall that Pelley was Rather's personal choice to
replace him, I think largely because both are from Texas; however,
Rather never made the announcement publicly the way Tom Brokaw
did when he named Brian Williams as his successor.
Pelley, like Rather, has plenty of reporting experience, much of it
gained on "60 Minutes". Harry Smith, I think, would have a problem
that Katie did: coming from a morning show that's part entertainment
and too identified with it rather than with a hard-news broadcast.
Pelley may be "blah," and I, too, would have preferred Schieffer (who
wouldn't take it at his age), but I don't see the next Cronkite on the horizon.
I hope Pelley does get the job.
replace him, I think largely because both are from Texas; however,
Rather never made the announcement publicly the way Tom Brokaw
did when he named Brian Williams as his successor.
Pelley, like Rather, has plenty of reporting experience, much of it
gained on "60 Minutes". Harry Smith, I think, would have a problem
that Katie did: coming from a morning show that's part entertainment
and too identified with it rather than with a hard-news broadcast.
Pelley may be "blah," and I, too, would have preferred Schieffer (who
wouldn't take it at his age), but I don't see the next Cronkite on the horizon.
I hope Pelley does get the job.
Mark said:
I noticed this when I landed on "World News" just the other day.
With this, and officially giving him both weekend casts (and naming him in those casts' names), ABC does appear to very much be grooming David Muir as either a strong second to Diane, or her replacement if she goes on to other things.
In her mid 60s, Dianne Diane will be going onto other things sooner rather than later. (Sawyer is 65.) She has very little incentive to continue to work after her current contract expires.
I
imhomerjay
Guest
Incentive? Isn't a part of incentive what one desires to do? Some people have a strong desire to keep doing what they love well past 65, which is plenty of incentive in itself. Some decide they've done what they set out to do and want to move on to something--be that a new professional challenge or kicking back and relaxing. She has whatever incentive motivates her.
Mark said:
I am surprised Scott Pelley would want to leave 60 Minutes and do daily newscasts. He subbed for Katie for a couple days a few months ago and he seemed too "earnest". He really excels at the long-form stories and seems to be the go-to 60M man these days. Bob Schieffer has wanted to retire for a decade and seems awake/aware for onloy about 50% of Face The Nation these days.
David Muir will likely beat AC to become the first openly gay network lead news anchor.
- Status