Seam McManus, president of CBS News and CBS Sports, tells TelevisionWeek he thinks the network’s third place newscasts are getting better. But he’s perplexed about why Katie Couric’s ratings haven’t started to climb. “I think we’ve done such a good job and, through a lot of hard work on Katie Couric’s part and Rick Kaplan’s part, put out a product that people in the industry and viewers in general think is first-rate, and yet we haven’t moved the needle yet. I continue to believe that hopefully will happen with time,” he says.
—Jon Lafayette
CBS News Boss Plots Comeback
Nov 10, 2008 • Post A Comment
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.
Katie is wonderful, smart, talented and needs to be be better utilized.
News Anchor is not who she is. It’s not fair to her or CBS News to keep her in that chair.
I worked for CBS News near the end of the Cronkite era, and have the highest appreciation for the Tiffany Network news icon.
It was a mistake from day one to put her in the Anchor Chair. Time and energy will NOT change this simple fact.
Get rid of Mrs. Moonves on the Early Show and put Katie there along with 60 Minutes and periodic rating period prime time specials for her to embrace. Now you may see a real turn-a-round to audience attention in two time periods.
As for the nightly anchor? Who knows…too many CBS News team members have left for greener pastures. Charlie and Brian are the brand at the competition…Harry Smith would be a very good anchor…
Peter Bright