[Eric in the Ozarks]

I can't respond to earlier years but CBS was THE best news gathering organization in the 1960s. Richard Salant was the news executive in those days and I doubt he would have put up with a pompous ass like Dan Rather for very long.

[RonF]

In earlier years, such as in the '60's, news organizations were not considered a profit center by the networks. The idea then was to provide information, not to sell product or to entertain. When the latter two considerations overrode the first consideration, we got what we now have with CBSNBCABCFox.

[freepertoo]

Salant in his own words: "Our job is to give people not what they want, but what WE decide they ought to have."

Better take another look at Salant.