Couric hopes to end "pretentious era" in news

Reuters ^ | June 2, 2006 | Kimberly Nordyke

[DCPatriot]

LAS VEGAS (Hollywood Reporter) - Katie Couric hopes to bring a "humanistic, more accessible" approach to her job when she takes over as anchor and managing editor at "CBS Evening News" in September, she said Thursday.

Addressing the annual convention of CBS affiliates, Couric predicted that the "pretentious era" of the evening-news anchor is going to be a thing of the past.

"The audience is more sophisticated than we give them credit for -- they don't want a mechanical Ted Baxter," said Couric, whose last day as co-anchor of NBC's "Today" was Wednesday. "I'm a serious, caring, compassionate person. I hope that comes out. ... People want a multidimensional (news anchor) and not someone they can put in a box."

[tracer]

"I'm a serious, caring, compassionate person. I hope that comes out. ... People want a multidimensional (news anchor) and not someone they can put in a box."

And I'm Mister Rogers, back from the dead.....

[Howlin]

"Anyone who watches 'Today' knows that I've done more hard-hitting interviews than any evening news anchor," she said.

So she comes out of the gate, taking a swing at current and past anchors?

How humanistic and compassionate of her.

[MortMan]

She's also planning an end to the era of accuracy... AGAIN!

[freedumb2003]

And the dumbing down of America continues.

The fact anyine watches Couric proves the dumbing down of America was complete quite some time ago.

[DCPatriot]

The accolades showered on her Wednesday had an adverse effect on her it seems.

To intimate that Schieffer, Rather, Brokaw, etc.. were Ted Baxtors is the height of arrogance.

[Howlin]

This is going to be fun to watch, eh?

[mcvey]

Amen on that survival, Gary.

[mcvey]

Too good a point. Why do they watch this stuff? Answer I guess might be that no one has any content to think with anymore and no one knows how to think.

Not sure I put that as clearly as I wanted, but you get the message.

[BlessedBeGod]

"The audience is more sophisticated than we give them credit for -- they don't want a mechanical Ted Baxter," said Couric...

Ted Baxter would be an improvement over you, Katie.

[RexBeach]

Yup, she's pretty cute and she has terrific gams. I'll give her that, too.

I guess this means that CBS News will officially change into "Entertainment Tonight"?

[Steve_Seattle]

Translation of Couric's comments: "The news still isn't liberal enough. We need to stop pretending we're reporting facts at all and go with the 'All demagoguery, all the time' strategy from now on."

I think you've just about got it right, but you left out one thing: "It's all about me."

[RobRoy]

>>I mean how many times can you watch Day After Tomorrow, I Robot, Tombstone and Independence Day???<<

For some reason, I can watch "That Thing You Do" once or twice a month. I don't get it. Maybe it's because I am a bass player in a couple of bands. (theaboutfaceband.com)

But you're right. I own about 200 movies and when my wife and I want to veg, there's nothing we want to watch. So we sit on the porch and have a cup of tea (or Porto) and TALK!

I've been alone this week because she is in Chicago. I've done more posting here this week than in the last few months. ;)

Regarding the good shows you mentioned, yeah, when I am in hotels I will scan the channels and sometimes find something interesting. I found one on the history of quaries that was fascinating. But I noticed that even as little as I was exposed to it, I was flabergasted to find that on at least two occasions the same shows were on that were on the last time I was in a hotel room.

There really is just not that much there. And I can actually find more information simply by going to the library or internet and reading.

[RobbyS]

More to the point is Bob Schieffer? Schieffer is a liberal and a bit boring, but he is also a very decent guy, People see this and this is why the CBS rating have gone up since Rather left.

[1Old Pro]

People want a multidimensional (news anchor) and not someone they can put in a box."

It's MUCH SIMPLIER THAN THAT.... People want non-liberal biased news.

[RobRoy]

>>I guess this means that CBS News will officially change into "Entertainment Tonight"?<<

That's actually how I've viewed the news for years. I've said they aughta change the name of the nigtly news to the "national enquirer show".

It's basically gossip attempting to parade around in a tuxedo. I aint buyin' it.

[Fruitbat]

I give her six months before CBS starts dusting off the moth balls on Dan Rather. ;-)

I'll give her about two weeks before she's wearing Dan Rather's balls!

[Polyxene]

To quote Edward R. Murrow -- "I can see it now"........
Catie Colonic sitting behind a BIG desk on a somber CBS set. Dressed in black, furrowed brow, somber faced, reading the news in funereal tones. Of course, there won't be any good news.

[varina davis]

Couric is the epitome of pretentious.

[NathanR]

I remember Barbara Walters; Lately languishing on The View.

She was once hyped as The Great Woman Anchor. She ended doing mostly puff pieces on mega celebrities.

[DCPatriot]

"The audience is more sophisticated than we give them credit for --

This coming on the heels of her buffoonery on the TODAY show.

Where in the Hell is Matt Lauer? Willard's Schmucker's birthday wishes for centarians.

If she truly believed that statement then her years as co-host were a big sham.