Couric's woes were the media story of the year (Blame the viewers article)

Market Watch ^ | 12/11/2006 | JON FRIEDMAN

[VA Voter]

Maybe Katie Couric never really had a chance this year to prove herself as the anchor of "The CBS Evening News." Fans, critics, bloggers, comrades and competitors had a field day throughout 2006, breathlessly complaining about everything under the sun. When rumors initially spread that CBS wanted her, the debate began heating up and seemed to take on a life of its own: Katie Would Be a Fresh Alternative and No, Katie Would Be a Disaster. She'd Lighten Up the News and She's Too Perky for 6:30 p.m. Then, on the air, Katie was Too Serious -- no, she was Too Frivolous. She Smiled Too Much -- or Not Enough. She's a Lightweight -- no, She Has Gravitas. She's Too Liberal. She's Too Wishy-Washy. Maybe Couric is simply not very good at her job. Maybe the show just stinks. Or blame it all on the program's much-maligned "Free Speech" segment. But I wouldn't rule out another possibility: America wasn't truly ready for the first solo woman evening-news anchor, let alone someone smart and attractive with pretensions to sounding puckish and hip (at one point,

[L98Fiero]

Pfft. She wishes.

[weegee]

Maybe Katie Couric never really had a chance this year to prove herself as the anchor of "The CBS Evening News." Fans, critics, bloggers, comrades and competitors had a field day throughout 2006, breathlessly complaining about everything under the sun.

Sounds like the way Bush's critics on the Left have been.

[sodpoodle]

"America wasn't truly ready for the first solo woman evening-news anchor, let alone someone smart and attractive with pretensions to sounding puckish and hip"

---

S/B "sounding socialist and snarky"

[Proud_USA_Republican]

MSM rule #1:

When their ratings suck, blame everyone else.

[se_ohio_young_conservative]

They had a chance to improve their image. Instead, they opted for more of the same liberal junk.

[weegee]

"America wasn't truly ready for the first solo woman evening-news anchor, let alone someone smart and attractive"

She wasn't so attractive that the corporate bosses presented her as she was. They circulated doctored photos to make her appear thinner when they promoted the changeover.

[weegee]

Media Schadenfreude and Media Shenanigans PING

Blame the viewer BUMP

[DBrow]

The ratings have little to do with what critics say.

CBS did everything possible to fan internet and opinion page chatter, plus tried hard to inject their news into every forum (this is a good PR thing to do!)

The buzz created could not keep viewers- the viewers want content, not marketing/sales buzz.

IMO, CBS blew it by not immediately canning Rather and Mapes, then running a retrospective of lies Rather told, then apologizing.

By following an extremely biased talking head with another they "sent a message" as the left likes to say.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Aren't we still waiting for the "new" Couric appearance?

Silk blouse, no coat, wearing Brittney's underwear styles under hot TV lights .....

[Robert A Cook PE]

Aren't we still waiting for the "new" Couric appearance?

Silk blouse, no coat, wearing Brittney's underwear styles under hot TV lights .....

[Theresawithanh]

Aaaack! Had to stop reading at the "Katie the accomplished journalist" statement. She's fluff, and nothing more.

[DBrow]

I'd rather hear her say "In some people's opinion Senator Reid has not fully answered questions about his allegedly illegal tax fraud schemes, in which many feel he abused his position as Senator to win lucrative land deals, apparently without paying taxes while vowing to roll back recent tax reforms..."

She could wear an old mac and muddy wellies for that one and I'd watch!

[My2Cents]

Was Katie or CBS to blame for her bad image?

Frankly, Couric and CBS were made for each other. CBS News is perhaps the most rabidly anti-Bush/Republican news operation in broadcast journalism, and Couric the most rabid anti-Bush/Republican personality on TV. Her bad image? Both she and the network share the blame.

[MikeHu]

She's the perfect news "anchor" -- deadweight that sinks straight to the bottom, preventing everybody else from getting anywhere, dragging everybody down with her.

[dangerdoc]

1. Too many years of right hating bitterness have stolen her outer beauty.

2. Never was smart.

3. Hip only works for kids and she ain't one of them anymore.

and the socialist snarky thing doesn't help either.

[PeterFinn]

Ironically, CBS News was the only MSM news I watched while Bob Schieffer was on it. Once Katie came along I gave up on network news altogether and went back to reading my news on FR.

[kenth]

But I wouldn't rule out another possibility: America wasn't truly ready for the first solo woman evening-news anchor, let alone someone smart and attractive with pretensions to sounding puckish and hip

What a load. It's the leftist opinion masquerading as news, not people who hate "smart" women. BTW, mindlessly accepting leftist drivel doesn't make one "smart".

[Lee'sGhost]

"America wasn't truly ready for the first solo woman evening-news anchor, let alone someone smart and attractive with pretensions to sounding puckish and hip."

Amercia is far past being "ready" for such a thing. They should have tried that instead.

[Bahbah]

America wasn't truly ready for the first solo woman evening-news anchor, let alone someone smart and attractive with pretensions to sounding puckish and hip

Oh puleeezzz. She is just awful as a news anchor. I thought she was awful in the morning thing.