Can anything save ABC News from extinction? (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

Marketwatch.com ^ | September 10, 2010 | Jon Friedman

[abb]

Forget, for a moment, that ABC News is in disarray.

Forget, too, that the network news business is regarded as a dinosaur. Forget, finally, that ABC News's chief rival, NBC, has a lead over CBS and ABC that brings to mind Secretariat at the Belmont Stakes.

Now, I have the audacity to ask: Can anything save ABC News from extinction?

Right now -- and for the foreseeable future -- the smart answer would be a curt "no."

The question took on deeper resonance Monday night when David Westin announced his plans to step down after running ABC News for nearly 14 years. Read about Westin's departure.

ABC News, a division of Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) , looks like a mess. It has sliced about 25% of its staff in recent years. Daring moves to install George Stephanopoulos at "Good Morning America" and Christiane Amanpour on "This Week" were applauded by critics. But neither has really put a scare into network news pacesetter NBC News.

(Full disclosure: I thought both of those decisions were sound at the time; now, I'm having some doubts.)

Disney will be calling the shots when it comes to the future of ABC News. The parent has kept "Nightline" intact, despite strong rumors over the years that the parent lusted after Jay Leno and others to compete against NBC and CBS on equal, entertainment late-night footing.

"I suspect Disney would like to see a hybrid news division that is either partnered with a cable channel to handle its newsgathering chores -- Bloomberg does not really fit this bill since it doesn't really do what ABC's bureaus and costly staff do -- or more closely linked with its owned stations to try spreading the costs around that way," a former TV news executive told me.

snip

[Buckeye McFrog]

they could try that Naked News format they had in Canada a few years ago where the headlines are read by a disrobing stripper. (Please, Gawd....NOT Christiane Amanpour!!!!)

[Savage Beast]

"Daring moves to install George Stephanopoulos at "Good Morning America" and Christiane Amanpour on "This Week" were applauded by critics."

Especially the critics who hope for ABC's extinction.

("Daring" moves!" Doesn't the drama of that expression send tingles up your leg!)

"I thought both of those decisions were sound at the time; now, I'm having some doubts."

You're in over your head, Jon. See if you can find another job...maybe mopping floors? checking the tags when people bring junk to landfills? Something like that.

[stuartcr]

As long as there is a network, there will be network news...as long as the programming attracks viewers and generates revenue, there will be a network.

[Dick Bachert]

If you read Bernie Goldberg’s books “Bias” and “Arrogance,”
you’ll know that this is another case of a rat leaving a sinking ship.

And, it appears, that the Old Grey Lady will soon me owned by Mexican Carlos Slim. That should be the final nail in that bitch’s coffin.

Good riddance to them all.

[Chode]

i hope not...