CBS News SVP talks about blogs, Couric
Cory Bergman May 12th, 2007
Couple interesting responses to an interview on CBSNews.com’s PublicEye with Linda Mason, CBS News SVP of standards and special projects…
“I think a blog and CBSNews.com are two different things. I think a blog tends to reflect the opinion or opinions of the people putting out the blog. It in no way strikes to be fair and measured. It’s putting out that viewpoint, I think. And I think that CBSNews.com is trying to put forth the whole story. So I think there’s a real difference….”
“… I’m just surprised at how, almost 30 years after I worked on the ‘Evening News’ as the first woman producer, that Katie is having such a tough time being accepted by the public, which seems to prefer the news from white guys, and now that Charlie’s doing so well, from older white guys. I guess they want the reassurance of a Walter Cronkite. I had no idea that a woman delivering the news would be a handicap.”
As a longtime blogger and journalist, I disagree with her sweeping opinion that blogs are not “fair and measured.” This is true for many blogs, but certainly not all. Isn’t it interesting that she expresses this opinion on a blog on CBSNews.com? Therefore, is PublicEye not fair and measured? Or is it fair because it’s inside CBSNews.com? I’m so confused.
Adds Amanda in comments: “The public’s distaste of (Katie Couric) has nothing to do with her gender…. There are plenty of qualified female journalists I can name off the top of my head who would be a better fit for that chair. Instead CBS hired a perky personality who reminds me too much of the blond cheerleaders back in high school.”
7 Comments Add your own
1. Swift Loris | May 12th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
The problem isn’t that Katie Couric is a woman, it’s that she’s Katie Couric. You need someone with anchor gravitas, and she ain’t got it.
2. Pat | May 12th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
I agree with Swift Loris. Katie Couric is a PERSONALITY. She is NOT a NEWS anchor. She’s a former morning show HOST.
Harken back to the days when Couric was ruining the Today Show and leading to the demise of Tom Touchet. She’s outside playing badminton or some game; meanwhile, CNN and some of the other cable news outlets were reporting soldiers dying in Iraq. I have never forgotten that one.
3. MD | May 12th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Interesting. This quote from Linda Mason showcases some of the horrendous bias CBS is known for. Mason’s feminist attitude really shines through in her remarks. She and others at CBS have been running a fantasy network news operation.
Although Bob Schieffer was an “interim” anchor, not keeping him on has proven to be very costly!! He and Charlie Gibson might have been in a tight ratings race, leaving NBC Nightly in their wake. No surprise that CBS News is a sinking ship.
4. Amanda | May 12th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Ms Couric is a visual example of the phrase “bubble-headed bleach blond”.
The public’s distaste of her has nothing to do with her gender. If that was true, I doubt that Jean Enerson would be lead anchor of your station’s newscasts. Its her personality, she lacks gravitas.
There are plenty of qualified female journalists I can name off the top of my head who would be a better fit for that chair. Instead CBS hired a perky personality who reminds me too much of the blond cheerleaders back in high school.
5. duh | May 13th, 2007 at 12:27 am
the commenters agree…katie is not a JOURNALIST. (sorry, katie.)
here’s the thing…most journalists who have a passion for the field seem to stay there. i mean, turn a serious journalist like christine amanpour into a newsreader? are you kidding?
that’s the problem with these network newscasts. either make it BBC-style with the newsreaders or make it journalism with journalists. you can’t have it both ways.
6. Weekend Newser | May 13th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
That wouldn’t be Linda “Most bitter woman in journalism”
Mason - famous for crushing all beneath her…
7. Rob | May 13th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Linda Mason makes the comparison between Brian Williams and Charles Gibson - I assume the two ‘older white guys’ she’s referring to - to Walter Cronkite like that’s a bad thing? wow.
So lemme guess this straight … Bob Schieffer’s numbers were pretty good, they’d had some increases here and there … then Katie not only doesn’t hold his numbers but dumps them. And it’s Charles Gibson’s fault?
It’s not because people don’t want people of a certain gender, age or race to anchor the news that Katie is tanking. Katie’s tanking because, well, she’s Katie. Bob Schieffer comes across as a personable guy on-air. Charles does too. Heck, Cronkite did too, what I can remember from when I was a crumbsnatcher.
Katie doesn’t. ’nuff said.
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