With No Plan for Succession, You're Toast
November 2005 By Denny Hatch
|
Just look at ABC and CBS
Nov. 22, 2005: Vol. 1, Issue No. 50
IN THE NEWS
I don't watch one evening news program on television. Rather, I use the remote control to skim six newscasts--three on the networks, three on cable. Seldom are all six programs on a commercial break at once, so I pretty much get a half-hour of solid news.
For years, Peter Jennings on ABC was our main man--the news presentation we always returned to after a bout of channel surfing during commercials. We liked his sophistication and ease in front of the camera. And we had a sense that he edited and wrote much of the program and knew what he was talking about.
To many of us, Dan Rather was stiff and unpleasant. He was also a serial scooper--desperate to beat the competition to a story even if it were totally untrue. On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley shot President Reagan and his press secretary James Brady. Shortly thereafter, Rather pronounced Brady dead and called for a moment of silence.
Brady was not dead, but rather grievously wounded. Peggy and I never trusted Rather again. "Rathergate" confirmed our mistrust.
After 22 years in the anchor chair, Tom Brokaw retired from "NBC Nightly News" and turned the job over to Brian Williams. It was an orderly transition that had been announced seven months earlier.
Williams and Murrow
During World War II, we used to gather around the radio and listen to Edward R. Murrow's broadcasts from London. Later, in the early days of television, we watched Murrow's series, "See It Now," and his charming bit of fluff, "Person to Person," where his cameras visited celebrities in their homes while Murrow sat in the studio and asked inane questions.
I have always felt that Murrow was the role model for Williams. Williams pays as much attention to his clothes as Murrow did, dressing with sartorial elegance in dark suits and handsome ties. The haircut is inordinately neat.
Murrow's trademark was keeping his head down and looking up into the camera with soulful eyes. Williams does this frequently.
Nov. 22, 2005: Vol. 1, Issue No. 50
IN THE NEWS
NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams Pulls Ahead; Widens the Gap Over ABC TO 1.4 Million Viewers
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams had a big ratings win last week, topping ABC's "World News Tonight" by a 16% or +1.390 million viewers - representing the program's best advantage over ABC since the week of the Brokaw/Williams anchor transition (Nov. 29, 2004).
--Matt Drudge, The Drudge Report, Nov. 17, 2005
I don't watch one evening news program on television. Rather, I use the remote control to skim six newscasts--three on the networks, three on cable. Seldom are all six programs on a commercial break at once, so I pretty much get a half-hour of solid news.
For years, Peter Jennings on ABC was our main man--the news presentation we always returned to after a bout of channel surfing during commercials. We liked his sophistication and ease in front of the camera. And we had a sense that he edited and wrote much of the program and knew what he was talking about.
To many of us, Dan Rather was stiff and unpleasant. He was also a serial scooper--desperate to beat the competition to a story even if it were totally untrue. On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley shot President Reagan and his press secretary James Brady. Shortly thereafter, Rather pronounced Brady dead and called for a moment of silence.
Brady was not dead, but rather grievously wounded. Peggy and I never trusted Rather again. "Rathergate" confirmed our mistrust.
After 22 years in the anchor chair, Tom Brokaw retired from "NBC Nightly News" and turned the job over to Brian Williams. It was an orderly transition that had been announced seven months earlier.
Williams and Murrow
During World War II, we used to gather around the radio and listen to Edward R. Murrow's broadcasts from London. Later, in the early days of television, we watched Murrow's series, "See It Now," and his charming bit of fluff, "Person to Person," where his cameras visited celebrities in their homes while Murrow sat in the studio and asked inane questions.
I have always felt that Murrow was the role model for Williams. Williams pays as much attention to his clothes as Murrow did, dressing with sartorial elegance in dark suits and handsome ties. The haircut is inordinately neat.
Murrow's trademark was keeping his head down and looking up into the camera with soulful eyes. Williams does this frequently.
Companies Mentioned:
 |
|
|
|
