Thursday, April 06, 2006
Katie Couric
I recently had the chance to see the very fine film "Good Night And Good Luck". It made me sad, because the only experience I have had in my lifetime with an impassioned journalist occurred through a work of fiction.
And now Katie Couric is anchoring a network news broadcast.
I have a lot of respect for Katie Couric. When her husband died of colon cancer at a very young age, I felt for her. When she had a colonoscopy on-air, I felt she was a person of depth and substance.
But she's not a journalist. She is not a news gatherer. She is a television personality, and a wonderful one. And that is no insult, she is a legitimate talent.
I've read a number of news reports on Ms. Couric's career change from a number of sources, and the entire discussion about her move to the CBS anchor chair centers on ratings, and not on the quality of the journalism at CBS. Which pretty much says it all.
"Network news" is now an oxymoron, like "military intelligence", "journalistic integrity" and "Presidential authority."
Good Night And Good Luck, indeed.
And now Katie Couric is anchoring a network news broadcast.
I have a lot of respect for Katie Couric. When her husband died of colon cancer at a very young age, I felt for her. When she had a colonoscopy on-air, I felt she was a person of depth and substance.
But she's not a journalist. She is not a news gatherer. She is a television personality, and a wonderful one. And that is no insult, she is a legitimate talent.
I've read a number of news reports on Ms. Couric's career change from a number of sources, and the entire discussion about her move to the CBS anchor chair centers on ratings, and not on the quality of the journalism at CBS. Which pretty much says it all.
"Network news" is now an oxymoron, like "military intelligence", "journalistic integrity" and "Presidential authority."
Good Night And Good Luck, indeed.
