With all the hype of Katie Couric taking over the anchor chair of the CBS Evening News, I felt compelled to give it a look last night. It was a pretty good debut.
I really enjoyed reporter Lara Logan’s inside look at the Taliban and Thomas Friedman’s story of a Wisconsin man coordinating portrait-paintings of orphans was heart warming.
I think I’m going to like their new feature called “Free Speech” where ordinary people and, of course, celebrities sound off and state what’s on their minds. My understanding is Bill Maher – my outspoken hero – will be doing one soon.
How was Katie? She was…well…Katie. It’s not that I dislike her, I mean she’s cute and perky. All right, there’s a reason right there to not like her, but she did a good job last night (but she’s no Bob Schieffer).
Will I tune in again? Probably not. I have nothing against Katie and the other networks who broadcast the evening news at six-thirty. I just don’t have time to watch their shows. Apparently, I’m not alone.
Ratings for these broadcasts are nothing like they were as recently as ten years ago. People are getting their news from other sources – like the web and at their own convenience.
That’s sort of my approach too. In the morning, on my computer, I’ll visit The New York Times web site and to find out what’s going on locally, I’ll go visit The Cincinnati Enquirer. After that I’ll usually go to CBS News.com and I probably still will. After all, Katie got the truly big story last night – pictures of Suri Cruise – you know, Tom and Katie’s (Katie as in Holmes – not Couric’s) baby!
Do I care about this? Not at all.
Pictures of this kid I don’t really consider news. Maybe that’s another reason why I tune out the evening news and do things my way.
Larry Gross
CityBeat's Living Out Loud - Cincinnati Blog 
The days of sitting down and watching the evening news is history. All you get are headlines – not time for anything else. Cable news is much better and more detailed.
I don’t have time for TV news. Too much gossip, not enough news. Cable is a little better, but not much.
My husband and I read national and international newspapers online, and not enough people do that!
Do any of you have any idea what’s going on in Mexico right now? Every once in a while I’ll catch a blurb from an American news outlet, but they’re keeping it pretty hushed up.
In Mexico’s recent presidential election, the ruling conservative party pulled out a surprise and narrow victory (they won by .5% of the vote). Obrador, the progressive candidate, is alleging voter fraud and wants the votes recounted, which the ruling conservative government is refusing to do.
Any of this sounding familiar? Like something that happened here twice?
There have been mass demonstrations all over Mexico, U.S. troops were sent to guard Mexico’s oil fields a couple of weeks ago, and Obrador is in the process of setting up a parallel government because he believes the ruling government is a fraud.
Our neighbors to the south are on the brink of civil war, and no one in the U.S. even knows! If something this big can be ignored by the media when it’s right on the other side of the border, how can we trust anything they tell us about what is happening on the other side of the globe?
By finding international newspapers, saving them to your favorites folder, and looking over them frequently.
Katie can kiss my ass.
Here we go again with know-it-all Heather. If you think you’re so much better than Katie Couric, why aren’t you in New York giving the news and turning us all in the right direction?
Wow, Stephanie, I’m flattered that you perceive me as omnipotent, and while it’s true that my knowledge of world events is far superior to your own, I am actually quite far from knowing it all.
Why am I not on the evening news?
You see, Stephanie, if the corporations who control the media wanted to keep the American public informed about actual news, they would. They put Katie Couric on because she’s perky and sweet and able to entertain the masses.
Not to mention the fact that the majority of the population has no interest in knowing what’s actually going on in the world, hence the hostility from people like Stephanie when someone tries to inform her about world events. People like Stephanie are quick to lash out at those who care about what’s going on, but are unwilling to speak out against the people who actually have power in the world.
And I don’t want to hear anything about a “cat fight” from any of you. Stephanie is clearly not capable of aguing with any of my points, which is why she resorts to insults. There is no fight here, there is just angry little Staphanie lashing out against someone who threatens her percieved reality. She’s frightened and that’s understandable. I am not angry with her.
For what it is worth, I like Katie Couric and Heather’s saying she can “kiss my ass” is pretty silly.
Because of the commercials, the evening news shows are actually only about 20 minutes long. It’s not possible to cover everything in detail in that short amount of time. That’s why we have newspapers, the web and cable news. If people want to learn more, they certainly can.
Ever notice how Heather seems to have a lot to say and how she likes to put people down? Two words: hot air.
C A T F I G H T !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First of all, the “Katie can kiss my ass,” comment was more about the news in general, but saying, “the news in general can kiss my ass,” just doesn’t sound as good.
And how could the evening news not have time to cover the fact that the country south of us is in political turmoil? How does celebrity gossip take precedence over that?
And no, you can’t fill in ALL the blanks with cable and newspapers because they’re all owned by the same four or five media outlets.
My mistake with my post was giving you guys something like “Katie can kiss my ass” to focus on. I should have realized that you would cling to that so you could ignore the fact that Mexico has been in turmoil for months and YOU DIDN’T KNOW IT.
Stephanie, go read some newspapers and come back when you have a point to make.
i have liked katic on the today show for years and i’m sure she’ll do good on the evening news show. as far as i’m concerned, this heather person can kiss my ass.
I think Katie Couric’s kinda hot. Tom Cruise can kiss my ass. Although, I used to have a stuffed horse named after his Top Gun character, Maverick. Ah, I loved that horse. I set him free, though, to run with the rest of the stuffed mustangs.
Yeah, well Shirley Temple can kiss my ass. America’s sweetheart! (humph)
And fluffy bunnies, too!
I was in the middle of writing a piece for Proceso about how it’s not that Americans don’t care; it’s that they’re not being informed by the media. But I can’t write lies for a Mexican newspaper, so I’m going to revise my article.
It really is that Americans just don’t care.
C.A is funny! setting free her stuffed mustang.
I don’t know this Stephanie, but I’m going to come to her defense a little bit. Who is Heather to tell someone not to comment on this blog? Is she the one who runs it? I don’t think so. She’s always bragging about living in California. Why doesn’t she piss people off in your own state?
I didn’t tell Stephanie not to comment, I told her to have a point. Please, show me the quote where I said “Stephanie, you can’t post here.”
She repeatedly insults me for making points, but she never disputes a single fact I present.
And I don’t brag about living in California, I just like it here.
And I do piss off people wherever I go. I’m always looking for someone who can get the better of me in an argument. Most people can’t, so they get angry. Some people do get the better of me, through facts and logical arguments, and they convince me to change my mind about things.
Just a few years ago, I was Christian, and a few years before that, I was conservative.
Some people get angry when they can’t hang in a debate, others conceed the point because they care more about the truth.
Catfight!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder what Katie Couric had for lunch. HA!
fluffy bunnies
Like C.A, I also think Katie Couric is “hot” and she’s also smart. I’ve read that her biggest complaint about The Today Show was that it didn’t have enough hard news. That’s what she wanted at NBC – lets see if she can make that happen at CBS. I for one I’m pulling for her. And she’s a woman!
Gee, I thought Larry got ALL his news from City Beat.
Katie Couric is hot? Are you guys looking at the photo-shopped pictures or the real ones?
I mean, she’s cute and all, but I don’t know about hot. But then, I had thing for Sean Connery and Patrick Stewart when I was in high school, so who am I to judge?
mmmm… I’ll take an older gentleman with an accent over a fluffy bunny any day
i will say she’s hotter than dan rather.
“so who am I to judge?”
?????
You’re right, Stephanie, who are you to judge?
I’m glad you finally came to terms with that, I know it was difficult, and I’m proud of you.
Now maybe you can stop attacking me every time I make a post.
Wouldn’t that be nice?
Did anyone else ever notice that it’s a job requirement for every newsperson to be lipless? Just wondering.
Greg Flannery is a newsperson. Are you saying he doesn’t have lips?
No, actually, I meant the tv ones. Then again, I could be wrong. I’ve been wrong about a lot of things lately.
So know you’re saying that Greg Flannery has big lips or he’s just not good enough for television?
Who’s Greg Flannery?
the news editor for CityBeat
Ever notice how Heather has to have the last one on everything?
man, stephanie – let up on heather. at least she has something to say. sorry, but you really don’t 😦
I like Katie Couric too and while I haven’t watched the evening news for quite a while, I did last night and thought Katic was super! I’m gonna start sitting down to watch at 6:30 every night.
I do not have a lisp.
Man – this site is hopping! Getting in a little late on this
I also think Katie Couric is fucking hot. That face – those beautiful eyes – those great legs – and those breats. You don’t see them alot, but sometimes you do.
The women on the other channel in the morning, good morning america, is also hot – Diane Sawyer or something like that but now Kathie is on in the evening and she’s hotter.
That woman from the view is gonna be on the today show pretty soon. I don’t know her name – she looks a little older than Katie. – how old is Katie – does anybody know?
I like the smart women that are hot.
I like this blog – just found it. My name is Vic and I live in Price Hill. I’m over at my friend’s house and he’s letting me use his computer for awhile.
I need work, out of a job. I’m pretty dependable. If you need some help call me at xxx-xxxx.
I hope to get back her soon
love to all,
Vic
Wow. Poor Vic.
Let’s hope Vic doesn’t get his own computer.
Vic seems nice enough.
He’s barking up wrong tree for employment, though.
I watched Katie again last night – a great news show!
Who is the announcer on the new CBS news show? that voice is so familiar. Help me out here.
I’m pretty sure it’s “Uncle Walter.” Think before Dan Rather.
If anyone still cares, Katie is still winning her time slot against the other network news channels. Katie rocks!