AOL News invited Dan Rather to respond to the controversy following his remarks about the state of television news.
Let me put one thing to rest right away: CBS Corp. Chief Executive Les Moonves' charge that my "dumbing it down, tarting it up" comments about the CBS Evening News were "sexist," presumably because of my use of the "T word" in describing a newscast anchored by a woman. Nice try at misdirection from the issue at hand -- the parlous state of news, particularly television news -- but no cigar; I've used that phrase dozens of times in the past (such as documented here, here, and here) to describe the disturbing trend in news toward shallow, celebrity-obsessed coverage, in contexts where it clearly had nothing to do with gender.
Now that we've settled that, how about we have a real conversation in this country about the real issue: Our nation and our world face enormous challenges, many being of the life-or-death variety. Nuclear proliferation. Climate change. The health-care crisis. The growing gap between rich and poor. The ways that the war on terrorism has changed how we understand and interpret our Constitution and our bedrock values as a free and democratic society. There are debates about these and other pressing issues before us but, for the most part, they have been limited to our political elites, and these folks tend to already have a dog in the fight.
In fewer than nine months, the Republican and Democratic presidential nominations will likely be locked up. In less than a year-and-a-half, we will be going to the polls to choose a new president. Yet the rank-and-file American voter is not being drawn into the central debates of our time. And the information he or she gets about the presidential campaign is largely limited to the political horse race.
Why? One of the big reasons is the absurdly disproportionate coverage that news organizations give to celebrity "news" and other tales of scandal and prurience. They hope for a short-term ratings and demographics fix, while the long-term, important problems -- the ones that actually have a bearing on our lives -- get pushed out of broadcasts and the ever-shrinking "news hole" in print publications.
We can talk about that, we can debate whether this is good for our country and what we should do about it -- or we can turn this into another celebrity story involving two anchors and a network CEO.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 29)
1. I watched Couric the first week or two and have not since. She is no newswoman. We watch Charles Gibson.
Ginny Caminer at 6:09PM on Jun 13th 2007
2. We watched K Couric the first week or two and then turned on Charles Gibson. He's far better than either Couric and Williams. We loved Brokow though.
Ginny Caminer at 6:09PM on Jun 13th 2007
3. We watched K Couric the first week or two and then turned on Charles Gibson. He's far better than either Couric and Williams. We loved Brokow though.
Ginny Caminer at 6:09PM on Jun 13th 2007
4. Dan Rather is a man of principles and intelligence. His words are an impartial balanced look at one of the ways our present culture is extremely unhealthy.
Sean Hobbs at 4:13PM on Jun 14th 2007
5. Hurray to Dan Rather, I couldn't agree more! I do not turn on the news to hear about Paris Hilton crying in her jail cell, nor to see the latest summer grilling recipe. I want to hear all the useful info I can so I can make informed decisions.
Debby Dollar at 6:18PM on Jun 13th 2007
6. I have not watched the CBS news recently not because of Couric but because I feel I cannot trust their investigations (or lack of) in the CBS reporting. Sounds to me like Dan Rather is sore because he was caught reporting "supposed" news without checking his facts.
Pat Johns at 6:20PM on Jun 13th 2007
7. The last newscaster I watched was Walter Cronkite,thats when the news was reported. Know Paris Hilton becomes the news.The war where brave men are getting killed,when schools are getting tossed down the drain,when politicians gorge themselfs on our tax money,the climate goes down the shoot,all CBS gives us is whats her name.
Peter at 6:20PM on Jun 13th 2007
8. Dan, Shut up and be retired with a little dignity!
Greg at 6:32PM on Jun 13th 2007
9. I loved Bob Schieffer, and lost interest in the news completely when Katie Couric took over. There's nothing wrong with her, it's just that Bob was so good!
Polly at 6:21PM on Jun 13th 2007
10. I wouldn't and didn't watch either. Too much left wing emphasis.
C.F.Gray at 6:23PM on Jun 13th 2007
11. We watched Couric for four days and then switched back to charles gibson, she just is no a news anchor in our opinion.
Women do not come accross on the news like a man.
John Petrusha at 6:25PM on Jun 13th 2007
12. I feel It is about time that responsible journalists speak out on the current "giddy bubblism" news bradcasts we, the American public is being subjected to. I can watch the 'Today Show' when I am waking up but in the evening I want to watch true reality broacasts that are not Ipod based. Hoorah for Dan Rather!
Randy Beaver at 6:28PM on Jun 13th 2007
13. I feel It is about time that responsible journalists speak out on the current "giddy bubblism" news bradcasts we, the American public is being subjected to. I can watch the 'Today Show' when I am waking up but in the evening I want to watch true reality broacasts that are not Ipod based. Hoorah for Dan Rather!
Randy Beaver at 6:26PM on Jun 13th 2007
14. The difference between Katie and Dan is simply that When you watched Dan, without him saying a word, you knew that he simply cared, but at the same time was the ultimate professional. Katie gives you the feeling that she's trying to care and be professional, but there's something missing. Being genuine, that is what seperated Dan from all the rest. Peter had it too, but in a different way. You can't program down to a standare, you must make people want to live up to yours. The best way to do that is to let them know that is by being yourself, but in yourself you are truly real and you care.
William Pee at 6:29PM on Jun 13th 2007
15. I think anyone is better that K. Couric, I donot like her any where on TV, I didn't like on the Good morning and that is the reason I guite watching that morning show. I love Charlie Gibson. I would watch him over her anytime.
Let's just send her home and watch her at all.
I am a CBS person but not as long as she is on there.
Pequitta Crabtree at 6:28PM on Jun 13th 2007