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 7 of 29)
91. Dan Rather was full of bullshit regarding his reports on President Bush and the Iraq war. He is still full of it regarding CBS's current news reporting practices. Actually he is so full of it and/or full of himself that he does not understand that there are folks who really report the new as it IS -- NOT MAKE IT UP!! He and President Clinton seem to both have trouble with the word IS.
Harvey
harvey at 8:09PM on Jun 13th 2007
92. When Dan Rather was fired for the story he did on bush's not showing up for his National Guard services I was pretty much done with CBS because they didn't back him. They turned their back on him. I had always watched Dan Rather but never watched Katie Couric. I say give him his job back. At least he isn't afraid to tell it like it is.
lois A. at 8:13PM on Jun 13th 2007
93. IN A WORLD WHERE THE NEWS OF WHO IS ANNA NICOLES BABY'S DAD OR PARIS HILTONS PATHETIC HEIRESS LIFE IS HEADLINING THE EVENING NEWS, IT IS OF NO SURPRISE TO ME THAT THE RATING HAVE GONE DOWN FASTER THEN THE DOW. THERE ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND I FOR ONE WANT BOTH SIDES OF A STORY WHICH FOX NEWS HAS BEEN PROVIDING. YET ONE MUST FEEL SORRY FOR THESE HIGH PAID FRONT PIECES, NEWS IS DICATED BY THOSE PERSONS WRITING THE CHECKS.
JANE at 8:20PM on Jun 13th 2007
94. Rather has brought up an important point. But, the real problem is--why can't the American public appreciate a real news program with content and two sided analysis? Where has the attention span gone to? Why is there so little public interest in the happenings in our country and the world that will shape the future that we and our children will live
in?
It is not a matter of the anchor particularly--although some are much better than others. All will have some clay on their feet. But, being slaves to advertisers (and thus numbers) networks will not make apreciable change untill the numbers change. And with no appropriate education in many schools--and with increasing numbers of 'polarized' parents, little in theway of meaningful role models at home-- young people will gravitate to the simple and enjoyable. (Like so much of the rest of TV.) So it is little surprise that CBS and others present the news as simple and enjoyable.
How do we solve this problem? If you are really serious--as an individual--write the networks and express your opinion. Write the advertisers and tell them too (and perhaps don't buy their products--your choice). Go to a PTA meeting. Find out what your children are learning in 'civics' or whatever they call it today. Write to the school board and to individual teachers. Write to the editor of your local (and national) papers.
Get involved. It won't change until the public insists on better. Only YOU can do it.
By the way, I watch the BBC world news to get my international reports, and "educational" TV to get my national news. I read the paper to get the local news. (And--who is this "Paris" person? Should I know something about her? Or care?)
Richard Price at 8:21PM on Jun 13th 2007
95. Network news that is dependant on ratings cannot be trusted.
It is entertsinment!
Sad isn't it?
katsnkiddys at 8:17PM on Jun 13th 2007
96. Dan Rather was the best thing on CBS news. I always looked forward to 6:30 pm so I could hear the real news. I was so disappointed when he left CBS. I tried Katie, but it was not the same.
Dan Rather had more courage, more raw emotion and dedication than all the other newscasters put together. I certainly agree with his recent comments. This is from a history teacher with 30 years of teaching. I wish Dan was back!!!!
Richard Trubia at 8:15PM on Jun 13th 2007
97. Dan Rather definitely has made his mark as an anchor! He's done some remarkable work over the years. I completely agree with his remarks on what direction news and society, as well as our government are headed! BUT..............his remarks regarding Couric are what these vultures feed on and degrade the quality of the news! I think he was completely out of line to get personal and so pointed.
hayders at 8:17PM on Jun 13th 2007
98. I grew up watching Dan, over all the other networks I'd watch CBS because of Dans reporting, adding a so called pretty face to the news does not appeal to me at all niether does her reporting!
Mark at 8:18PM on Jun 13th 2007
99. I agree with Peter. The last CBS anchor I loved to watch was Walter Cronkite and I think his name was Mr.Severide. You never could tell which side of the political fence he sat on. All new channels including PBS, Fox, CNN, NBC, ABC have a political agenda that is quite apparant during the broadcast. The least of the biased btoadcasts are some of the Fox newscasters and one of the late night CNN newscasters. Otherwise this whole crop are pathetic.
Alan Kuczynski at 8:18PM on Jun 13th 2007
100. The problem with most of the news reporting is trying to fill too many hours. They started making the news instead of reporting it. We are on a slippery slope because it is too hard to stop the slide to mediocrity. Factual news reporting is so important to our democracy. We no longer get it. Instead we get junk to titilate and talking heads who pander their political stance. It is no wonder the general public is thought of as having little or no intelligence. Advertisers can even instruct us to tell our doctors what drugs we should be taking.
get real at 8:19PM on Jun 13th 2007
101. Katie Couric as a NEWS ANCHOR was a bad mistake.
Women are fine at talk show chit chat, but not at
delivering a good in depth news report. I am acquainted with around a half dozen elderly folks
who can't stand the way her voice sounds...they say she is squeaky and nasally sounding!!! I would
have preferred John Roberts or Harry Smith it both
Mr Rather and Mr Sheiffer HAD to be replaced. And..if she (Katie) does not quit insisting that we get our news details from the internet....I may do just that...but not from her!
Cindy Minor at 8:22PM on Jun 13th 2007
102. The last time I watched the CBS morning news, the anchor led with a summary of the previous night's CBS network series. I haven't watched it since. Their behavior speaks louder than their party line policy statements on being a news organization.
John Smith at 4:34AM on Jun 14th 2007
103. Thank you Dan Rather for your many years of professional reporting. For many years I watched Walter Cronkite and then for many years, Dan Rather but I will not sink to watching Couric.
Randall Waldrip at 8:24PM on Jun 13th 2007
104. It's Brian Williams, hands-down, and not because of the family name. He packages his newscast in a compelling format and convinces me that he has given thought to what I need to know. Gibson ain't bad, but seems light-weight. Couric is sweet, and that's great, but it isn't powerful news anchoring.
Oliver Williams at 8:24PM on Jun 13th 2007
105. Enough of this so called political correctness.I'm in the real world and all that stuff is just another tool for use when things don't turn out the way they want it. No answer for the lack of experience or abilities for the position in question. We are spending too much time on political correctness and not enough time on the subject at hand. Even the most powerful people are afraid of the band of bandits called we need to be equal. Take charge and get something done ,,,,,, then fight about the stupid correctness.
Hello World,,,,Stop Putting barricades in progress.
Tom
Tom at 8:24PM on Jun 13th 2007