That *(^&*^&^* Katie Couric Ad
So I'm watching Criminal Minds the other night, and I catch this promo spot for the New CBS Evening News Starring the New And Improved Katie Couric With Shoulder Length Highlights.
Aside from looking like a commercial for yeast infection medication, there was one other thing that bothered me about the spot.
That would be what she actually said.
I can't find the actual transcript online, but I'll keep looking. Until then, the phrases that stick in my mind are
We want to inform, enlighten and educate you.
and the closer is something like
We hope you'll walk away with a new way of looking at things, saying "hey, I hadn't thought of it that way."
Folks, I'd just like to remind everyone that this is news. Not International Gossip. Not Civics Class. You are supposed to keep me informed about the events of the day. You ARE.NOT.SUPPOSED.TO.TELL.ME.WHAT.TO.THINK.ABOUT.THOSE.EVENTS.
You are journalists and anchorpersons. You are not teachers, ministers, nagging grandmothers or health professionals.
posted by Kat Coble @ 11:42 AM
18 comments
18 Comments:
Average age of a network news viewer is over 60.
Katie is going to find her peculiar talents and charms are ineffective in this new venue.
She's going to stink and it will be glorious.
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I'm going to miss Bob Schieffer. Even though I prefer CBS news to all others, I don't think I want to hear it coming from her.
I've said it before and I'll say it again:
Katie Couric--for when you want your news a little bit uncomfortably flirtatious.
"So Mr. Ramsey, now that you're single again..."
Bwahaha.
Good one, CLC.
"You know, I lost a spouse to cancer, too..."
OMG. If she's perky, I'll just have to run away screaming.
I haven't seen the ad, and I think that having someone with her lack of reportorial experience acting as a news anchor just proves that there's no such thing as a news anchor any more, just newsreaders. But don't you think that she meant that the show will bring you information you didn't have before, and that THAT is what will make you think about things differently?
Anything that becomes offically "cool" in American culture eventually becomes mimiced in the media.
I think they get a lot of the "personal touch" from what they see in blogs, and other internet offerings. And the idea of telling people what to think about the news has always been effective for, and a mainstay of, fox news.
I have a hard time thinking of Katie as an evening news anchor. Not because she's a woman. But because she's. Katie.
I had the exact same reaction when I saw the spot. It reminded me about an interview she did with some childhood/culture specialist right after a school shooting that happened to be in the South. She asked "Aren't these shootings about the Southern culture of guns." The talking head gave a nice long answer that implied that it was not.
So Katie repeats the question, "Yes, but isn't this about the Southern culture of guns." Talking head says, "No," and gives the same reasoning with different wording.
I swear, she asked the same question a third time. Silent pause and the head says, "No." Loooooong silence. Katie stutters and finally moves on.
I'm not sure why the Today show ever bothered with expert guests when Katie already had decided not only what the questions were but the answers too. Me thinks the News won't be an improvement.
Argh!!!!
And I'm one of the evil media, but darn it, Katie gives me the shakes.
Wait..she's not supposed to tell me what to think?!?
My fragile world-view is shattering...
Wait..she's not supposed to tell me what to think?!?
My fragile world-view is shattering...
What's so great about Bob Schieffer is his experience and his knowledge. You can't put anything over on him; you can't spin it, you can't gloss (or lip-gloss) it, you can't get out of it. Because he will look at you, eyebrow cocked, and say, "Are you for real? You're kidding me." And has done so, many times (most recently last week, to one of his own correspondents).
That sort of amused cynicism, coupled with his ongoing thirst for knowledge to inform his viewers, his obvious sincerity and humanity, and his impeccable journalistic credentials honed over decades in the stupidest place in the world to cover news, is why he cannot and will not be "replaced" by Katie Couric. I shudder at the thought.
... but not as hard as I shudder at Mr. Schieffer's ad saying "Y'all come watch my colleague, Katie Couric. She's real smart." (No, not really, but that's the tone.) It makes me sad, because he's so clearly trying to be helpful and upbeat and still show the loyalty he's shown for all these years to the network that's sold completely out. All that for a twit.
He's the only reason I've watched the evening news in months. I'll not watch it again after Labor Day. I'll still be watching his Sunday show, though. Woo!
Ibid on the not-against-a-woman-anchor, by the way. Carole Simpson on ABC was/is one of the best. Couric can't hold her briefcase.
The CBS Evening News, Today.
Who wants to bet you'll be able to see her legs at the anchor desk?
I LOVE Bob. I wish they'da kept him. Yeah, he's old as Methuseleh but he's so stinking cute. I love how he'll throw in a little sarcasm at the end of a story just because he can. Hey, I'm old...what can they do to me?
I'm sick of Katie. If I see her awarded one more Mother of the Year award, I will become disgruntled.
SS, if you want sarcasm, check out Brian Williams. He's our 5:30 anchor of choice.
I saw the same ad. When she said, "we hope you'll walk away with a new way of looking at things..." , I said, outloud, "Our way of looking at things."
I'll never forget when the news hit that Hillary would not be prosecuted for White Water, or some other Clinton crime. Fox news showed the footage of the spokesman for the special prosecutor saying, "We just don't feel we have enough evidence to insure a conviction. We have evidence, but we don't feel it's enough for a conviction."
After hearing that, I changed the channel to Perky Katie, just in time to hear her say, "Clinton has been found innocent. She will not be prosecuted..."
Not exactly the same thing.
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