Katie Couric ... and oh yeah, the news

She was introduced by the voice of Walter Cronkite. And there was Katie Couric, standing to introduce the “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric” … just as Brian Williams stands to deliver the “NBC Nightly News.” Curvy new graphics churned behind her … kind of like they do on Fox News Channel.

Well, borrow from the best, right?

Nowhere was that more evident Tuesday than in the appearance of Couric, smartly dressed and reminiscent of the chatty star of TV’s No. 1-rated morning show as she introduced herself to viewers with a disarming “Hi everyone,” and then, “I’m very happy to be with you tonight,” before charging into the news.

So began the struggle to redefine the third-place CBS news organization, which has fewer correspondents than any network but has the biggest name as its anchorwoman.

Couric faces a big challenge in bringing to CBS some of her NBC audience, which was younger and more female than that of the “Evening News.” For now, her audience is the one she inherited from Bob Schieffer, and the new “Evening News” seemed not so radically different as to drive those viewers away.

The pace of Tuesday’s telecast was brisk. The story mix seemed about as interesting as a 22-minute newscast can be these days.

The graphics and new set were understated in that big-money way. The lighting was not. It was orangey and seemed to be painted on everything, even the face of reporter Jim Axelrod, who was standing on the White House lawn for his remote but looked as if he had spent too much time in a tanning booth.

There was some red meat in the broadcast. Lara Logan returned to a spot in Afghanistan where she had reported from in 2004 to show it is now in Taliban hands.

There were warm fuzzies: photos of Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and their new baby, Suri; and a story about a Wisconsin artist who arranges for painted portraits of children living in orphanages.

Through all the publicity over her switch to CBS, Couric has been resolute about defining herself and not letting others do it for her. She struck a decidedly centrist course Tuesday. First, a taped piece gave quality time to a speech by President Bush on terrorism. Couric then showed clips from an interview with columnist Thomas Friedman, who criticized the administration for withholding resources needed to fight terrorism.

In an admirable show of restraint -- admirable considering how the summer of hype had made one wonder if CBS was thinking of renaming the broadcast "Katie Couric and the News" -- the anchor waited until the end of the newscast to make herself the story. There she addressed one of those only-on-TV questions that she said she was asked often over the summer: how she planned to sign off each night.

That led to a video reel that would have been unimaginable under any previous CBS anchor. Starting with Edward R. Murrow’s “Good night and good luck,” it playfully included Dan Rather’s brief mid-’80s signoff, “Courage,” then went silly, with Ted Baxter from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and Will Ferrell’s “Anchorman” character, Ron Burgundy, imploring his viewers to “stay classy.”

Comments

Keith Olbermann harped on Dan Patrick's radio show that "I could do a better job than Katie Couric" hosting the Evening News...and predicted that he didn't think it would work...My view is that as long as she improves on Sheiffer...Even by a .1 of a ratings point...It will be spun as a success by CBS...

CBC has like dozen femaie anchors and some of them actually go out and do stories.

[Aaron]

And at least a couple of them are not white! A colleague emailed me yesterday after the broadcast:

Based on what I saw tonight....white male correspondents, pundits and commentators should be celebrating..........middle age women and people of color.......so much for the "new" CBS News!!!

In fairness, I pointed out to the reader that it was, after all, a comedy set in Manhattan.

[Smooth Melon]

She may choose to present herself as a "centrist" for her first few broadcasts, but it won't be long before her left-leaning proclivities emerge front-and-center. And that is the best explanation for CBS being mired in 3rd.

[Mark Jeffries]

Please tell us what her "left-leaning proclivities" are. And don't C&P from Limbaugh's web site.

And since when are Brian Williams and Charlie Gibson winguts like your idol Loofah Felafel?

And in case you haven't noticed, more people still watch the three commercial network newscasts--and the "NewsHour"--than watch FNC. (And a lot more people don't watch any of them.) And Loofah's demos are just as solidly 55+ as the other guys, so don't even claim that.

[Stewart]

I had no issues or kudos for Katie's performance, but I thought the show was poorly produced, for something they had all summer to think about.

It was really, really slow, in my humble opinion, from the lengthy Logan piece to the Morgan Spurlock segment.

[Soonerthought]

It was all a little too breezy for my tastes. I sure miss Peter Jennings. Gravitas is gone, folks.

[Aaron]

Ah, fickle bitch broadcasting .... it's too "breezy" and yet too "Slow." It should have gravitas, like Peter Jennings had, yet it should be more relatable to the viewer, like Peter Jennings used to be (a complaint uttered on KNX this morning). Not only can't you please everyone, these days it seems you please no one. And yet, millions watch anyway ....

[Aaron B.]

Why is that anchors or networks feel they must be slanted one way or another. I just want the news and let me make my own decisions. As far as Katie goes, well she is pleasing to the eye and her voice is pleasant, so I'll watch for the moment although I feel like I can trust the guy on NBC more. I wish FOX had world news on it's networks for 30 minutes.

[Mark Jeffries]

You complain about "slanted" news anchors but then you want Fox to have a national newscast on broadcast TV in the dinner hour. Hello?

[Bob]

Can't we please have Bob for a while longer? Katie has the presence of a freshman jounalism major.

Suggestions for sign offs:

Bye-bye from Katie's world!!!
Thuh-thuh-that's all folks!
I'll see you tomorrow-- if I'm not canned!
Sweet dreams - and say your prayers.

[Ma Barker]

It stunk, dull as dishwater. I know she's trying to tone the cuteness down but it was dull, dull dull. I think her sign off should be, I'm Katie, the most overpaid newscaster on night time news.

[Drew Breckheimer]

baby boomers are listening !
GOOD NIGHT MISS KALABASH WHEREVER YOU ARE.

DREW

[George Bell]

After the interview with Bush Katie should be ashamed. Go back to the Today's Show with Matt. Is she another closet Bush lover?

Couric to Bush: "I'm really grateful. Thank you. Thank you"
And we thought ABC was the problem.

Katie Couric interviewed George W. Bush for CBS News Wednesday. What the president said was pretty much what you'd expect. What Couric said? Well, she started her interview by thanking the president for doing it -- "We really, really appreciate it," she gushed -- and things went downhill from there.

Instead of pursuing lines of questions, Couric simply mentioned broad subject areas or random criticisms and then sat back while Bush offered a "response." "You have said we can't cut and run on more than one occasion. We have to stay until we win. Otherwise, we'll be fighting the terrorists here at home on our own streets. So what do you mean exactly by that, Mr. President?" "Is this a civil war, Mr. President?" "What is the significance, Mr. President, of -- of your announcement regarding -- the masterminds [behind] 9/11? Can you explain that?"

At one point, Couric asked Bush why, if the war against terrorism is so important, he won't "mobilize the country" by calling for sacrifices, raise taxes to finance the war, reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil or send more troops to Iraq. It was a good question, but Couric didn't follow up when Bush gave a rambling nonanswer. Indeed, it was Bush who said, "The question is: Why aren't we winning?" Couric didn't push for an answer to that one, either.

And when she did get serious, Couric sometimes undercut her questions or helped Bush with the answers. On the way toward asking the president about charges that he's "inflexible," Couric told Bush that "people admire so much your ability to adhere to your principles" and made sure to note that "there will always be critics." When Bush said -- as he's said before -- that he regrets using harsh language like "Bring them on," Couric dismissed it as nothing more than proof of Bush's (practiced) authenticity. "You can take the boy out of Crawford, but you can't take Crawford out of the boy?" Even Bush had to admit that that was just "one way to look at it" -- and that it's possible that his words might actually have had consequences.

And so it went until this big finish:

Couric: I know you care so much about the soldiers in Iraq. And when we told some of them we had an opportunity to speak with you, almost all of them said, "Would you please ask the president of the United States when can we come home?"

Bush: Mmm. And the answer is when the mission is done. When your commanders decide you can. You know, it's interesting you said that. It's -- I get a little different response from the soldiers I meet, you know? I -- frankly, I've never had one say that. In fact, they've all said, "I'm honored to serve the country. I understand what we're doing. I'm proud to be a volunteer." And -- you know, I can't tell you how great the military is. It's -- it's such a proud -- group of people, dedicated to protecting this country and doing its duty.

Couric: Well, Mr. President, thank you so much for your time.

Bush: Good luck.

Couric: I'm really grateful. Thank you. Thank you.

[Aaron]

Thanks for providing that transcript, George.