Some Good News from CBS

Viewership Down, Down,

Down
By Peter Johnson
USA Today




During 10 winning years at NBC's Today, Katie Couric became a household name thanks to her friendly banter with guests and her probing newsmaker interviews - key ingredients of morning TV.

But when you anchor a 30-minute newscast, as Couric has since she jumped to The CBS Evening News last fall, every second counts. What clicks with viewers every morning may not at night. Couric said as much in an interview last week with The New York Observer and hinted at how she feels about it.


"I think that, probably, it may be off-putting at times to some people who are used to a very, very buttoned-up newscast that doesn't have much leeway for an occasional glimpse of personality, but you know, I try," Couric said. "I've always had the 'less is more' philosophy, believe it or not, but there are times when I think it's personally fine. If people feel discomfort, maybe they should consider a suppository."



Maybe. Or maybe Evening News should cut back on Couric's interviews. That was the impression some staffers came away with after a meeting last week in which that subject arose. Evening News producer Rome Hartman, who ran the meeting, has this version: "We're not giving up on Katie's interviews, but I did emphasize that in order to be as newsy and fresh and distinctive, that we want those interviews to be real newsmakers, that's all. We don't want to interview the same folks that everyone is doing."