CBS Evening News with Katie Couric -- How Is It Now?

My renewed battle with fall allergy season kept me at home tonight. So I decided to flip on the TV and watch the 'CBS Evening News with Katie Couric'. I know, I know... when was the last time you heard someone say that happened at 6:30pm? It's been a while since I checked in for an entire show. As you know if you have read any of my posts about the newscast since Couric assumed the helm, I believe the content is the star of the show, not Couric. There had been depth and perspective to stories. There were "ah-ha' moments -- times when you learned something. I believe Couric is an asset to the organization but in early sampling struggled to actually "talk" (not read a prompter) to me as a viewer. For someone making more than a million bucks a month, I want more. That's the only thing that has bothered me about Couric since she left the heavily ad-libbed 'Today' show. I like her. But, I need to like her more to lure me to the newscast often.

So... has much changed? Well... not much. But in this case, that's not a bad thing.

I really wondered though when the story teased at the top of the newscast was Ford's profit... voiced by Couric over what was obviously promotional video from Ford. That's just cheating. I know local TV is bad for that. But c'mon. Is that the best shot that CBS News could develop to open it's marquee newscast? I worried what was ahead.

To my surprise, and enjoyment, the first block of news was more focused on news and information than just presentation. Dean Reynolds spun the Ford story toward union troubles amid profit reports. David Martin voiced what I'd wondered all day. The re-election of the Afghanistan president was not what Barack Obama needed or wanted. The rest of the 'first block' was solid content. I felt at ease with the content and presentation. No one was screaming at me.. or talking to me like I was a fourth grade student. It was just solid content.

Dr. John Lapook opened the second block with a great piece about advanced Alzheimer's patients needing Hospice care. His talking to an elderly woman who as obviously in pain was engaging... even though only about five seconds. He asked a question, asked if she was alright and then patted her arm. It was the memorable moment of the entire newscast for me. Shouldn't those moments really he central in all of TV news? What is memorable becomes what is engaging.

On the flipside, the third block of the newscast was the weakest part for me. It was Couric's 'exclusive' interview with Al Gore. It was a blatant push toward her full interview on the web. Her first question in the edited version for the newscast seemed way too long. It was shot in a "creative" way... bring out the 'ol black curtain with a monitor between Couric and Gore. It was a cliche. The newscast is far better when Couric relies on her tremendous storytelling skills and those of her support staff -- reporters, photojournalists, producers, writers, etc. I know her long perceived strength is interviewing. For this newscast, tell a story. Of all evening newscasts, you will find much more consistently good storytelling here.

What about that Couric-prompter-reading that bothered me? Well, it's a bit better. But as a viewer, it still feels as though she's 'reading' to me. I know sarcastic wit proclaims... "Well she is." In the waning days of appointment newscast viewing, I long for someone who is so passionate and so knowledgable about the content that it at least "feels" like he or she is talking to me not "reading" for me. (even though the words all may be on the Tele prompter).

Now that I think about it, I long for the evening news presented by the Diane Sawyer that anchored 'Good Morning America' beside Charlie Gibson for most of the last decade. For me, Sawyer peaked in her style while sitting opposite Gibson. The GMA of a few years ago was hyper focused on quality content, great writing and great communication. It's not the same newscast, or show, now. Can Sawyer recapture that on "Wold News"?

No matter who anchors (Couric, Sawyer, or Brian Williams) content and communication are still king and queen.






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