Bob Schieffer, the highly respected interim anchor of The CBS Evening News, will be stepping down.
The network enticed the vivacious and bright Katie Couric from NBC.
She will be the first sole evening news anchor in history.
When Schieffer took over the job left vacant by Dan Rather I realized that he wouldn’t be there too long. Still, we often watched him and learned to appreciate his great talents as a newsman. We had liked Dan Rather most of the time. We liked Bob Schieffer all of the time.
Dan Rather taught us that the anchor position on a major news program is a tremendous job that carries big responsibilities. He stumbled at times but not enough to get him fired. He was the consummate reporter, sometimes risking his neck to cover battle news. I miss him and will so until some network decides that he still has great value and that he deserves some role in television news.
Bob Schieffer raised the ratings of CBS Evening News by a couple of points.
What do you think that Katie Couric will do?
Here is my prediction: The ratings will bounce upward on her arrival. After the “honeymoon” period she will have to fight tooth and nail for position.
The evening slot will be more hectic than her morning show. There will be more stress on her family.
Let’s hope it does not grind her down.
I see Katie as being vulnerable. I can see her changing with time in a way we may not like. She may have to be tougher. She may not always be her usual beautiful self. Let’s hope that her image changes only for the positive, but change it must, not because of her wants and desires, but by the amazing inertia of the job.
During tough times, Katie will be more compassionate. During strained times she will be less judgmental but more direct.
We will believe what she says so she must be careful to only say what is true.
We expect no less from her.
Well, there is one more thing in her favor.
We all love her.