Already I can feel them..

[liberalpress]

..the flames being thrown in my direction. But this is a board about opinion, and as the adage goes, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. So, here's a look at mine:

The CBS,NBC,ABC, PBS or any other other nightly news show is NEVER going to be what some people here want it to be. It can't. With commarcaals it's about 22 minutes. You can't adequately explain the TomKat baby pictures in 22 minutes! At most 9t can give you the headlines of the day, and an itch to get the "Internets" and dig out the real story.

As for Katie Couric, Liberals think she's a Conservative, Conservatives think she's a Liberal. Me. I just think she's hot. (I'm a pig. Deal with it!)

If you think it will change the face of the nightly news, faggeddaboudit! Like a said, 22 minues ... not a lot you can do. It gives CBS a brief publicity bonanza, then things settle back down to abnormal.

If she's smart (which I believe she is) she'll keep her personal politics out of it, and as managing editor, try to keep as rhetorically neutral as is possible. From what I've seen so far, she has.

OK, asbestos suit zipped. Hit me.

[MichiganVote]

1. Me? I'm just wondering what the recipe segment will look like...

[liberalpress]

2. As I Suspected...

... we would rather make a joke, than actually critically watch the program.

[MichiganVote]

15. Yes I am a superflous person looking for yet another

souffle of soggy, saurkraut, logic...commonly called, shit on a shingle. I am a hopeless romantic I know.....

God save the Queen...

[liberalpress]

16. But have you seen the broadcast?

[MichiganVote]

17. Actually lib...I fell asleep and woke up to the 'Freedom is a priviledge'

part. Pretty told me everything I need to know. But hey, what do I know?!? Afterall Katie Couric is so "New" to TV and I'm sure I just fail to recognize the importance of this latest diversion.

[MichiganVote]

18. Correction: I meant the 'free speech' part...

[liberalpress]

19. I'm old. There are things I don't get:

Like how one can form an opinion on something if he or she hasn't seen it. Must be the psychic skills of the "Me" generation. I'll die soon and you'll be rid of my outmoded sense of fair play.

[MichiganVote]

20. How does anyone form an opinion...quickly, slowly, over time,

Look, hate to burst your bubble but Katie Couric has been a media queen for like the last 20 years. TV, cover of People, Star mag's, red carpets, you name it. Hard to get away from the alternately Kupie Doll/funeral of my Grandmother persona.

So is this anchor gig a giant step for womankind? Doubtful.

Must see TV? Hardly

News? Please...(market share)

Competition w/other nighly news markets? Perhaps

All this does is remind me that TV is still the medium with the message and the message is about as loud and obnoxious as any other marketing ploy.

But for you Darling, the skies the limit. I promise not to fall asleep tomorrow night and watch the strikingly predictable, multi millionaire, Ms. Couric.

[liberalpress]

21. Great.. now we know your opinion of Ms Couric...

... all I ask is you hold back giving an opinion on a television program until you've seen it. And try to be objective.

[MichiganVote]

22. Stay tuned....

[MichiganVote]

24. Watching....exclusive interview w/*

Scripted...scripted...Jim Stewart giving "details" already reported on, back to *, Stewart alledging "the plan now"(whose plan????) back to *, more testaments from the Bush admin., then more "perspective" from Scheffer claiming that * has been "artful" and disclosure by * represents a "real change" for the admin., assumes that Congress will cooperate with * on military trials to avoid doing anything substantive in other areas. (Only true statement backed by a trackrecord thus far) Back to * interview for more unsubstantiated rhetoric and claims that Iraq is a part of the war on terror. Asking * what is his biggest fear: somebody will sneak into this country and kill Americans...plug for later show, "How safe are we?"

Auto sales, 2second blurb(bigger issue in Michigan that terrorists) Nasa,2 second blurb...commercial....commerical....commercial

Back to interview w/*, reporting on National Counterterrorism Center. David Martin reporting 5 year after 9/11 (Gee, could it be on her show later tonight???) Martin can't reveal exact location of Terror Center, "nerve center" on war on terror. Continuing with terror plots, terror plans, counterterrorism, intelligence community, rah, rah, rah....Not fully manned terror center (even after five frickin' years, year and a half away from full crew)

Commercial...Commercial...usual healthcare/parmaceutical ads...Cheerios, cholesterol, blood sugar,
political ad against Dick DeVos...wait a minute...something useful!!!

Frist/immigration quote, immigration demonstration on Wash. D.C., Free Speech, Sonia Something and pitch for humanitarian view of immigration. Help Central American countries develop jobs (tall order)

Muppets and museum renovation (nightly news?) fingerprinting for students at mealtime (nightly news?)

Commerical...doggie products...Polident...V8...osteoporosis medication...smart balance margarine...

Feature inspiration story of blind 14 year old and use of "clicking" to determine objects...echo location

end and plug for "How safe are we" show later this evening...
-------------------------------------------------
Impressions...like watching the dumbed down version of latest breaking news...the stuff w/Bush was so scripted it was enough to gag a maggot off a gut wagon...Nothing on Iraq and the fact that more and more people are killed etc. etc. Total package: PR for the Bush admin., corporate America and Grandma/Grandpa.

Soft, without form and wholly intended to help the stupidist Americans feel saffffffeeeeee

edit/spell

[MichiganVote]

25. Ok...posted in the wrong spot first

Watching....exclusive interview w/*

Scripted...scripted...Jim Stewart giving "details" already reported on, back to *, Stewart alledging "the plan now"(whose plan????) back to *, more testaments from the Bush admin., then more "perspective" from Scheffer claiming that * has been "artful" and disclosure by * represents a "real change" for the admin., assumes that Congress will cooperate with * on military trials to avoid doing anything substantive in other areas. (Only true statement backed by a trackrecord thus far) Back to * interview for more unsubstantiated rhetoric and claims that Iraq is a part of the war on terror. Asking * what is his biggest fear: somebody will sneak into this country and kill Americans...plug for later show, "How safe are we?"

Auto sales, 2second blurb(bigger issue in Michigan that terrorists) Nasa,2 second blurb...commercial....commerical....commercial

Back to interview w/*, reporting on National Counterterrorism Center. David Martin reporting 5 year after 9/11 (Gee, could it be on her show later tonight???) Martin can't reveal exact location of Terror Center, "nerve center" on war on terror. Continuing with terror plots, terror plans, counterterrorism, intelligence community, rah, rah, rah....Not fully manned terror center (even after five frickin' years, year and a half away from full crew)

Commercial...Commercial...usual healthcare/parmaceutical ads...Cheerios, cholesterol, blood sugar,
political ad against Dick DeVos...wait a minute...something useful!!!

Frist/immigration quote, immigration demonstration on Wash. D.C., Free Speech, Sonia Something and pitch for humanitarian view of immigration. Help Central American countries develop jobs (tall order)

Muppets and museum renovation (nightly news?) fingerprinting for students at mealtime (nightly news?)

Commerical...doggie products...Polident...V8...osteoporosis medication...smart balance margarine...

Feature inspiration story of blind 14 year old and use of "clicking" to determine objects...echo location

end and plug for "How safe are we" show later this evening...
-------------------------------------------------
Impressions...like watching the dumbed down version of latest breaking news...the stuff w/Bush was so scripted it was enough to gag a maggot off a gut wagon...Nothing on Iraq and the fact that more and more people are killed etc. etc. Total package: PR for the Bush admin., corporate America and Grandma/Grandpa.

Soft, without form and wholly intended to help the stupidist Americans feel saffffffeeeeee

[liberalpress]

26. So, then your objection is not to K Couric..

... your objection is that it is a television news show, not unlike the simulataneous offerings on NBC and ABC. OK, that's fair. But object to all of it in principal, not portay Couric as an "ant-christ."

It's not evil, not the end of the world. It's a TV show. Period.

[mmonk]

3. We just need real news.

No human interest stories. No untruthful comments by republicans or think tanks without fact checking or rebuttal.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. how dare you ignore Aruba?

or the missing fiance?
have you no shame?
why do you hate AmeriKKKa so much?

[Eric J in MN]

8. "The Real News"

Planned for 2007:

www.therealnews.com

[liberalpress]

14. That's why the Internet exisits.

Go to real news sources for real news. Go to entertainment media for entertainment.

[tnlefty]

27. I remember that when I was growing up the REAL news was during the

evening broadcasts (okay much better than the evening news is now) and I truly object to your 'go to the internet' for real news. These are our airwaves and honest, accurate reporting should be available on these airwaves. What is needed is a return to the Fairness Doctrine, and actual reporting.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. WHAT????

I do NOT think that Katie is cute. to the contrary, she reminds me of vanilla ice cream, and I hate sweets.

Now, Chris Amanpour is really hot. And really smart. So there!

[liberalpress]

10. Whatever Floats your boat. Katie floats mine.

[readmoreoften]

30. Not to be crude but...

Why would we care what your dick thinks about a right wing shill? If you want to jack off to bubbleheaded bushites, why come to DU to ask for our blessing?

And if you think that the problem with mainstream news is that it's 22 minutes long, then you're completely ignorant on the matter. 22 minutes is a long time to discuss real issues.

[butterfly77]

5. I want to know what is the big deal...

Who gives a damn, just tell the news. The problem we have in this country is everything is about personalities. They all are just reading a script if it was really up to them maybe we would get some real news.

[liberalpress]

11. It's television.

The only thing it is (and ever was) about is personalities.

[tridim]

7. Olbermann gives me what I want in a news show every day

Although he has a full hour, he could do it in 22 minutes if that's all he had.

What's Katie's excuse?

[liberalpress]

9. Here's the difference

Olberman is doing an "opinion" show. It is not formatted as, intended as, or expected to be a nightly news show. And you enjoy his opinion because it for the most part agrees with yours.

O'Reilly also does an opinion show. His partisans would undoubtedly not see the value in KO.

KAtie has to play it neutral, and at least tonight, has.

[RB TexLa]

12. The transcript of them would take up what, half a page of a newspaper?

maybe? 1/4?

[liberalpress]

13. Precsely. And that's my argument.

If you want news, read a blog, buy a paper.

Watch television, get a television show.

Don't eat at McDonalds and expect a gastronomic delight. It ain't dining. It's just lunch.

[SmokingJacket]

23. What they are is CORPORATE SERVANTS.

I don't know about any of the anchors' personal politics, nor do I care.

What I care about is bending the truth -- or fabricating whole stories -- in order to benefit someone behind the scenes: corporate owners? The administration? Both??

CBS, NBC, PBS was never great, awesome television, but they were adequate twenty years ago, when I used to watch. The news was packed into half an hour or an hour, but at least it bore some semblence to reality. Believe it or not, there were NO celebrity stories! Really. It took a whole new show to start that (I don't remember the name of it, but it was all Hollywood news told by model-looking "news anchors" -- it was totally laughable. Now ALL news is that show.)

And I care that the news seems to want to report ON ITSELF more than anything else! This Katie Couric story -- that's not a story!!! But it's been all over the papers, all over the mainstream Internet news stories -- I mean, I *keep* hearing about how Katie Couric is taking over CBS and I don't even HAVE A TV!!!!! What madness!!!!!!!!

[deaniac21]

28. When I was a kid I walked 13 miles to school in the snow. We

didn't have no shoes neither. I lived in a shoe box and didn't have no electricity.

[SmokingJacket]

29. Seriously, the networks have changed.

For the GOOD in some ways -- the old sit-coms were incredibly stupid, for example -- but the news sucks shit now.

My point is that it was once possible to have news without hollywood crap, and so why is it inevitable now?

It wasn't even that long ago.