A (Buried) YouTube Exclusive: How Much Fun The CBS Team Had On Super Tuesday

Huffington Post   |  Rachel Sklar   |   March 7, 2008 01:27 PM


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Katie Couric's YouTube channel has an interesting exclusive: A "Behind The Scenes" video taking a look at the making of the CBS News Super Tuesday coverage. It's very interesting, because although it's only on YouTube it's worlds away from Couric's handheld cam-impromptu interview with Joe Biden from a few week ago. This is a slickly produced production, depicting the CBS team as a jovial, close-knit bunch all inspired by their love of the job toward the heights of primary coverage. The music starts, and quietly soars with inspiration flourish underneath the running imagery of newsroom hijinks and last-minute planning and the controlled chaos of live TV, with Couric as its perky, upbeat, morale-boosting center, conferring over scripts in reading glasses and reeling off one-liners ("I'm such a nerd" "Is it hot in here, or is it me?" "I look like I'm doing 'A Night At The Roxbury' but it's just my neck hurts" "You ready, Freddie?"). As the clock ticks down to broadcast we see the team coming together — there's Katie kidding with Jeff Greenfield, there's Bob Schieffer drinking from a CBS mug, there's Scott Pelley beaming, there's CBS Evening News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook giving news editor Jerry Cipriano a backrub. Wow, they really do have fun in that newsroom! Then the "On Air" light flashes, the music beats with anticipation, and the fingers count down to go time...and Couric is on, and primary night is off and running. Catch the election fever below:






I started this post off by saying the video was "interesting" and it is — it is basically a cross between a shorter, official promo you'd see on a network and Katie's "This Tart Is Ready To Go!" leak of behind-the-scenes prep footage. The result is a highly-produced, officially-approved peek behind the scenes, carefully crafted to show a warm, congenial newsroom working together to create a high-octane night of news. It's certainly effective in creating that impression — the staff all seem hard-working and likable, excited by their jobs, no one more so than Couric. Here's what I am wondering: Why is it only on YouTube, with virtually no push?

So far the video only has 321 views and it's been up for two days. I asked &mdash ;and a CBS rep confirmed — that the video was being shown exclusively on the YouTube channel. Now, they may be waiting for the channel to get traction — we've already mentioned the behind-the-scenes Biden interview, and there's also Katie's appealing behind-the-scenes videos from her formal interviews, like her "Waiting for Clinton" video (wherein she refers to the Clinton team as her "peeps") and her makeup-free video taped en route to interview Michelle Obama. Couric is obviously gung-ho about this YouTube channel (pumping it up in her pre-Clinton interview video as well as in the Biden vid) but so far I'm mystified as to why CBS News is creating content for exclusive broadcast on an unmonetized site and then failing to push it elsewhere. I checked on the "Katie & Co." site for a reference and found non; ditto the "More Videos" link on the CBS News site. We've asked CBS to expand a bit on its web strategy with respect to the videos so check back for answers soon! In the meantime, let the rousing theme music take you back to Super Tuesday all over again (that is the second Super Tuesday, which took us back to the first Super Tuesday all over again).

Update: CBS News has pledged to provide us with the answers to the above questions on Monday.

Update to the Update: Here it is — Katie's YouTube page, explained!


 
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If this were Brian Williams..­..oh people would love it but since it Katie....l­et boo because she out EVERYONE is responable for the downfall today News media...

People are dumb panicky animals and you know it

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:05 PM on 03/10/2008

I love how Couric keeps leaking these lame videos of herself in a desperate attempt to insert her mug into the popculture she's been pushed out of.

She had no idea this would wind up on YouTube and then Huffpo!

*wink,wink
*nudge,nudge

www.RolaPhoenicia.com

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:20 AM on 03/10/2008

Nice job CBS. Makes me almost forget about the fact that Katie comes off like a spokesman for the RNC. Or how CBS tossed Dan Rather (one of the best in the business) out to make the White House happy. I've watched the CBS Evening News since 1976, but have just recently stopped.

Katie may be the kind of girl you'd like to have a beer with, but she doesn't hold a candle to Rather. I trusted him when he gave me my news. Katie is just another talking head for the RNC.

So long CBS.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:53 PM on 03/09/2008
- JamesA1102 I'm a Fan of JamesA1102 10 fans permalink
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Couric is an idiot. Edward R. Murrow would be ashamed to see how far his beloved news division has fallen.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:38 PM on 03/09/2008
- robXdion I'm a Fan of robXdion 186 fans permalink
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This is why no one takes her seriously. She doesn't engender the seriousness of her position. This is NOT MTV News.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:07 PM on 03/09/2008
- Average I'm a Fan of Average 2 fans permalink

The liberal left once again earns it reputation as NOT HAPPY BUT MAD. What exactly is WRONG with trying to 'lighten up' and relax the newsroom?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:35 AM on 03/09/2008
- sklfcats I'm a Fan of sklfcats 4 fans permalink

Katie Couric needs to retire so we don't have to suffer thru television with her mug on it..

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:40 PM on 03/08/2008
- RedBirdy I'm a Fan of RedBirdy 5 fans permalink

Behind the scenes my ass. That was clearly edited and approved by CBS... Meanwhile, I don't know why I can't take that woman seriously.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:39 PM on 03/08/2008
- Hagrid I'm a Fan of Hagrid 13 fans permalink
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Why are people trying to 'make' her an anchor? She has no reporting chops.

She is ill suited for the job. No, not because she is a woman, for there are many women that have this most highly-esteemed position, on our televisions every weekday evening. . . and she is ruining 60 Minutes as well!

Please, if CBS wants to get any credibility, they need to hirs someone worthy, maybe Christiane Amanpour?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:16 PM on 03/08/2008

Yeah, and let's keep the comment count low because Katy C is a piece of drech.
No talent, no humor. She really is like Hill, who ought to go back to tea and cookies,
having failed to simulate that she was co-president. What a windbag.

And would she please stop being so secretive? For once, Hill, take off that jacket
on your suit pants.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:50 PM on 03/08/2008

And this is why the MSM wants this to keep going. They love it. A 1000 years of Democratic primaries with their millions of dollars of money lining their pockets.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:04 PM on 03/08/2008
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At least it's not more of harry Shearer's Katie stalking.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:49 AM on 03/08/2008

do any people of color work behind the scenes in the press? i mean, what's up? diversity, diversity, diversity!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:29 AM on 03/08/2008

Your comment reminds me of my reaction to the shots of the audience at this year's Academy Awards. I asked a colleague (a progressive guy) if he'd ever seen a whiter crowd, and he said "maybe at a Klan rally."

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:53 AM on 03/08/2008
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How many "white" people do you see in the NBA?
Not to be mean or nasty...bu­t the African-American population makes up 12.4% of the total population of America.

In any group gathered..­.why should more than 12.4% be represented?

Just asking....­not trying to be weird...ju­st asking.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:29 PM on 03/09/2008
- robXdion I'm a Fan of robXdion 186 fans permalink
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And some whites actually wonder why blacks complain about Hollywood, and why they have a BET channel, black magazines, a black history month, and other black oriented institutions.

If they didn't they would be an invisible people.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:11 PM on 03/09/2008

You had to ask that?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:04 PM on 03/08/2008
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12.4% who are Afican-American make up the total population in the United States.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:31 PM on 03/09/2008

Who even watches regular network news coverage anymore? Katie is so annoying. Still can't believe CBS has kept her..

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:21 PM on 03/07/2008
- kroses98 I'm a Fan of kroses98 13 fans permalink

I certainly don't usually watch it, but if I ever do, I would never watch her!!! She is an idiot! I still cannot believe that CBS, once the bastion of the TV news industry, has resorted to "this!"

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:07 AM on 03/08/2008

I liked her little cheerleader moment that drew nothing but smirks from the others as they tried to seriously prepare for reporting the news. But, maybe it's time to get rid of that stodginess: hire Olbermann.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:05 PM on 03/08/2008

They should send her back to "The Today Show" ithen TTS wouldn't have hired Kathie Lee Gifford, but they'd have to pay off her contract and maybe NBC doesn't want her anymore. What a lightweight. Couric is to "first female solo anchor" as Hill is to "first female presidential candidate" only different.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:34 PM on 03/07/2008
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