Can Bob Schieffer Save CBS News (Again)?

A few years ago, CBS was desperate to find a replacement for Dan Rather, who was forced out after the network publicly apologized for a disastrous segment about President Bush's National Guard record. CBS needed to install a stopgap who could keep the ratings intact, reassure advertisers and calm colleagues.

Bob Schieffer, the optimistic face of "Face the Nation" and a respected CBS veteran, all but rode into the breach atop a white horse. He not only restored order, but also managed to do what seemed nearly impossible at the time: increase the size of the network's evening-news audience.

Golly, what do you know? CBS is again in a jam at 6:30 p.m.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[wm1066]

Nothing can save them now. They have conned us and there is blood in the water.
Think dominoe effect, first CBS then ABC, CNN .......

[Arielman]

George Murray, directed "Huntley and Brinkley" and award-winning TV producer, according to Edwin Newman, at NBC, produced CBS's coverage of both conventions in 1976. Walter Cronkite is currently a spokesperson for the "Drug Policy Alliance" and supports "its dedication to ending the War on Drugs and replacing it with a new drug policy based on science, compassion, health and human rights." One terrible story, a 16 year old waiting with his mother to talk to a judge in NYC lept out an opoen 10th floor window over a marijuana cigarette.
We should not blame the journalists, like the letter Mr. Murray had to write to our journalists in Vietnam, trying to get "the soldier's view" were canceled by "higher-ups" as was read at the eulogy for Mr. Murray by Mr. Newman in the UN Chapel.
I'm not sure what is wrong with the evening news but it might be the "promise" of embedded reporting which might also be canceled by "higher-ups" and by firings, if as reported by the former Manhattan Borough President and NYC mayoral candidate, Ruth Messenger, who states Bronx native and former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, (son Michael Powell once head of the FCC), was fired over his views for needed US involvement in Darfur. She had run against the incumbent, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who I read, also "canceled" the State Comptroller orders to "open the books" before 9/11. Perhaps the "malaise" is in leadership and not TV reporting.

[TheShoveler]

Schieffer did a great job as interim anchor, but he's not the complete answer that CBS News needs. Unless they resolve to beef up the domestic and foreign bureaus, CBS might as well throw in the towel on the Evening News

[dr4Will]

some of his comments since he left the to spot have been outrageous--I used to enjoy him,but like McCan't,he just is losing it!!

[bigblackdog]

I would be happy to tune into Mr. Schieffer if they promise Katie won't do *any* reporting. I even turn off 60 Minutes when she does a segment.

[mamacat]

I am looking forward to watching him.

[DesertLight]

IF he could, we wouldn't have seen an act like this on earth since Jesus walked on the water.

[ljfrommin]

HEARD IT ALL BEFORE! Wait until he utters a political pro or con in any direction, and I guarantee at least half the posters here will be cursing him and questioning his sanity. I'm willing to bet that even Keith O. doesn't make it to the general elections before he is dragged from his pedistal.

[DennyCrane]

He would be a great choice, but at this point, it might be too late. He's the one they should've had in the first place. Familiar face that's already trusted by the CBS News audience. Made for an easy transition. Having him as anchor would bring a lot of respect back to CBS. And the timing would be good since ABC is seeing a backlash for the way Charlie Gibson moderated the Democratic debate.

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

Uh, no! He can't change the management.

[wendy82551]

Schlieffer comes about as close as anyone on network television to being an actual journalist. He is serious and to the point; his conversations with correspondents in the field suggested that he might actually know something about the subject he was talking about.

But leave it to the networks to demonstrate just how dumb they think we are by replacing the seasoned pro with a younger-- and female -- PERSONALITY. They don't believe that Americans want to get the news from an older person. But they're wrong.

[drkazmd65]

I am old enough to remember the last couple of years of Cronkite as news anchor - and that old fart was still damned good, respectible, and relatively neutral.

Bob Schieffer is about as close as we get to Cronkite in this day & age. I can't stand to watch any of the talking heads shows other than "Face the Nation".

Russert is a waste of space in that role - So is Matthews.

Go Bob Go!

[Durango]

The problem isn't which personality they have reading the news.

The problem is the lame tripe they are trying to pass off as news.

Here's an idea. Take the inflated salaries of both Katie and Bob. Use that money to hire reporters around the country and around the globe. Hire people who understand the country they are reporting on. Say Arabs in the ME. Phillipino's in the Phillipines.

Let them report on the history, culture and politics of their region of the world.

Get your reporter out of the White House, Pentagon, State Dept. press rooms. Have them report on stories other than what the rest of the Corporate media are reporting on.No more rewriting press releases.

ONLY report what the President says when he says something important. AND NOTE .Most of the time he/she never says anything important

Get rid of any and all pundits. Report the stories not what people say are stories.. Let politicians speak for themselves. Don't tell us what they said. Or what they meant. Or should have said.

No more polls.

In other words: Get back to reporting NEWS!!

Not that weird mix of celebrity pablum passing for it these days.

[NoSillyName]

Durango,

"Hire people who understand the country they are reporting on. Say Arabs in the ME. Phillipino's in the Phillipines.

Let them report on the history, culture and politics of their region of the world."

Not a bad idea, but you must remember that a half-hour newcast is basically a headline service. In-depth reporting has its place on PBS and cable. One of the cable news channels should pick up on this idea. It would be much better than the canned programs MSNBC runs way too often. Or the incessant rehashing of topics that get talked to death.

[Durango]

Thats why you do specials like Murrow used to do. An hour or a series of hours looking at a subject or country in depth. Using the reporters you have hired after canning Katie.

As far as cable. They are in no way shape or form NEWS any more.

They don't even know what NEWS is any more.

[drkazmd65]

That's, at least partially, what ABC's "Nightline" used to do - before they went to the news tabliod & snippet format a few years back. I loved that format. they would present a topical story or problem in overview for 7-8 minutes,... have a few 'expert' panelists hash over some of the implications of the story from different viewpoints for 7-8 minutes,... then tie it all together with a few editorial points from the moderator.

Nobody, other than the News Hour on PBS really does that any more. 60 minutes used to do it on occasion, 48-hours used to once in a while. Real investigative reporting and frank discussionis only rarely found off of PBS any more.

[coolkraft]

Bob Schieffer is one of the few newscasters I like...he certainly is not a mainstream panderer like all the others

[Raymondf]

Shieffer can't save himself, how can he save CBS.

[marlainWA]

I love Bob, its about time they never should have had Katie come, she was fine in the morning show but has never been able to pull it off at night. And the best part of the article was Les Mooves realizing people want "real" news that time of day not entertainment! Gee...Americans wanting some real journalism...hmmm.

[NoSillyName]

I adore Mr. Schieffer! He was great as a "stop-gap" anchor. Yes, CBS, do everyone a favor.... dump Couric and bring back Bob!!!

[rodeman]

I agree, Bob Schieffer is a class act all they way. And Bob, should they put you in that slot, let's not forget to renegotiate. Try to get some of that Couric money.....................

[robertsandimas]

Right on, RODEMAN. Schieffer's the best with no close seconds. Not only is he best behind the news desk, he's funny! I saw him at a non-TV speaking engagement and his extemporaneous comments were beyond fluency. He's as articulate as WFB (but more down to earth) wittier than most, and the man can tell a joke! Let's hope we're blessed with his presence for a long time.

[NoSillyName]

roberts, you are so right. He's a genuinely interesting man. Did you know he's the singer for a C&W band? Not usually my cuppa, but I'd watch for ol' Bob.