CBS News
CBS news came out with a scathing response to Philadelphia Inquirer TV columnist Gail Shister's recent story about Katie Couric's supposedly imminent firing due to her low ratings and diva-like personality. Sleuthy TVnewser got the freewheeling, piss-fire response:
"This piece is beyond ridiculous -- unfounded, gratuitous, utterly malicious and, most importantly, untrue, as stated unequivocally by CBS News President Sean McManus. It is incomprehensible how a major daily newspaper can base an entire article on unsourced rumor -- including from a direct competitor -- about what CBS News management is thinking, when those rumors were directly knocked down on the record at the highest levels. Is this where journalism has gone at the Inquirer?"
Shister's story was littered with question marks -- direct quotes from unsourced competitors and CBS producers and a graduate professor with a long title from Quinnipac Unversity calling Couric an "abject failure" -- but considering Couric's floundering ratings and her recent gossip-worthy personal relationships, it's tough to really call it "unfounded". "Malicious" and "gratutitous" are also a little much, but they're the best adjectives used to convey that somebody is GOD!DAMN!MAD!.
However, given Shister's recent cranky attitude about her own column's demise, the timing of a loosely structured story about a prominent media figure could also be because she's in drunk-at-work, bridge-burning mode.
"Is This Where Journalism Has Gone at The Inquirer?" [TVNewser]
Gail Shister Continues Dana Carvey/Grumpy Old Man Impersonation [Philebrity]
Couric's Enemies are CBS Insiders [Fox411]
