Couric to Co-Host The View

Deal would mark watershed for mother of network news

(NEWSER) - CBS, the network of Ed Murrow and Walter Cronkite that is widely credited with inventing television news, is considering outsourcing some of its news gathering activities to CNN, according to the New York Times. No deal is imminent but talks are reportedly taking place at the highest level at both networks. CBS denied negotiations were under way. More»

New anchor is no everywoman, but ABC's winning the ratings war

(NEWSER) - Similarities between Diane Sawyer and Katie Couric abound, but the new ABC anchor is already beating her CBS counterpart. “Sawyer may be able to succeed where Couric hasn’t quite,” writes Los Angeles Times TV critic Mary McNamara, “blending the undeniable if troubling trend toward emo-journalism while still commanding the gravitas necessary for a serious news organization.” More»

New ABC anchor is no Katie Couric, and maybe that's good

(NEWSER) - Diane Sawyer slid easily into the "ABC World News" anchor chair tonight, and really, were you expecting anything different? The second woman at the solo helm of an evening newscast "made a strong, if a bit over-animated, debut," writes Robert Bianco. She interviewed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, offered a shout-out to predecessor Charlie Gibson, and generally confirmed that she has what it takes. More»

(NEWSER) - Diane Sawyer finally has the job she’s been waiting for, Rebecca Dana writes for the Daily Beast: “anchor of World News, the once towering, now considerably diminished evening broadcast.” But her renewed rivalry with Katie Couric and her struggle to hold on to Charles Gibson’s ratings will likely provide a “reason to watch the evening news next year.” Of course, the most salacious stuff has already happened. More»

What happened to 'gravitas,' he wants to know

(NEWSER) - Former Today show anchor Bryant Gumbel was "embarrassed" when NBC named Sarah Palin co-host for a day last week. Hosts “used to be judged not just on their popularity, but the extent to which they were capable of interviewing someone or reporting on a situation, or able to have a degree of gravitas," Gumbel grumbled to Newsweek media critic Howard Kurtz. "Now that's secondary to being popular.” Kurtz characterized the choice of the "disastrous VP nominee" as a way to "poke fun at her know-nothing image while sprinkling some celebrity stardust on Matt Lauer and the gang" at Today. More»