Newswise — In considering Katie Couric as the lone anchor for the "CBS Evening News," CBS is going against the network news grain in more ways than one, says Rowan University journalism professor Candace Kelley. The move would make Couric the first woman to anchor a network news cast on her own. But it would also buck the current trend, in the post-Jennings/Rather/Brokaw era, of having two-person anchor teams leading the network news, Kelley says. "It will be interesting to see if this one-person format will bring in more demographics—especially women," says Kelley, who researches the Nielsen ratings and teaches courses in broadcast writing, electronic journalism and communications law. "The 'CBS Evening News' is catering to what the audience wants now. They're looking to usher in a new generation of news viewers, people who want their news from someone who knows about Iraq but is also a 'celebrity type' who is not offended about keeping up with Jessica Simpson."
From her years on the "Today" show, Couric has real credibility with viewers, says Kelley. Plus, she's able to report the hard news and the soft, entertainment news with equal aplomb.
"She'll be able to straddle those stories very well. Couric has been under pressure before. Bryant Gumbel left the 'Today' show and the show has remained a ratings leader ever since. It proved that Katie could certainly hold her own. She's in a really good position. It's her time."
Couric's exodus from "Today" to join CBS would significantly impact all three networks, Kelley notes. With NBC's "Today" show in flux for a time, ABC's "Good Morning America" has a chance to make gains in the ratings, she says. "This will really shake things up," Kelley says. "But it gives the others a chance to step up."
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