News Update

Katie Couric, who, for those of you living in Greer, Arizona, or some other desolate locale, because that is the only way you'll have avoided this information, is taking over the CBS Evening News, may have some flashy new music to accompany her. Whew, that is a sentence.

Which gives me the opportunity to comment (not that I need an opportunity) on the whole "Couric as network savior" thing. Her nation-wide photo-op and its accompanying publicity is all very well done, but does any of it change the underlying fundamentals of the situation? What does Katie bring that Rather didn't , aside from fresh credibility and trademarked "spunk"? Smart money says she's going to fail in her destined role (network savior) unless she brings something that changes the situation dramatically.

Network news is losing viewers. This is unquestioned. The potential reasons are many, but they come back to a simple fact: there are just too many choices out there. FoxNews, for example, plays to a specific demographic, rather than the whole population, providing that demographic (conservatives who like the news) with something that they felt was missing for years. The result? Success. The internet has revolutionized media distribution. What are you reading right now? Even progressives get this. Which brings us back around to the beginning.

Is spunkenough? Hey, it could happen. Just don't bet on it.

Also, in a fit of irrationality, Democrats in Connecticut are favoring Lamont. By a lot. Looks like Joe "Excitement" Lieberman might be running as an independent after all.