 "Photo: The Volante")
She is the first full-time female anchor of a major network evening newscast. Thanks to her work on NBC’s “Today,” she is one of the most recognizable, most powerful figures in media over the last 20 years. But, is she media’s most excellent?
Tomorrow night, “CBS Evening News” anchorwoman Katie Couric will receive the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media. She will succeed deserving past recipients such as Walter Cronkite, Tim Russert, Helen Thomas, Cokie Roberts, Jim Lehrer and Don Hewitt.
Couric’s predecessor at the “CBS Evening News” desk, Bob Schieffer (2006 recipient), was certainly deserving of Neuharth’s life-time achievement award after spending more than 30 years covering Washington D.C., which included covering the White House, the Pentagon, then to moderating “Face the Nation” and then finally to the anchor chair.
The press release announcing the award to Couric touted her life-time achievements in broadcast journalism as: Broadcasting live from the California wildfires, Minneapolis bridge collapse, Syria and Jordan; but highlighted her interviews of President George W. Bush, John and Elizabeth Edwards, Israeli Prime Minister Tzipi Livin and even Norah Jones.
Katie Couric has interviewed Norah Jones — so has every morning radio DJ in the country. As for presidents and many other government leaders, these interviews are coordinated, behind-the-scenes efforts “to get the message out.” Is it responsible journalism to accept an interview with the president when you already know what they will say? Anchors are extended these interviews from the White House because they know that, for two days, the president’s words will be broadcast to at least 7 million viewers on just that one network.
Journalism is on life support, and the media’s complicit relationship with government evidences distrust from the public. For fear of not getting the scoop, major news networks rarely challenge the government. A year and a half passed before the media realized they were giving President Bush a pass after his invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s hardly ironic that Congress wants to bailout the media; they’ll lose their mouthpiece.
Despite dire circumstances, excellent journalism exists. James Risen and Eric Lichtblau of the New York Times uncovered the secret NSA wiretapping program. Richard Engel of NBC News has tirelessly followed the corruption-ridden American-supported Iraqi government. Even CBS News’ Lara Logan is more deserving than Couric. Logan was one of the first to report of civilian deaths at the hands of American Blackwater henchmen.
These journalists, singularly influential but at substantial newspapers and television networks, have maintained their duty as journalists. Recognition by Mr. Neuharth or others who have the ability to help restore integrity and duty back into the profession of journalism, unfortunately is lacking.
A “life-time achievement award” to Couric is jumping the gun. Despite Ms. Couric’s laudable efforts to introduce the evening news to the Internet generation, she has fallen short of “Evening News” predecessors. Recently, many highlighted Cronkite’s stance against the war in Vietnam as his greatest moment in journalism.
When will Katie Couric take a stand and use the journalism might her anchor position affords her? When will she follow her own path created after a televised colonoscopy to substantiate change and keep the powers that be in check?
Reach columnist David Whitesock at David.Whitesock@usd.edu.
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newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2009/10/08/s-dakota-student-katie-couric-doesnt-deserve-awardKatie Couric Heads to USD for Award, Student Newspaper Asks 'Is She Media's Most Excellent?'
www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cbs/katie_couric_heads_to_usd_for_award_student_newspaper_asks_is_she_medias_most_excellent_139512.asp
Do you really feel like posting anonymously on a college newspaper Web site makes you a good judge of what other people should think. At least he attaches his name to his opinions. So he's entitled to them. You're not. You're pathetic.