Will Katie Bring Tears to the Eye of CBS Evening News?

Katie Couric is making a grand tour around the U.S. to promote herself as the new CBS news anchor in September. Nothing wrong about that, except that part of her tour is 'asking people what stories they would like to hear.'

The news reports presented are supposed to be the product of editorial judgments made by CBS news executives, not your next door neighbor. It's hard to believe that a true journalist, like Bob Schieffer, Walter Cronkite, or Dan Rather would pull a stunt like that. A morning talk show host? Yes. A professional journalist? No.

It raises the question as to what other 'innovations' the new CBS news will use to get out of last place in the ratings. My prediction is that within six months of being on the job Katie will find a story to cry about.

Her tears will bring the network nightly news closer to "Broadcast News" than we've ever been before now (I don't count Anderson Cooper's little crying jag since he's cable, not real news).

It won't take much to get us from Katie's tears to "Network," with another network using a maniacal anchor who exhorts us to all get up and say we're not gonna take it anymore. Anything for ratings when the network entertainment divisions take over the news divisions.