CBS Raps Dan Rather Over 'Sexist' Couric Remarks - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 06-12-2007, 07:38 PM

http://news.aol.com/entertainment/tv/articles/_a/moonves-slams-rather-for-sexist-comments/20070612125909990001

CBS Raps Rather Over 'Sexist' Couric Remarks

Former Anchor Escalates Feud With Ex-Boss, Moonves

NEW YORK (June 12) - Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather escalated a feud with his former employer Tuesday, saying CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves "doesn't know about news."

Moonves had said earlier Rather's remarks that the network was "tarting" up its newscast with Katie Couric , Rather's successor, were "sexist."

The spat started Monday when Rather, speaking by phone on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program with Joe Scarborough, said CBS had made the mistake of taking the evening news broadcast and "dumbing it down, tarting it up," and playing up topics such as celebrities over war coverage.

While referring to Couric as a "nice person," Rather said "the mistake was to try to bring the 'Today' show ethos to the 'Evening News,' and to dumb it down, tart it up in hopes of attracting a younger audience."

Moonves, speaking at an event in New York Tuesday morning sponsored by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, called the remarks "sexist" and said he was surprised at the amount of negative coverage Couric was receiving.

"(Rather) said 'tart it up.' T-A-R-T, which I think is a pretty sexist thing to say, wouldn't you? I don't think we've done that ... We're very proud of the quality of that news," Moonves said.

"She's been on the air for nine months," Moonves said. "Let's give her a break."

Couric started strong but has settled into a distant third in the evening news ratings race. Last month her "CBS Evening News" set a record for its least-watched broadcast for at least two decades, then broke it the very next week.

Later Tuesday, Rather said during an appearance on Fox News Channel's "Your World with Neil Cavuto" program that he didn't regret making his earlier remarks, but insisted he was referring to CBS's management of the newscast, not to Couric personally.

"It doesn't have to do with Katie, it doesn't have to do with gender," Rather said. "It has to do with the corporate leadership. ... Les Moonves knows about entertainment, but he doesn't know about news."

Rather left as "CBS Evening News" anchor in March 2005 and cut ties to the network a year later. He continued to be dogged by controversy surrounding his role in a discredited story about President Bush's Vietnam-era military service.

CBS's corporate office referred questions about Rather's latest remarks to Rick Kaplan, the executive producer of "CBS Evening News," who said: "We are very much a hard news program."

"I wish Dan was watching more closely," Kaplan said, adding: "A lot of people here are very disappointed with him ... They went through some very dark days with Dan, and they don't like hearing that they're not doing the news. They damn well are."

Moonves said earlier that he "absolutely" had confidence in Couric and the direction that "CBS Evening News" was taking, saying it was imperative to reach younger audiences. Evening news broadcasts couldn't continue to have audiences that are mainly over 60, Moonves said, otherwise "the evening news will die."

Meanwhile, Moonves said the network's decision last week to reinstate a canceled show called "Jericho" following an outpouring of viewer e-mails and other protests spoke to the growing influence of the Internet on broadcasters.

"It was a campaign that couldn't be ignored," Moonves said of the mobilization of "Jericho" fans, saying it was "astonishing and well-organized."

As part of the campaign, disgruntled viewers delivered thousands of pounds of peanuts to CBS's corporate offices, a reference to a scene in the season finale where a character replies, "Nuts!" to a demand that the town in Kansas, which had been isolated by a nuclear attack, surrender.

catlover79 · 06-12-2007, 07:44 PM

TJL · 06-12-2007, 09:33 PM

They haven't fired her yet?

Scoobiedoo30 · 06-16-2007, 01:05 PM

I heard about this on MSNBC

Janice · 06-19-2007, 03:09 PM

TVFactFan · 06-19-2007, 03:17 PM

I swear if they show Katie's legs more the ratings would go SKY HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

06-12-2007, 07:38 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	CBS Raps Dan Rather Over 'Sexist' Couric Remarks http://news.aol.com/entertainment/tv/articles/_a/moonves-slams-rather-for-sexist-comments/20070612125909990001 CBS Raps Rather Over 'Sexist' Couric Remarks Former Anchor Escalates Feud With Ex-Boss, Moonves NEW YORK (June 12) - Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather escalated a feud with his former employer Tuesday, saying CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves "doesn't know about news." Moonves had said earlier Rather's remarks that the network was "tarting" up its newscast with Katie Couric , Rather's successor, were "sexist." The spat started Monday when Rather, speaking by phone on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program with Joe Scarborough, said CBS had made the mistake of taking the evening news broadcast and "dumbing it down, tarting it up," and playing up topics such as celebrities over war coverage. While referring to Couric as a "nice person," Rather said "the mistake was to try to bring the 'Today' show ethos to the 'Evening News,' and to dumb it down, tart it up in hopes of attracting a younger audience." Moonves, speaking at an event in New York Tuesday morning sponsored by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, called the remarks "sexist" and said he was surprised at the amount of negative coverage Couric was receiving. "(Rather) said 'tart it up.' T-A-R-T, which I think is a pretty sexist thing to say, wouldn't you? I don't think we've done that ... We're very proud of the quality of that news," Moonves said. "She's been on the air for nine months," Moonves said. "Let's give her a break." Couric started strong but has settled into a distant third in the evening news ratings race. Last month her "CBS Evening News" set a record for its least-watched broadcast for at least two decades, then broke it the very next week. Later Tuesday, Rather said during an appearance on Fox News Channel's "Your World with Neil Cavuto" program that he didn't regret making his earlier remarks, but insisted he was referring to CBS's management of the newscast, not to Couric personally. "It doesn't have to do with Katie, it doesn't have to do with gender," Rather said. "It has to do with the corporate leadership. ... Les Moonves knows about entertainment, but he doesn't know about news." Rather left as "CBS Evening News" anchor in March 2005 and cut ties to the network a year later. He continued to be dogged by controversy surrounding his role in a discredited story about President Bush's Vietnam-era military service. CBS's corporate office referred questions about Rather's latest remarks to Rick Kaplan, the executive producer of "CBS Evening News," who said: "We are very much a hard news program." "I wish Dan was watching more closely," Kaplan said, adding: "A lot of people here are very disappointed with him ... They went through some very dark days with Dan, and they don't like hearing that they're not doing the news. They damn well are." Moonves said earlier that he "absolutely" had confidence in Couric and the direction that "CBS Evening News" was taking, saying it was imperative to reach younger audiences. Evening news broadcasts couldn't continue to have audiences that are mainly over 60, Moonves said, otherwise "the evening news will die." Meanwhile, Moonves said the network's decision last week to reinstate a canceled show called "Jericho" following an outpouring of viewer e-mails and other protests spoke to the growing influence of the Internet on broadcasters. "It was a campaign that couldn't be ignored," Moonves said of the mobilization of "Jericho" fans, saying it was "astonishing and well-organized." As part of the campaign, disgruntled viewers delivered thousands of pounds of peanuts to CBS's corporate offices, a reference to a scene in the season finale where a character replies, "Nuts!" to a demand that the town in Kansas, which had been isolated by a nuclear attack, surrender.

06-12-2007, 07:44 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376
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06-12-2007, 09:33 PM	#3
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	They haven't fired her yet?
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06-16-2007, 01:05 PM	#4
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	I heard about this on MSNBC
	__________________ Who Dat

06-19-2007, 03:09 PM	#5
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388

06-19-2007, 03:17 PM	#6
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,982	I swear if they show Katie's legs more the ratings would go SKY HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!