In support of trying something new: checking in on the revamped CBS Evening News
There are new anchors, no headlines, a slower A-block, and a bright pink mic for Margaret Brennan
I’m always interested to see a news organization try something new. So when I heard about the changes that CBS planned for its Evening News, I made sure I was tuned in for the program’s debut on Monday, January 27.
The program is now led by co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois after Norah O’Donnell stepped away from the desk.1 This version of the Evening News ditches the multi-minute, fast-moving headlines package that ABC’s World News has perfected. Nearly the entire A-block2 of the first broadcast was devoted to a story about an AI model developed by China. That’s a lot of television airtime for a story that isn’t particularly visual or violent.3
I caught the debut broadcast, but I’m often not home by 6:30 p.m. these days.4 So, I was hoping by this week that someone had written a review looking at a handful of newscasts. Unfortunately, it seems the few reviewers weighing in also just watched night one of the Evening News.
In Variety, Brian Steinberg pointed out the aspect I find most interesting about this new format — the attempt to create a newscast for people who turn on the TV knowing what happened today: “Most of the half hour was spent on enterprise and feature storytelling — a clear recognition that viewers can get breaking headlines from any number of sources, whether they be digital or traditional. What they can’t get somewhere else is the reporting of correspondents on the ground.”
When I produced the morning newscast at my first job in Maine, I recorded ABC’s World News with Charlie Gibson every day and watched it before going to work. That newscast got me to watch stories that I never would have clicked on if I was browsing a news website. In that time (2008-2010), World News would occasionally feature reporting from Nightline and had a religion reporter. The storytelling and reporting in these stories was excellent, and I was almost always glad to have learned something new. I think this is a unique opportunity that a traditional newscast offers: the ability to direct viewers to a story that they might not be drawn to on their own.
I associate CBS with excellent storytelling, especially on 60 Minutes and CBS Sunday morning. So if there’s anyone well-positioned to try this type of format, I think it is CBS. Steinberg seems to have some doubts: “There is a chance the show could be too smart for the room. Modern viewers have short-attention spans and the ones who still watch broadcast TV still gravitate to an authoritative solo figure who talks to them about politics, natural disasters, overseas drama and even popular culture.”
Finally tonight…
While I am interested to see whether CBS has success with this format, there’s another question that I am slightly more invested in.
How many microphones does CBS have if it can give Margaret Brennan a pink mic to match her jacket???
At WCVB in Boston, nearly all of the microphones are black. There was one white microphone available to the anchors — and it could be a hot commodity in the spring and summer when more anchors were wearing pastel-colored blouses and dresses.
I love to see this matching microphone! And I’m dying to know how many colors CBS has available to its on air team. If you have insight, send me an email! I can protect your identity if necessary!
With Norah O’Donnell’s departure, there are now no women anchoring the major network evening news broadcasts. I’m pretty disappointed in this development.
TV speak for the section of the newscast before the first commercial break. Followed by B-block, C-block, etc.
There’s a model of news judgement that’s summed up as, “if it bleeds, it leads.” Meaning, stories involving death, violence, and crime often end up at the beginning of a newscast. Here’s a little background on the phrase and a little perspective on why it’s a model that doesn’t serve most people well.
I have been trying to catch up with the broadcasts online here.
Great post. I follow CBS News happenings but didn’t know about the shakeup on the Evening News and O’Donnell’s departure. My favorite news team anchors in the AM are CNN’s John Berman, Sara Sidner and Kate Bolduan. I find their reporting styles professional and between the three of them more balanced. I liked O’Donnell and have my concerns about the lack of female representation but have found in the past ten years the personal biases of reporters on networks to be at an all time high. Eye rolls or prolonged breaths (unless it’s emergency crisis/ situations) are not professional. Sometimes miss the stoic days of Chung, Jennings, Brokaw, Rather and Sawyer.