I’ve been writing and talking quite a bit about CBS’ experiment with Katie Couric and the Evening News. They started off taking some chances, then played it safe. Now, there’s something new.
If you haven’t seen the CBS Evening News lately (and judging by the ratings, you probably haven’t, you can check out this Youtube link to see a new feature called “Fast Draw.” CBS is using two illustrators to explain difficult-to-grasp aspects of the news like “Superdelegates.”
I applaud CBS for doing something different and for showcasing younger people on their set. But, they need to be careful not to alienate the segment of the audience whose intelligence doesn’t want to be insulted. For example, I worked at a TV station years ago that promoted its news as “Easy To Understand” and the audience, rightfully, let the station hear it. The American Public is not stupid. CBS has to make sure this new segment informs but doesn’t talk down to, its customers.