I know that the 30 minute evening network newscast are dinosaurs that are supposedly only viewed by the upper demos with leaky bladders and slipping dentures. But I’ve been watching network news since I was a preteen, and find it the best way to catch all of the news in a short capsule.
All three broadcast networks have had evening news anchor changes this decade, but the only one that has had lasting success is on NBC, where Brian Williams rose to the anchor chair left by Tom Brokaw, five years ago Wednesday.
Last week we waxed nostalgic for the bygone days of television news, before the segmentation of 24-hour cable news and advocacy anchors. When P&T readers were asked who was their favorite former anchor, the late Peter Jennings won a plurality of the vote, followed closely by Walter Cronkite and Tom Brokaw. Jennings and Brokaw contemporary Dan Rather on the other hand received just one vote.
Let’s take this look back local: who are your favorite anchors on local TV? I have to admit that this is a partial list of the bigger names that I can remember. If you have a favorite that’s not on here, let me know in the comments and I’ll add their name to the poll. You can pick up to three on this one, so you may want to vote for just 1 or 2 early and wait til later in the week for your final vote. Of course, our votes will add up to more than 100%.
Who are your favorite former Erie TV anchors? (choose up to 3)
Editor’s note: Sound off, give a shout out on “Deep Background,” our totally-random open discussion of all things Erie media.
The GMA train is coming to Erie: As part of ABCNews’s campaign to visit 50 states in 50 days before the Presidential election, the Good Morning America train, complete with restored antque rail cars, will be rolling into Erie’s Union Station on Tuesday. They’ll be riding at least in our neck of the woods on the route of the famed 20th Century Limited (think North By Northwest), and spend about 15 minutes at the Brewerie at Union Station talking to an invited group of Erie voters, before moving on. The taped segment will be aired later. (more…)
It’s the cable news channel of the network that began with radio pioneer David Sarnoff; once led by news lions with names such as Swayze, Huntley, Brinkley, and Chancellor. It’s a team still reeling from the deep loss of mentor and rudder Tim Russert. And last week, the lid blew off at MSNBC.
What started as blatant boosterism for Barack Obama during the Democratic Primaries has degenerated into open arguing, attacks, and behind-the-scenes chaos. In significant reporting by the non-partisan Politico, high-ranking MSNBC staffers have forecasted an explosion, with the fire coming from disagreement and drama as personalities like Keith Olbermann have attempted to lead the network in the position as the “anti-Fox News.” It seems that Olbermann’s ego is bigger than Invesco Field at Mile High; he reportedly refused to appear on a media dias with NBC standard bearer, Tom Brokaw. In one episode at the DNC, Olbermann dissed political partner Chris Matthews.
You know you’ve got a problem with perceptions when Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell says that Fox News is the most objective network, and that MSNBC “was the official network of the Obama campaign.”
Folks, we aren’t talking about pundits and talking heads here; these guys are supposedly impartial anchors. I really can’t remember a time where the serenity of the anchor desk was violated by such animosity. Wow.
December 2nd, 2009 
joel 
Posted in 
Tags: 
Loading ...
