CBS's Moonves Eyeing Fox News Success?
According to this article in NewsMax.com, the success of the Fox News Channel in trouncing all three broadcast networks (with CBS the worst loser) and also the other cable networks is not lost on Leslie Moonves, the president of CBS, Inc. Well, the stockholders of Viacom, the owner of CBS, should certainly hope not! Time alone will tell whether Leslie Moonves is a blind liberal fool, or a shrewd-enough businessman to realize that his business model is a business failure as well as a political disgrace.
John Gambling, on his radio program today (November 24), pointed out that CBS, alone among its fellows, never bothered to diversify into any cable channels. NBC has MSNBC and CNBC, while ABC has the ABC Family Channel. CBS has no counterpart to any of these channels, and now it has cost them dearly.
But more to the point: CBS, under Dan Rather's leadership (forget Andy Heyward; he's nothing but a figurehead, or was until recently), has, for twenty-four years, sought to promote the Democratic Party and what they laughably call their ideals. As a result, for ten years CBS has been in the ratings cellar. Dan Rather tried one desperate measure to swing an election and rescue his ratings. Not only did he fail, but his move was counterproductive. And then--the kicker--he blamed his boss for the embarrassment of the Killian memos. After that, he couldn't have stayed in that anchor chair past the expiration of his contract even if he'd wanted to.
Bottom line: He gambled. He lost.
Of course, Les Moonves is being penny-wise and pound-foolish still. Why doesn't he just buy out Dan Rather's contract and put someone else--anyone else--in that anchor chair right now? Why did he let Dan Rather cover the election and make an even bigger fool of himself and of CBS than he already had? Frankly I shudder to think of what will come next--perhaps some fresh outrage connected with the Inaugural, or the State of the Union Address.
Meanwhile, one of John Gambling's telephone callers speculated that Les Moonves' next move might be to try to unhook Shepard Smith from Fox News. Fat chance. Whoever sits in that anchor chair will inherit all of CBS' liberal baggage.
In fact, Les Moonves has more than just his sick news division to treat. He needs to look at his entertainment division. He owes Dick Van Dyke (Diagnosis: Murder) and Martha Williamson (Touched by an Angel) each an apology, to name but two. For these reasons I think Les Moonves is a blind liberal fool--but again, only time will tell.
John Gambling, on his radio program today (November 24), pointed out that CBS, alone among its fellows, never bothered to diversify into any cable channels. NBC has MSNBC and CNBC, while ABC has the ABC Family Channel. CBS has no counterpart to any of these channels, and now it has cost them dearly.
But more to the point: CBS, under Dan Rather's leadership (forget Andy Heyward; he's nothing but a figurehead, or was until recently), has, for twenty-four years, sought to promote the Democratic Party and what they laughably call their ideals. As a result, for ten years CBS has been in the ratings cellar. Dan Rather tried one desperate measure to swing an election and rescue his ratings. Not only did he fail, but his move was counterproductive. And then--the kicker--he blamed his boss for the embarrassment of the Killian memos. After that, he couldn't have stayed in that anchor chair past the expiration of his contract even if he'd wanted to.
Bottom line: He gambled. He lost.
Of course, Les Moonves is being penny-wise and pound-foolish still. Why doesn't he just buy out Dan Rather's contract and put someone else--anyone else--in that anchor chair right now? Why did he let Dan Rather cover the election and make an even bigger fool of himself and of CBS than he already had? Frankly I shudder to think of what will come next--perhaps some fresh outrage connected with the Inaugural, or the State of the Union Address.
Meanwhile, one of John Gambling's telephone callers speculated that Les Moonves' next move might be to try to unhook Shepard Smith from Fox News. Fat chance. Whoever sits in that anchor chair will inherit all of CBS' liberal baggage.
In fact, Les Moonves has more than just his sick news division to treat. He needs to look at his entertainment division. He owes Dick Van Dyke (Diagnosis: Murder) and Martha Williamson (Touched by an Angel) each an apology, to name but two. For these reasons I think Les Moonves is a blind liberal fool--but again, only time will tell.
posted by Temlakos at 11:47 PM
<< Home