O’Reilly: Katie Couric’s Low Ratings Are ‘A Woman Thing’

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/15/oreilly-couric-women/

O’Reilly: Katie Couric’s Low Ratings Are ‘A Woman Thing’

In the most recent ratings, Katie Couric’s CBS Evening News “had its worst performance since the Nielsen company installed its ‘people meter’ ratings system 20 years ago.”

Last night on The O’Reilly Factor, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly blamed CBS’s ratings on the fact that Couric is a woman. “I think it’s a woman thing,” O’Reilly said. “It’s an authority position. Most middle Americans who watch news feel comfortable with men in that position. That’s what’s going on.”

His guests, Kirsten Powers and Michelle Malkin, quickly disputed that statement. When Powers asked O’Reilly for proof, he simply stated, “I can prove it. Connie Chung, Barbara Walters, and now Katie Couric. It’s a woman’s thing.” Watch it at link~

Even CBS News president Sean McManus has tried to dismiss — without evidence — his network’s ratings by blaming women, instead of Couric or his station’s programming: “There is a percentage of people out there that probably prefers not to get their news from a woman.”

A recent Gallup poll found that Couric’s personal popularity lags behind NBC anchor Brian Williams and ABC anchor Charles Gibson. But that poll surveyed responses to Couric specifically, not to women anchors in general. Neither Connie Chung nor Barbara Walters were solo network news anchors.

Americans may not like Katie Couric, but that doesn’t mean they dislike all women in “authority” positions.

Digg It!

Transcript:

O’REILLY: How do you see it?

POWERS: When she came in they changed the format and they made it more like a morning news show. And it was a bad idea. And they made a mistake.

O’REILLY: All right. So they corrected that now, and she’s still getting hammered.

POWERS: She came in. It was already the lowest of the three.

O’REILLY: She is doing worse.

POWERS: I know, Bill. But the point is she didn’t inherit some really successful show.

O’REILLY: Is this a woman’s thing?

POWERS: I don’t think…

O’REILLY: Do you think a woman is going to be accepted in that role?

POWERS: I think it’s a Katie Couric thing. I don’t think it’s woman thing. I think that we have to see whether or not…

O’REILLY: I think it’s a woman thing.

POWERS: … she can — how can you prove that?

O’REILLY: Excellent question, Powers. I can prove it. Connie Chung, Barbara Walters, and now Katie Couric. It’s a woman’s thing.

Michelle, you’ve got 30 seconds. It’s an authority position. Most middle Americans who watch news feel comfortable with men in that position. That’s what’s going on. Go ahead.

MALKIN: I think it’s an information revolution thing. I think that how we get information has changed. And evening news in a 24/7 Internet age has become totally irrelevant.

O’REILLY: But she’s doing worse than the rest.

MALKIN: Because she’s a total fake and there’s nothing there.

O’REILLY: Michelle not going out to lunch with Katie any time soon.

Ladies, thanks very much.

[MadBadger]

1. Malkin and Powers were spot on

She is a fake and they dumbed down the news.

[EdwardM]

2. I agree with Malkin also.

.... :puke:

[MadBadger]

3. I feel the same way.

[liberal N proud]

5. WOW! Agreement with MALKIN on DU!

The earth has stood still: Falwell is dead and people on DU agree with MALKIN.

But then again she was disagreeing with O'Realy and that is a good thing.

I must also agree, Couric is a fake.

[wicket]

4. Wow, I actually agree with Michelle Malking

:crazy:

[Horse with no Name]

6. Jessica Savitch was accepted in the 70's

So Billo--you fucking sexist pig--it's not a "woman's thing" you ignorant cretin.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Sigh! Jessica Savitch . . .

[Horse with no Name]

9. Was such a waste

Her life was so out of control--but she was such an awesome talent.

[Timmy5835]

14. You may be right...........

But Savage was a TALENT only. She was NOT a journalist.

[Horse with no Name]

15. SAVITCH--I spelled it for you

WAS a top-notch journalist--not just a talking head. I object to the way that you simply denigrated her because she was a woman.

http://www.accuracyproject.org/cbe-Savitch,Jessica.html
Jessica Savitch was just a teenager when she took her first job as a disc jockey and staff announcer with WOND-Radio, in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1962-64). She then found employment as a disc jockey and staff announcer with WBBF, a leading AM radio station in Rochester, New York (1966-68).

Later, while working as a researcher for WCBS-Newsradio, in New York City, (1969-70), a network executive suggested that she leave New York and prove herself as a journalist in a smaller market. She took the advice and went to work for KHOU-TV, in Houston, Texas as a general assignment reporter, (1970-72). An opportunity to serve as anchor and general assignment reporter with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, television station KYW followed. Two years after her arrival, she had moved up to weekend anchor (1973-74), and went on to co-anchor their Eyewitness News from 1976-77. By this point, she had received several awards for some insightful reports, and her work had caught the eye of the network news bosses.

Once she signed aboard with NBC, she served as a substitute anchor for the weekday NBC Nightly News, and was the weekend anchor of the NBC Nightly News. Jessica also acted as substitute host of Tom Snyder's The Tomorrow Show, and as substitute co-host on The Today Show. She also anchored NBC's News Digest, which offered one-minute prime-time news updates. She would remain with NBC News from 1977 until her death in 1983. She also served as host of the PBS series Frontline (1983).

[AndyA]

8. People don't like Katie Couric because she's not likable.

Years ago, when Loni Anderson and Burt Reynolds' divorce was one of the top headlines, Loni remained silent and didn't tell her side of the story for a long time. When she finally agreed to do interviews again, one stipulation was made: no questions about the divorce or Burt Reynolds, she wanted to put it behind her and didn't feel like airing her dirty laundry in public.

Of all the journalists and news people who interviewed Loni, guess which one didn't keep her end of the deal?

Katie Couric. (True story, got it from Loni herself!)

Once a news whore, always a news whore.

I just don't like the woman, she's a real piece of work and most people can clearly see there is no substance there. CBS News made a horrible mistake, and everyone, except for them, apparently, knew it before it happened.

[Supersedeas]

10. maybe it is a fake penciled-on lip-line thang designed to make the lips fuller

[Cha]

11. If it's such a "woman thing" then why

did ya hire a woman, Sean McManus?

"Even CBS News president Sean McManus has tried to dismiss — without evidence — his network’s ratings by blaming women, instead of Couric or his station’s programming: “There is a percentage of people out there that probably prefers not to get their news from a woman.”

As for malkin and that other twit on bo's show..what a rag fest..malkin calling couric "fake" is like a freakin' charred pot callin' the kettle black.


Edit~ couric is fake..it's too funny..a fake calling a fake a fake.

[Merlot]

12. The beautiful irony

is that malikin is disagreeing with the whole right-wing view point with this one. rw doesn't hold women in high esteem. So now malikin has come up against the sexism inherent in the rw position.

Such a conundrum!

[dazzlerazzle]

13. Katie Couric

Maybe she should do like O'Really and try phone sex harrassment to boost her ratings?