New CBS News Prez: “He Just Could Not Have Made A Better Impression”

Michele Greppi listens for silence: “The old guard at 60 Minutes was tellingly quiet” following the appointment of Sean McManus to CBS News president. “CBS News traditionally has been the most resistant to change of all of the TV news organizations, and the staff at ’60 Minutes’ has been particularly vocal when confronted with the prospect of doing things differently from the way it was done in the good old days. They exhibited no push-back to Mr. McManus whatsoever last week.”

Greppi sums up the reaction of CBS Newsers to McManus:

“…According to attendees, he planted in many minds at CBS News the heady thought that they suddenly have the chance to join the rest of the network in the winner’s circle — and without giving up on international news. Mr. McManus had been following developments in Pakistan! He was interested in it!“

As Bob Schieffer put it, “it was pretty clear this is not someone who has just been reading the sports pages,” adding: “He just could not have made a better impression.”