New CBS News Prez: Ververs Says Staffers Are “Encouraged” But “Concerned”

On the Public Eye blog, Vaughn Ververs sums up the feelings of CBS newsers today:

“Those in the news ranks are encouraged that incoming president Sean McManus is a trusted confidant of CBS Chairman Les Moonves and an executive who oversaw the return of the NFL to the network and made the sports division into a ‘Tiffany’ entity in the CBS tradition. McManus, they hope, may be in a position to marshal more resources for news and improve quality. While he is not a ‘newsman,’ he is of CBS and respectful of the tradition, some believe.”

But: “There are concerns, however, that McManus is not a newsman and does not come from what many would consider a journalistic tradition. There are also worries that the news division — for the first time ever — does not have a dedicated president (with McManus wearing that hat for both the sports and news divisions). And most are anxious to see what, if any, changes will be made in other top management positions.”

Here’s the rest…