The San Diego Union-Tribune‘s Karla Peterson talks with network newsers about the state of evening newscast.
The ‘Today’ show said goodbye to Katie Couric two years ago yesterday in a televised bash designed to reduce the departing host to tears. Couric didn’t cry then, but as the ratings for her ‘CBS Evening News’ broadcast continue to drop, she has plenty of reasons to cry now. And plenty of company to cry with.
Actually, she did cry. But I digress. Peterson also talked with CBS News & Sports president Sean McManus, World News EP Jon Banner and the WaPo’s Howard Kurtz about the continued fractionalization of the audience and the challenge of drawing and keeping younger viewers. Still, in San Diego, the nation’s 27th largest market, Couric reigns:
…the much-maligned ‘CBS Evening News’ drew more than 6 million viewers a night last year, and with KFMB/Channel 8’s popular 5 p.m. newscast as a lead-in, Couric’s 6 p.m. show draws more viewers here than Gibson’s, which airs at 6:30 p.m. locally, or Williams’, which airs at 5:30.