Can Couric increase CBS ratings

Katie Couric replaced Dan Rather as the CBS Evening news anchor in 2006, the ratings have been on the decline ever since. In his article "Now the News: Couric Still Isn't One of the Boys," New York Times Correspondent Bill Carter, gives reasons why Couric will never be as good as former anchors. Former anchors that he lists include: Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and Peter Jennings.

Carter cites several reasons why Couric will never measure up to these aforementioned giants of broadcast journalism. These reasons include: she is younger, she is a woman, she is more of a celebrity than a journalist, and she gained respect because of her winning personality rather than her journalistic ability.

CBS hired Couric to attract a younger audience. Instead they seem to be driving away their previously loyal viewers, rather than attracting new younger viewers.

"Instead of emphasizing how to keep the loyal audience, they wanted to go after new viewers. But their not going to get them. Yes, the loyal audience is older, but they're not about to die. They have another 20 or more years to live," former ABC correspondent Judy Miller.

The reasons for the decline in viewership according to a Project for Excellence in Journalism survey, at either the anchor or the what the new stories are handled. The top factor seems to be how comfortable the audience is with the anchor.

Carter alleges that their will be more problems with this in the future, not only for Katie Couric but other new anchors as well. As the old have retired, ratings have been on the decrease.