CBS Cancels Wednesday '60 Minutes'

[wicket]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050518/ap_en_tv/tv_cbs_60_minutes

CBS said Wednesday it is cancelling the Wednesday edition of "60 Minutes," insisting the decision was made because of poor ratings and not last fall's ill-fated story about President Bush's military service.

Dan Rather, the newsmagazine's lead correspondent, will contribute stories to the Sunday edition of "60 Minutes," said CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves. "This was a ratings call, not a content call," Moonves said Wednesday.

The newsmagazine spinoff was where Rather reported last September that Bush skirted some duty while in the Texas Air National Guard and a commander felt pressure to sugarcoat an evaluation of him. An independent panel later concluded that documents used in the story could not be verified. Moonves said that story didn't figure in the decision to cancel it, "not even slightly."

"60 Minutes" Wednesday has been sinking in the ratings, a decline accelerated by the success of the ABC drama "Lost" in the same time slot. The show also has one of the oldest audiences in prime-time television, considered a turn-off to advertisers.

[EST]

1. Door 1, 2, or 3?

The bfee rides on.

[Bozita]

2. ...and Dan Rather retired to continue working with 60MinII?

Say goodbye to Dan.

Dirty bastards!

[chelsea0011]

12. So Putin was right after all

Mike Wallace took him to task when Putin had the gall to point out how Rather was fired from a news show for a "mistake" to the Bush administration. Mike took exception. Dan Rather still has a job, I remember Mike saying to Putin. Jokes on you Mike.

[msanthrope]

17. Why, yes....n/t

[ET Awful]

3. So wait a second. . .

According to this, Dan Rather will be sticking around, just doing stories on Sunday instead? Isn't that contrary to what was stated months ago?

[hatrack]

4. Can't have news taking up a valuable reality show slot, now can we?

:puke:

[meganmonkey]

5. Honestly, I always felt it was like the cheesy little sister to Sunday

60 minutes. It seemed to have fluffier topics. It is sad, though, to lose another news show.

[Dhalgren]

6. Unfortunately, losing a "news" show in this country

is really not losing much, at all...:(

[MnFats]

7. documents can't be verified - that means BUSH SERVED!

right?
no more story there. definitely.
these documents .... can't verify... must mean... Bush off the hook.

same for Newsweek.
source bad....info backed by numerous other reports which are undisputed...DoD even reviewed the piece and raised no issues...but source bad, story no good....prisoners NOT abused.

ugh. head hurt.

[shance]

8. The good ole "ratings" excuse.

I'm sure content had little to do with it because we have such flourishing free speech by our media.

[question everything]

13. To be fair - it really could not compete with ABC's "lost"

We have been watching "60 minutes" on Sunday for years now, but rarely got warmed toward the Wednesday edition. I think it was fluffier..

And we are addicted to "lost" so it was never even a matter of which to watch.

[sarcasmo]

9. This is all about the Military service story.

[otohara]

10. CSI Dallas to Replace perhaps?

or how about another nanny reality show?

[Roland99]

16. How about CSI: D.C.?

They could show some forensic teams combing the Capitol Building and the White House in a search for truth.

[dArKeR]

11. Just what America needs, a less informed public!

[anitar1]

19. Great Picture--we could replace 60 minutes

with an updated version of Cheaters. Lord knows , there are plaenty of them out there!

[Algorem]

14. 60 Minutes put up it's own page on it,with Rather's picture probably meant

to say it all:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/18/60II/main696185.shtml

(CBS/AP) CBS is canceling the Wednesday edition of 60 Minutes, the network announced ahead of the unveiling of its new fall schedule Wednesday.

Lead Correspondent Dan Rather will contribute stories to the Sunday edition of 60 Minutes, said CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves.

"This was a ratings call, not a content call," Moonves said.

The newsmagazine was where Rather reported last September that Mr. Bush skirted some duty while in the Texas Air National Guard and a commander felt pressure to sugarcoat an evaluation of him. An independent panel later concluded that documents used in the story could not be verified, and that that CBS News failed to follow basic journalistic principles in the preparation and reporting of the broadcast...

[sattahipdeep]

15. Heres a thought...

"Inside the Wire"

May 1, 2005

He told 60 Minutes about one interrogation in particular, in which
he translated for a female interrogator who was trying to break a
high-priority prisoner a Saudi who had been in flight school in
the United States.

"As she stood in front of him, she slowly started to unbutton her
Army blouse. She had on underneath the Army blouse a tight brown
Army T-shirt, touched her breasts, and said, 'Don't you like these
big American breasts?'" says Saar. "She wanted to create a barrier
between this detainee and his faith, and if she could somehow sexually
entice him, he would feel unclean in an Islamic way, he would not be
able to pray and go before his God and gain that strength, so the next
day, maybe he would be able to start cooperating, start talking to her."

But the prisoner wasn’t talking, so Saar said the interrogator increased
the pressure.

"I think the harm we are doing there far outweighs the good, and
I believe it's inconsistent with American values," says Saar.
"In fact, I think it's fair to say that it’s the moral antithesis
of what we want to stand for as a country."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/28/60minutes/main691602.shtml

[napi21]

18. OH MAN!!!!! I liked 60 Mins on sunday!!!

I liked Rather too, but I most liked that companies, politicians, and lots of other prominent people were afraid on them. It helped keep things honest, and believe me, we need as many articles, news programs and programs as we can get!

I remember when I worked for a manufacturer and we heard there was going to be a big expose coverage on 60 Mins the following Sunday. My God, we were all panicked! We weren't as afraid of the espose of the industry as we were that they might single us out! Well, they didn't, but it really does help keep people honest! Since it's supposed to be our government's job to keep businesses honest, but they don't do that anymore, where are we going to go for help? There's only so much blogs and message boards can do!!!!!!!!

[wicket]

20. kick

:kick:

[BiggJawn]

21. Scarborough (Joe the Lori-Killer) was crowing about this last night..

You'd have thought the pig had pulled the plug himself...

He WAS chagrined, though, that Dan Rather wasn't flushed down the toilet along with it...