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So, viewers now have a wider array of journalistic styles on their nightly newscast menus than they have enjoyed for years. It turns out that each newscast's agenda is well-fitted to the personality of its anchor. During Bill Clinton's Presidency, when Pelley was White House correspondent, I found his straitlaced style in reporting the tawdriness of the Monica Lewinsky affair unappealingly priggish. His return to the Evening News, in these times of economic hardship at home and endless war overseas, makes him a better fit: his style now reads as a stoic seriousness. By contrast Sawyer offers emotional intensity, and Williams a sardonic reassurance.
I would like to think that the increase in the size of the audience for these three newscasts reflects a discerning response to their editorial adjustments and competitive innovations. This is, no doubt, wishful thinking on my part. As promised, there are four other plausible explanations for the increased number of eyeballs. First, this has been a heavy year for news: it is important stories that drive marginal members of the audience to the newscast rather than the newscast's journalism that attracts them. Second, the economy: belt-tightening at home means fewer restaurant dinners, more eyeballs available to turn the newscast on. Third, demographics: the huge babyboom generation is entering retirement en masse, increasing the size of the 55-70 age group, the cohort that is the prime target audience for these newscasts. Fourth, technology: the analog-to-digital switch temporarily depressed the size of the audience for broadcast television, as rabbit ears became obsolete; it may be that the decline in 2009-2010 was exaggerated and that 2010-2011 represents merely a reversion to the mean secular trend.
In the meantime, it is good to see these newscasts experimenting, adapting to the modern news ecosystem, and differentiating themselves. At last.
UPDATE: here is a splendid audio summary of the main points of this post with Brooke Gladstone of WNYC's On The Media.
ABC's "news" division has become a wasteland for celebrity centered dramas, crime, sappy feature stories and news you can use. I hardly recognize Nightline or World News Tonight.
ABC had a credible news division when it included the likes of Peter Jennings and Ted Koppel. Those days are sadly past. The only national newscast I watch is Mr. Pelley's offering on CBS. It's the only one I learn something from that makes me a better informed citizen. It's refreshing not to have to sit through the drivel of celebrity court cases and abduction stories like on ABC or NBC.
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