Why I Find Big Ed's Demotion To Weekends Troubling

[MADem]

84. Diane Sawyer (though she looks great) is no spring chicken--she used to work for NIXON!

She's 67. Scott Pelley (age 55) has grey hair. Both do the nightly news on ABC and CBS respectively. Brian Williams on NBC is only 53--the "kid" of the Big Three.

On the cable news shows, there are plenty of ancient mariners--Tweety (67), O'Reilly (63), O'Donnell (57), Candy Crowley (64)--there comes a point in time, certainly, where new blood needs to be brought in and groomed for bigger things. That's what MSNBC is trying to do with that CYCLE show (which is unwatchable--not because of the youth of the commentators, but because of the stupid things so many of them say--it's just tripe, that show).

Ed? He's 59. He looks every minute of it, but he's not the oldest horse on the track by a long shot. I think he's been given an opportunity, here--60 Minutes has lost its spark since Mike Wallace left...no one can sneer and accuse like that man could; his style of inquisition would leave one almost feeling sorry for the sweating criminal he was berating!

If Ed can find a hook that motivates people to turn away from the ticking stopwatch--and he'll have TWO hours, so he can grab them and keep them with good material--he just might be on to something. He needs good staff and a motivated production team--if he has that he has the opportunity to do great things.