After 44 Years, Rather Out of CBS

[Guest guest]

Dear Folks,

 

This is sad news. Please pay attention to Dan Rather's quote at the end of

this article. It rings true.

 

Mary! (MacElveen)

 

After 44 years, Rather out at CBS

 

BY VERNE GAY

 

Newsday Staff Writer

 

June 16, 2006

 

Effectively ending one of the greatest runs in TV journalism history, CBS

and Dan Rather are expected to jointly announce either today or early next

week that they are ending an association that began 44 years ago.

 

CBS News has been awash in rumors for months that network management was

greasing the exit for Rather by diminishing his role at the news division.

The surprising aspect is the timing: His CBS contract ends this November,

though it now appears certain he and CBS will fashion an early " out. "

 

" The final details are being put on an arrangement under which my 44 years

at CBS will end, " Rather told Newsday yesterday. " I had hoped and would have

liked to have continued working at CBS and '60 Minutes' if there was

meaningful work to do. It became clear that was not going to be possible. "

 

The 74-year-old newsman said he doesn't view his departure with

disappointment, adding that he has other opportunities that he can't yet

discuss.

 

Sandy Genelius, CBS News spokeswoman, said " there is nothing to report, for

now. "

 

The departure represents a bitter blow for the intensely proud - and

fiercely loyal - newsman who had hoped to finish his career at the news

division he joined in 1962.

 

But, stubborn to a fault, Rather also refused to recognize that his role in

" Memogate " was a career-ender, even though he was effectively exonerated by

an outside panel that investigated the botched 2004 " 60 Minutes II " story on

President George W. Bush's National Guard service.

 

He was forced out of the " Evening News " anchor chair in March 2005, a year

before his 25th anniversary, then shunted over to " 60 Minutes. "

 

CBS' hiring of Katie Couric was the coup de grace. Couric will contribute to

" 60 Minutes, " which meant, according to published reports, there was no room

for Rather.

 

Rather told the Los Angeles Times, " It's clear I have some difficulties with

the current corporate management, but that's not unusual with reporters. "

 

He also said he had more to contribute.

 

" I think now as much or more than ever, Americans need hard-news reporting -

particularly hard-news reporting about foreign affairs and how their

government works, " he said.

 

Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.

 

http://tinyurl.com/rgz3y

 

" To be nobody-but-myself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to

make me everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being

can fight, and never stop fighting. " -e.e. cummings-

 

 

 

 

 

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