CBS was once the gold standard for TV news. Those days ended with Cronkite and Rather and now they're perpetually in last place among the Big 3. 

I don't dispute ABC's lead, but I also don't understand it. David Muir, to me, is probably the most egotistical self-important anchor I've ever seen on TV. I vastly prefer NBC Nightly News, and it drives me crazy when it's constantly interrupted or delayed by the inevitable sports overruns on weekends. (Most recently, golf is the culprit.)

But Muir's popularity baffles me. If you watch his throw to the lead story every night, it generally goes on and on and on, giving half the details of the yarn before they get to the correspondent who's actually on the scene, no doubt at great expense to the network. 

I often find myself yelling at the TV, "why don't you let your reporter tell us that?" as Muir prattles on endlessly giving away most of the story. I have read that he's difficult to work with, which I thoroughly believe. 

And then there's the writing. While they all go too far with the phony "Breaking News" term, often on stuff that's 24 hours old, Muir is overly dramatic. "The pictures just in," or "what authorities have just told us." Anyone who's done TV news knows it's almost impossible to run raw footage on the air without editing or vetting it, because you're never sure if it's going to show graphic footage that should not be seen. Yet he persists with the "this just in" shtick, when I know damn well it isn't. 

The other thing that tests my patience with ABC's World News Tonight is the never-ending teasers. They go on for at least 2 1/2 minutes, which is way too long. NBC, which also does teasers at the top of its show, is already halfway through its lede while ABC is still telling you what's coming. Why are they so damn long?

Finally, once they get through the first block or pack - about 13 commercial-free minutes long  - they throw to two minute breaks, come back with a piece of copy over some viz, then immediately throw to another spot break. The show ends with roughly 3 or 4 minutes of content in the final 15.

So, yes, I'm astounded Muir is still at the top. I find his newscast - and him in particular - especially unlikeable and unwatchable. But obviously the majority of viewers don't feel that way. 

RadioActive wrote:

CBS was once the gold standard for TV news. Those days ended with Cronkite and Rather and now they're perpetually in last place among the Big 3. 

I don't dispute ABC's lead, but I also don't understand it. David Muir, to me, is probably the most egotistical self-important anchor I've ever seen on TV. I vastly prefer NBC Nightly News, and it drives me crazy when it's constantly interrupted or delayed by the inevitable sports overruns on weekends. (Most recently, golf is the culprit.)

But Muir's popularity baffles me. If you watch his throw to the lead story every night, it generally goes on and on and on, giving half the details of the yarn before they get to the correspondent who's actually on the scene, no doubt at great expense to the network. 

I often find myself yelling at the TV, "why don't you let your reporter tell us that?" as Muir prattles on endlessly giving away most of the story. I have read that he's difficult to work with, which I thoroughly believe. 

And then there's the writing. While they all go too far with the phony "Breaking News" term, often on stuff that's 24 hours old, Muir is overly dramatic. "The pictures just in," or "what authorities have just told us." Anyone who's done TV news knows it's almost impossible to run raw footage on the air without editing or vetting it, because you're never sure if it's going to show graphic footage that should not be seen. Yet he persists with the "this just in" shtick, when I know damn well it isn't. 

The other thing that tests my patience with ABC's World News Tonight is the never-ending teasers. They go on for at least 2 1/2 minutes, which is way too long. NBC, which also does teasers at the top of its show, is already halfway through its lede while ABC is still telling you what's coming. Why are they so damn long?

Finally, once they get through the first block or pack - about 13 commercial-free minutes long  - they throw to two minute breaks, come back with a piece of copy over some viz, then immediately throw to another spot break. The show ends with roughly 3 or 4 minutes of content in the final 15.

So, yes, I'm astounded Muir is still at the top. I find his newscast - and him in particular - especially unlikeable and unwatchable. But obviously the majority of viewers don't feel that way. 

I’m with you when it comes to the differences between NBC and ABC. Lester Holt has a much more likeable presence on air. And I also noticed that CBS really cut down on the length of their headline sequence. They’re into their top story way before NBC and ABC.

There are rumours of tension between Muir and George Stephanopoulos over who is the top anchor when news breaks, especially in the early afternoon.

I also find ABC’s newscast a little too dark to be visually appealing.