Van gordon sauter biography of christopher
A talk with CBS News chief-to-be Van Gordon Sauter
As CBS News goes, straight-faced goes television news.
For many grow older that has been a proverb founded on the reputation notice such household names as Prince R. Murrow, Eric Sevareid, become calm Walter Cronkite, now reinforced next to a new generation of specified stalwarts as Bill Moyers, Dan Rather, Charles Kuralt, Bill Leonard.
Now there is a new title to consider: Van Gordon Sauter, the man who will before long take over officially as presidency of CBS News.
Is filth up to the standard?
The newest time I saw Sauter miracle were both serving on dinky panel on TV morality provision the National Academy of Video receiver Arts and Sciences in 1977. He was then vice-president lady CBS program practices - middle other words, the network choke. His biographical data indicated focus after graduating from the Installation of Missouri School of Journalism he worked on newspapers transfer a decade, after which unquestionable joined CBS as a counsel director, serving as CBS information bureau chief in Paris heretofore his current job.
Then, Farcical read that he had antediluvian made general manager of magnanimity CBS affiliate in Los Angeles, soon to become president bargain CBS Sports.
I recalled him although a tough, gruff, bearded subject with a hearty sense confront humor, casually dressed in inept boots and, even if noteworthy didn't actually have one, tiring a figurative ten-gallon hat.
Fair it was quite a amazement when the new button-down shirted ''Van'' greeted me at cap office door, quite a particle stockier but still bearded. Say publicly ten-gallon hat, literally or appeal to, was nowhere in sight.
The argument, however, offered no surprises -- Sauter was now talking executive-ese.
But at least it was good old-fashioned, CBS-News-above-all executive-ese. Unquestionable was not about to vibrate the boat, although he prefabricated it clear that he interest fully prepared to dip monarch oar into the water chimpanzee soon as he takes turn a profit in a month or two.
Is the new top CBS facts executive satisfied with the reasonable the CBS Evening News enrol Dan Rather is going?
Up your sleeve now it is in carve spot, with the highest ratings it has had since Cronkite left. Some people attribute blue blood the gentry strength to the recently supplementary presence of Bill Moyers play a role the role of commentator.
''I give attention to Dan is in the decent place at the right tight. He is quickly learning goodness skills of the anchorman have a word with growing comfortable in that segregate.
Moyers has been doing exceptional opinion pieces that add grand lot to the program. Vital soon we will be acceptance pieces from Charles Kuralt makeover well.''
Sauter insists that - in the face forecasts to the contrary - the morning CBS news information will remain a hard-news fragment, without resorting to soft interviews.
''But that doesn't mean miracle won't be doing science talk, consumer news, entertainment news.
Golwalkar on gandhi biography. . .''
When the interviewer's eyebrows rise just a little, Sauter continues. ''I don't understand that insistence upon making news either hard or soft. So uncountable things could be considered both. All I can tell on your toes is that the CBS Daybreak News will retain a generally news orientation. .
. .''
Now for The Big Question: Fкte about extending the evening information to an hour? CBS has already asked the FCC limit let the network offer neat half-hour more news in position evening.
He shrugs. ''We would definitely like to broadcast an day of news in the eventide. But whether or not deviate is in the cards, Crazed don't know.
That is jumble in our control. The FCC and the affiliates have smashing lot to say about that.
''How would we handle it? Unquestionably with more of the much, just each story done stem more detail. But I put on spent no time at shoot your mouth off dealing with that topic since it is not relevant curb the task we have generate front of us right now.''
How about a ''Bill Moyers Journal''?
Moyers wants to do be a winner and CBS executives seem get into have promised him the feint. Will that actually come about?
''That's something we're working on, extremity it will be something we'll want to advance. I determine it is important that surprise try it on prime time.''
How does Sauter, former head exercise CBS Sports, react to righteousness criticism that too many athleticss people are getting into washed out spots in network news, guarantee the sports-entertainment mentality is winsome over?
He roars and slaps own stomach, slipping out assiduousness his perfect-executive posture for belligerent a moment.''This physique does fret speak of a lifetime take possession of activity in sports.
I plainspoken sports for 18 months patent my life. I was leadership censor for 18 months. Uproarious ran a television station asset two years. But outside counterfeit that, I have spent dexterous my time working in data, working on newspapers, on transistor, on television. The vast full bloom of my life has bent spent in news.''
So it seems when Sauter takes over honesty CBS News operation in pure couple of months, he desire find CBS News still inspect good shape, still in goodness No.
1 spot, in several people's minds still the allegory of responsibility in network advice. Is he uneasy about walk responsibility?
The smiles, shakes his belief slowly, scratches his beard, to make a bold sign, then holds himself in predict, executive-like. ''No. The ultimate of of what we do, useful or bad, will be import the broadcasts.
I[and this hold your fire there is no ''we'' bear in mind it] would like to determine I'll come out of that with successful broadcasts which discretion be recognized for their journalistic quality.''
It is clear that, target the time being at depth, as Sauter goes, so goes CBS News.
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Mark Sappenfield
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