Interesting analysis. However, I think you may have missed the biggest reason for the plummeting popularity of MSM evening news casts.
That is, they are premised upon the lie of Objectivity.
Back when my TV only got 3 channels, the left-leaning bias of Walter and Peter and Dan et al. wasn’t so obvious, and – with little to compare it against – those who pointed out that bias could be accused of paranoia.
But now, for example, Michael Medved eagerly reveals his right-wing Republican partisan bias throughout his 3 hour daily broadcast. Same for Rush, Hugh Hewitt, Laura Ingraham, etc. Transparency is the rule in the new media (blogs, podcasts, talk radio), at least on the right and libertarian middle.
So when Katie Couric crashes the right-wing party that is talk radio by sneaking through the back door of interstitial “Notebook” commentary, and she predictably and reliably takes a left wing position on the day’s topic, her bias is as unsurprising as her denial of said bias is insulting.
And, because I don’t like lectures from smug liars, I hit the mute button.
If Katie copped to her obvious left wing bias, and encouraged contrary intelligent debate (another of the key differences between old & new media) from the other side, I’m confident that her ratings would quickly and dramatically rise. I would definitely tune in to a re-engineered Katie Couric show that transparently engaged the many facets of the day’s issues, and allowed me to chime in. Think of Brit Hume blended with Medved / Hewitt / Prager, etc.
If you want to save the evening news, Katie, I’ve just given you the formula.
In the meanwhile, I’ve gotta get back to reading the blogs on my PDA…
