Faith Daniels: A Daytime News Fix

In the past, TV anchors stayed close to home, never straying far from theirfamiliar anchor chair and trusty TelePrompTer. But as network news struggles tomaintain a foothold in the competitive TV marketplace, more and more news peopleare spreading their wings to host news, information and talk shows.

The latest entrant is Faith Daniels, news anchor on NBC’s “Today,” who on Mondayat 11:30 a.m. begins moonlighting as host of “A Closer Look,” which replaces theinterracial soap opera “Generations.” NBC hopes Daniel’s half-hour news andinformation show will perk up its depressed daytime ratings. To free her,Daniels will no longer host the network’s early-morning “Sunrise.S

Daniels, 33, has been with NBC News since June, part of a revamp in the wake ofJane Pauley’s departure as co-host of “Today.” She previously was co-anchor of”CBS Morning News” and news anchor on “CBS This Morning.”

Daniels, married to New York news producer Dean Daniels, has two children:Andrew, 4, and Alyx Ray, 10 months. Daniel Cerone spoke with the anchor abouther utility role for NBC News.

Is “A Closer Look” a news show or a talk show?

It’s something of a hybrid. We don’t have any boundaries or rules. We’re makingit up as we go, which is sort of nice. Typically, you’ll see a taped reportexplaining an issue, setting up the facts. Then I’ll go out to a live debriefingwith the correspondent who did the report, and to a live discussion with expertswho are involved in the issue.

Are you going to cover breaking news?

On days when there’s a breaking news story, we’ll cover that. On other dayswe’ll be more issue-oriented. Certainly if all heck breaks out in the PersianGulf we’ll do that, and handle it as we see fit at the moment. But even thenyou’ll see more long-form discussion rather than headline news.

With a new baby, can you handle another news show in addition to “Today”?

I think so. It’s going to be a challenge. I don’t know if I’m up for it.

Certainly the work is easy to do. The hours are going to be brutal. I’ll get tosleep an extra hour, because I won’t be doing “Sunrise” anymore. I was gettingup at 3 a.m.

Do you sense a need for daytime news?

What I found when I was home on maternity leave, which was just seven monthsago, (was) it was very, very difficult for me in the morning to pay attention tothe news that was on without interruption, or to open up a morning newspaper tofind out what was going on in the world. I left the paper open on the table andtried to catch a headline every time I passed. Taking the kids to nursery schoolI listened to talk radio.

Then when I had time to kick up my heels, there was nothing on TV for me, nonews. I think that most people pay attention to news in the morning with onlyone ear to the door. For far too long we’ve forgotten that people who are homeduring the day need and want information, too.

How is “A Closer Look” going to be different from other news and informationshows?

One thing I would like to do, and the producers agree with me, quite often we innews make the assumption that when a story is developing over a period of timepeople are following the story day by day by day. And people don’t follow it asclosely as that, and oftentimes they are really left in the dust as to what’sgoing on. On certain days I’d like to throw everything else out and do a primeron a topic, on what’s happening, on who the players are, and give people ageneral understanding of a story so when they hear the news reports at 6 p.m.they know what’s happening.

Was it a difficult atmosphere when you first arrived at “Today,” with thecontroversy over Jane Pauley’s departure?

I came on after most of the stuff died down.

Ratings are still down on “Today.” Are there more changes planned?

It seems to be stable, doesn’t it? The heat has died down in the press and allthe cast members are still in place. I Whenever you put new people on it takes awhile for audiences to feel comfortable with you. It’s a very intimate part ofday. You come to expect certain people there every morning.

How is news at NBC different from CBS?

The surprise for me was how much fun it is to do the “Today” show. I never hadas much fun in my work. We joke around a lot. That’s been a real pleasure. Youknow, in the commercial breaks we’ll either be joking around or continuing adebate that was started in the segment or playing practical jokes.

(Bryant) Gumbel is the biggest practical joker. I One time Bryant and I had abet going, a dollar bet, and I won. He hates to lose. As I finished my news oneday, he walked over and dumped 100 pennies on the news desk to pay up.

Hasn’t “Today” been criticized for being too loose on the set?

I don’t really get that directly. Most people say that they really enjoy theexchange, and people walk away and remember those things. “I loved it the otherday when Bryant said this to you, or you said this to Willard.” And that’s thefar more typical response I get. A critic’s opinion is still one person’sopinion.

“A Closer Look” debuts Monday at 11:30 a.m. on NBC.