Solo Dan Rather Isn’t the Answer for CBS

Personally, I watch Peter Jennings. I used to watch Chet Huntley/David Brinkley of whom Jennings is more likely a descendant in seriousness mixed with liveliness than he is of the archetypal anchor Walter Cronkite. But Jennings shares a directness and concern for news with Cronkite.

Dan Rather is not the natural successor to Cronkite. That person was Roger Mudd, who was forced to move from CBS when Rather was selected. When Mudd and Tom Brokaw two-headed it for a time, NBC made the wrong choice and let Mudd languish.

So it’s been no surprise to me that Jennings has led the pack among network anchors. Yes, Howard Rosenberg (“Rather and Chung Split Isn’t Real CBS News,” Calendar, May 24), CBS may have cut its news resources seriously, but it’s not the only and probably not the main reason Jennings out-rates CBS.

ABC also has cut back and hired part-time correspondents from other countries for overseas news. And if TV news emphasizes “cosmetics” too much, it apparently isn’t because it greatly appeals to viewers--Rather/Connie Chung is the lowest rated of the big three networks.

The fact is Rather has never risen above or to the level at which he may be best remembered--his coverage of the assassination of President Kennedy, which earned him national attention and launched him toward an anchor position.

Unfortunately, Rather and Chung seemed more or less two of a kind, too “show-bizzy” and eager and ego-involved to care more about the news they were covering than about themselves. Rather’s shining face on what otherwise seemed like pretty dire news is what turned me off.

CBS is not likely to recapture first place by returning to Rather solo. That’s the situation that led them to look for Chung. They need a more serious mien at the anchor desk--what do they call it “anchor” for? They’d best be looking for someone to replace Rather. . . . Is Mudd available? Probably too late.