Consider this the week of press symbols.
In one corner: Fox News’ Tony Snow. Usually when a press secretary leaves or gets bounced the new candidate is a veteran journalist, a p.r. pro, or someone who has dealt with the media. But it’s not often a TV news personality with a clearly defined persona and unabashed political position (usually it’s more subtle than that in the media).
In the other, CBS Evening News transitional anchor Bob Scheiffer. Schieffer brought CBS new credibility — and av hefty ratings boost — after he stepped in and too over after the expedited retirement of the personality and credibility challenged Dan Rather, who had become too much of a news personality with a clearly defined personality and (to those on the right) unabashed political position.
Both Snow and Schieffer now seem (and this could change after this is posted) poised to be brought in to lend credibility to institutions: Snow is being mentioned as a prime candidate for press secretary take a struggling White House press operation beyond its defensive image, put on a friendlier face, and start anew…in the hopes he can get the White House’s message out without the credibility baggage that departing press chief Scott McClellan lugged around so much that TSA was following him to inspect it; and Schieffer, whose poise, reassurance, and seeming above-the-fray manner has brought an invitation from CBS News for him to become a commentator on the newscast once Katie Couric begins her highly touted stint as the first woman to anchor a regularly scheduled weekly network newscast.
Of course, in the scheme of the news cycle, this could be outdated by the time you read it: Snow could decide to work for bigger bucks by remaining outside the government sector (and may want to weigh what being government spokesman could do to his long term career beyond Fox News) and Schieffer could opt to keep a lighter schedule one Couric takes over.
But speculation about Snow taking the job grows and Schieffer has indicated he is seriously thinking about CBS’s offer to do a commentary or two a week much like Eric Severeid did for many years and to answer in-studio questions posed by the new anchor Couric on major stories.
In the case of the White House, Snow would be a change in style. In the case of CBS, the network would be opting for some continuity amid a change in style.
It’s a fascinating juxtaposition due to several factors:
- Schieffer is perhaps the last, true glorious remnant of the Edward R. Morrow/Walter Cronkite tradition of CBS News anchors. He has been the quintessential company man and has made his network proud in his work since taking over the newscast from Rather. His tradition is rooted in the late 20th century.
- Snow is a symbol of journalism and commentary in the early 21st century in particular. Yes, he has been a Fox anchor, but he also has a popular talk show, has been a newspaper columnist. His background is more newscast/commentary talk than Schieffer’s hard news/anchor background. He is a product of and an enthusiastic participant in the ideological journalism wars.
- CBS is clearly offering Schieffer to stay around a bit more once Couric takes over because he has worn so well with the American public and younger viewers in particular. He offers tontinuity with the CBS News tradition to the new Couric era. He is the quintessential practitioner of fact-based journalism.
The White House’s consideration of Snow should not be surprising. He has a background as a presidential speech writer and has been a part of the GOP’s infomachine that burst onto the American scene in the late 20th century and has largely overpowered the Democratic message (although Democrats are trying to catch up with progressive talk radio). If the White House’s big ongoing problem has been the erosion of support from its political base, a Snow appointment (if he accepted it) would be a masterstroke because he is a popular figure among GOPers. He would also have a (likely short) “honeymoon period” with some journalists. He knows how to be combative, clearly believes in Bush and understands how to effectively use a camera, microphone and body language. On the other hand, his identity as an unabashed GOP partisan and White House defender will mean he will win over few Democrats and perhaps meet some resistance from increasingly skeptical (as polls show) independents.
Complaints about Snow being tainted with politics likely won’t hold water.
Too many media bigwigs have been in the political world in the past: Tim Russert, Chris Matthews, Diane Sawyer, Bill Moyers, George Stephanopoulos — to mention a few.
What will be new in the case of Snow (if he takes the job) is that it’d be a case of a mega-high profile talk show/news figure taking the top government press job.
What’ll be new in the case of Schieffer is that unlike when Dan Rather took over the CBS News, he has the option of not being put out to pasture or disappearing. CBS is offering him a chance to remain on the scene and contribute in a high profile way.
Two differing figures in the press. Both being invited to help their respective institutions. Both have their critics. But both reflect instances where the institutions are are reportedly reaching out to them because they’re willing to risk doing things a little bit differently to try to communicate a bit better with their respective audiences.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.