Article: Should Jon Stewart Take Over for Katie Couric at CBS?
Would Jon Stewart make for a good network news anchor? It may seems like an absurd question, but MarketWatch's Jon Friedman raises it anyway. "I know the arguments against the idea," he prefaces. But Stewart is "America's most trusted name in news among his fans":
"Stewart is the first to tell anyone who will listen that he is an entertainer, not a journalist. He intends to make people laugh and think, probably in that order.
But what is a journalist, anyway, in 2010? A blogger, who has no experience, can consider himself or herself a serious journalist. So can your garden-variety loudmouth on any cable-news channel... Stewart gets lots of laughs for his pointed commentaries about the news industry's sacred cows. Perhaps he may secretly yearn to have credibility as a pundit."
In a quick retort, Ernie Smith at Short Form Blog takes the air out of Friedman's balloon:
"So, you’re asking, why do we think this is a stupid idea? Because Jon Stewart’s authority as a media commentator is largely the product of his outside-looking-in dynamic. Oh, and he’s a comedian, not a journalist. Oh, and we think Anderson Cooper probably has the inside track for this.!"
The Debate
- Bring In Stewart! Jon Friedman, MarketWatch.
- Uh, No Ernie Smith, Short Form Blog.
Source: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/opinions/view/opinion/Should-Jon-Stewart-Take-Over-for-Katie-Couric-at-CBS-3529.
Jon doesn't need to go anywhere, imho. His place in the media is a special one, and it would defeat the entire purpose of his show.