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The Best & Worst TV Newscasters - by Paul Semel

With Katie Couric going behind the desk of "CBS Evening News" this fall, there's a renewed interest in news anchors. But while people wait to see if she'll shine like Walter Cronkite, or flame out like Howard Beale from "Network," we decided to take a look at her contemporaries for this list of the best and worst people to ever wish they'd thought of the line, "... and that's the way it is."

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams/NBC

The Best
Brian Williams
Channel:
NBC
Show: "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams"
Took Over the Desk: Dec. 2, 2004
Previous Gigs: Host, "The News with Brian Williams" on CNBC and MSNBC (July 15, 1996, to Jan. 19, 2004)
This Just In: Interned during the Carter administration (insert Clinton joke here).
Why We Like Him: Because he's like a young Peter Jennings: authoritative, assured and, when he goes on "The Daily Show," very funny.

Video: Williams interviews Bono

CBS Evening News/CBS Bob Schieffer
Channel: CBS
Show: "CBS Evening News" 
Took Over the Desk: March 2005
Previous Gigs: Host, "CBS News" (Sundays from 1973 to 1976,
Saturdays from 1976 to 1996).
This Just In: Was featured in a "Doonesbury" cartoon that had him ragging on Dan Rather. When asked what he thought of it, he said, "The strip was right on ... "
Why We Like Him: Because he's kind of like our grandpa -- the one who used to tell us interesting stories about the war, not the one who smelled of bourbon and cheap cigars.
World News Tonight/ABC Charles Gibson
Channel: ABC
Show: "World News Tonight"
Took Over the Desk: May 29, 2006
Previous Gigs: Co-host, "Good Morning America" (January 1987 to May 1998 and again from January 1999 to May 2006).
This Just In: Shares his birthday (March 9) with rappers Chingy, Bow Wow and C-Murder.
Why We Like Him: Because he's got the Bob Schieffer-like wisdom that comes with age but is still young enough that he's not at risk of being replaced by some young, hot chick. Or is he?
Chuck Roberts/CNN Chuck Roberts
Channel:
Headline News
Took Over the Desk: Jan. 1, 1982
Previous Gigs: Weeknight anchor for KMTV in Omaha, Neb.
This Just In: According to CNN's Web site, "in 1998, [he] was inducted into the New Mexico Military Institute's Hall of Fame for 'lifetime achievement in service to the ideals of America.'" We don't know what that means either, but it sounds cool.
Why We Like Him: Because having worked there since the station launched nearly 25 years ago, his distinctive voice is what we think of when we think of Headline News.
The Daily Show/Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart
Channel: Comedy Central
Show: "The Daily Show"
Took Over the Desk: 1999
Previous Gigs: Host, "The Jon Stewart Show"; actor, the movies "Half Baked," "Big Daddy" and "Death to Smoochy"
This Just In: The soccer team of his alma mater, The College of William and Mary, gives out an award every year to the team's clown called "The Liebo," which is named for Stewart's birth name, Liebowitz. While on the team himself, he scored 10 goals, earned 12 assists and cracked 114,376 jokes (estimated).
Why We Like Him: Because he's the only news anchor we actually trust. If someone such as Bill Clinton or George W. Bush says something that contradicts an earlier statement, he'll not only call the person on it but show the clip in which the contradict took place.

World News Now/ABC

Ron Corning
Channel:
ABC
Shows: "World News Now" and "ABC World News This Morning"
Took Over the Desk: August 2004
Previous Gigs: Co-host, "The Daily Buzz," a syndicated morning news show
This Just In: Though "The Daily Buzz" was a real news show, Corning's co-anchors have actually played fake newscasters and reporters on shows such as "CSI: NY" and "JAG."
Why We Like Him: Because if we're up watching the news at 3:17 a.m., we want to watch a guy who seems like he'd be up at 3:17 a.m. as well. And not because he's cranked up on meth.

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