Newspapers / Mars Hill University Student … / Nov. 19, 1976, edition 1 / Page 12
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m Page Twelve, The Hilltop, November 19, 1976 From the Poet's Corner r. We are gliding on miles of blaak glass so near yet so far... away. Time seems to stand still for dust a moment, even tho ’ over lives are swiftly flying by. The laughter we once knew has turned to thought, and, we a:re united, but still unawcere of the mention that fills each being. Take me back to that time and let me know once more the feeling... II. The time ms now, the thought ms mine. It felt so good to know I could accomplish. Friends gave insight, and you gave me a knowledge of how I ms to say it all. - Jane Edwards In Ratings Race ‘Todav’‘Good Morning’ Battle for Early Risers Recently, Good Morning America, ABC's morning chit-chat for early risers cele brated its first year on the air. Much "to-do" was made by ABC in the news papers and promotional spots on the net work about Good Morning having cut into the rating race against the seemingly impregnable Today show on NBC. For al most two decades, the Today show has dominated the early morning hours, and attempts by both rival networks,ABC and CBS, to try and break Today 's domina tion had been futile until ABC launched Good Morning America. Even Good Morning wasn't given much of a chance to put a dent into Today 's Neilsens', after all,it had been a hast ily assembled program created to re place the elaborate, but poorly rated AM America. Good Morning America was to be a mixture of gossip and personality potpouri, focusing on lighter subjects than the traditional morning offerings of the Today show. An actor—of all things—was to headline as host.Absurd, most thought. But Neilsen ratings show the format has worked and ABC is be ginning to narrow the rating gap be tween the two morning shows. However, the Today staff has been ex periencing several problems that has allowed Good Morning America to slowly make inroads on their audiences. Pro duction innovations behind the scenes have caused numerous format changes. Yet, overt changes appear to have hin dered the Today show the most. With Barbara Walter's departure coupled with Jim Hartz's removal as host. Today has experienced a noticeable gap in leader ship. Following the up-front shuffle, a personality parade ensued for weeks in which various NBC personal "tried-out" for the vacated position as host. Tom Brokaw finally won the helmsman job. But, no sooner did Mr. Brokaw get set tled into his swivel chair did the pro duction staff begin the quest for a much sought after replacement for Walter's empty chair. After many faces had come and gone, Jane Pauley—a 26- year-old Chicago newswoman—won out over her competitors. Jhne Pauley's selection we hail as a wise choice. Ms. Pauley is both person able and intelligent, as well as being a first rate interviewer. She is no Barbara Walters and she doesn't claim to be. She has a fresh, dynamic, often times sympathetic approach to those she interviews. For example, Ms. Pauley's recent interview with two-time academy award winner,Glenda Jackson,was 311®“ lating and intriguing. Ms. Pauley terviews steer a narrow course, findi®^ | common ground from which to ask i depth questions without treading dai' j gerously into sensitive areas. Walters never learned—or perhaps ne^ practiced—this technique. But, Paul®^ seems to realize that the early ing audience is a different sort of MS' 2ve^ I dience. Heavy, aggressive intervie’ I is not for the early hours, she eludes, and probably rightly so. HoP® fully, Ms. Pauley's presence will sde® the freshness the Today show has ne© for some time. Mr. Brokaws ' certaii') will not. Brokaw was adequate as a newsman? his anchorbooth techniques leave to be desired. His attempts at wit just that—attempts. His interviews surf ace, usually showing he knows he I if anything about the subjects tempts to delve into in his intervie :WS' (This was clearly shown recently i® interview with several scholars deal^' with the caiinese nation after the dee tl'i of Mao.) Added to these maladies. Mf' Brokaw can not think fast enough on jii? feet to deal with the wide variety \0U guests the Today show comes into tact with. Usually, he appears sieeP>^ unenthusiastic. What good effects Pauley gives are usually destroyed Mr. Brokaw. As for the rest of the Today notably Gene Shalit and Lew Wood, must conclude that they do their ll^„, ed roles well. Shalit is the comic lief for the show; just looking at makes one laugh. The producers woul^ wise to expand his role, and lesset greatly—Tom Brokaws'. The Neilsen Mornings' rise, tallies still show - a | seems to have stablized for the ti the Today iw Meanwhile at CBS, their challenge^ . Today and Good Mourning—the CBS MoT^'^,^ News—slinks further into the rati®^ j heap. With the early morning offe^i^ going to the lighter side of thih^^j, perhaps the best solution for CBS put Captain Kangaroo against the er fair of ABC and NBC. Why, who cO^^^ think of a better face to wake than Mr. Mooses' or Bunny Rabbits ' > to mention the ageless Captain's? way we see things, the Captain and ^ pany have a head start on all the Transfer Ms. Pauley to the Capt®^% Place and they would be an unbeat^, team that neither ABC or NBC could ^ die! II 1 'ihS p
Mars Hill University Student Newspaper
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Nov. 19, 1976, edition 1
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