Image via WikipediaJust like in any other business, the TV industry is undergoing a springtime transformation.- Scott Pelley is replacing Katie Couric as "CBS Evening News" anchor starting in June. Pelley is a "60 Minutes" correspondent (a position he'll likely keep) who says he wants to bring the sensibilities of the news magazine to the evening broadcast. (If he's talking about long-form pieces and hard-hitting investigations, that's one thing. If he's referring to Andy Rooney dropping by once in awhile to talk about the stuff on his desk, that's another.) But as Couric learned, it's not a good idea to reinvent the wheel. The millions who still tune in to watch the evening news expect to see the world wrapped up in 22 minutes or so, and not much more than that. Pelley also faces an uphill battle in getting folks to switch from Brian Williams or Diane Sawyer. CBS has been in third place at the dinner hour since Couric took over in 2006.
- Meredith Viera is leaving as co-host of NBC's "Today", reportedly to care for her ailing husband. This seems to be a time of transition for the morning news broadcast that's been on the air since 1952. Ann Curry will take over for Viera while Matt Lauer's contract expires at the end of 2012. The program is now four hours long, and three of them are devoted to topics other than the news of the day, to put it mildly. It's as if NBC doesn't have any ideas on how to program daytime, other than to add another hour of "Today".
- Michele Tafoya is replacing Andrea Kremer as sideline reporter for NBC's "Sunday Night Football"--provided, of course, there's a season. Tafoya had the same job for years on "Monday Night Football" until ESPN demoted her and Suzy Kolber to pregame work. Tafoya's also keeping her afternoon-drive talk show on WCCO-AM in the Twin Cities, much to the disappointment of those who believe she should stick to sports rather than discuss conservative politics.
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