Not just a pretty face

In the olden days when families tuned in to the nightly news while eating their TV dinners, the anchor was most likely a somber, gray-haired white male. His persona evoked feelings of confidence and calmness. So as Katie Couric prepares her move from the "Today Show" to anchor CBS Evening News, Americans can't help but ask: during a time of national emergency, wouldn't we be better off with a mature, established male anchor -- one who provides calm and control amid the chaos of daily events?\nThe anchorman -- emphasis placed on the word "man" -- once brought this illusion of control. Just 25 years ago, women made up only 13 percent of the television news workforce. But change in the field of journalism is inevitable. If Americans are not ready to replace the traditional solemn white male for a vivacious woman, they better turn off their TVs.\nAs anchor and managing editor of "The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric," Couric will become the first woman at any network to anchor the evening newscast alone. In a field where women were once not trusted to cover murder stories because they would break down in tears, female anchors can now be seen on the streets of Iraq and in the halls of the White House. \nBut there is still progress to be made. In the recent comedy "Anchorman," sportscaster Champ Kind reacts to the hiring of Veronica Corningstone, a female newscaster, by saying, "It is anchorman, not anchorlady! And that is a scientific fact." Kind is correct in one aspect: "Anchorwoman" is pretty much a nonexistent term. According to a study by the Radio-Television News Directors Association and Ball State University, the number of female television news directors decreased almost 4 percent from 2003 to 2004. \nWhen Andy Rooney of "60 Minutes" heard about Couric's new job, he said he doesn't know "anyone at CBS News who's pleased that (Couric) is coming here." There is no doubt that when Couric delivers the news she will be judged by factors other than her reporting skills. Her performance ability will be based on gendered issues like appearance and aggressiveness and whether she has what it takes to compete with the past illustrious stars of the news (think Peter Jennings and Dan Rather).\nBut the gender issue seems a bit ironic considering Couric's journalism credentials. Sure, she giggles a lot and wears short skirts. She has been criticized for blurring the lines between entertainment and hard news reporting, but she also began her career at NBC as a Pentagon reporter, has co-hosted the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and sparked what is now referred to as the "Couric Effect" -- Couric's personal goal to increase cancer awareness. She is smart and experienced and has interviewed a range of personalities from John and Patsy Ramsey to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. \nLike Veronica Corningstone, Couric is intelligent, ambitious and fully capable of succeeding where no other woman has. During a time when even our most famous network newscasts are viewed as dinosaurs due to their falling ratings, CBS is smart to take a chance with a strong female like Katie Couric. As Veronica says, "Bring it on"