Sun editorial:

Promoting a veteran newswoman

ABC’s Sawyer set to become only second woman to lead network evening newscast

Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

For decades evening news anchor chairs at television networks ABC, CBS and NBC were occupied only by men. They were the giants of broadcast journalism and among the most influential voices in America.

Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Harry Reasoner, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings were all household names. With few exceptions, most notably the brief co-anchor roles played by Barbara Walters and Connie Chung, women who desired to lead an evening news broadcast were limited to local stations.

That changed amid much ballyhoo in 2006 when Katie Couric of CBS became the first woman to serve as solo anchor of a network evening news broadcast. With the announcement Wednesday that veteran newswoman Diane Sawyer will become the anchor of ABC’s evening “World News” program in January, women will lead the newscasts at two of the three major networks.

What is also noteworthy about Sawyer’s promotion is that the reaction, at least initially, has been relatively low key. What that says is that Americans have come to embrace women in yet another role that used to be a strictly male bastion, as was once true for military generals, astronauts, police officers and justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Women still have a long way to go to achieve equality with men in a variety of workplace settings, especially in salaries and promotions. That’s why it is gratifying to see women break through glass ceilings, allowing others to follow.

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By jlb101

Sept. 3, 2009

5:46 a.m.

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Ever since Couric took over the anchor chair, the ratings for CBS news have been in the toilet. I don't believe it is because she is a woman but due to the fact that she is too opionated. It is supposed be a news show. I hope Ms Sawyer will do better but I have my doubts.
By Rooster

Sept. 3, 2009

10:02 a.m.

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I only watch O'Reilly. He tells it like it is. Fox tells it like it is, all the rest are bootlickers including the Las Vegas Sun
By jlb101

Sept. 3, 2009

11:05 a.m.

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O'Reilly is a comentator and gives his opinion. That is fine as that is what he is supposed to do. Fox news itself gives a much more unbiased news report than any of the three major networks. That is why the network news has such low ratings.