Romenesko

"Reliable Sources"
Dan Rather's recent controversial comments sounded familiar to former CBS (and PBS) newsman Terry Smith. "Six years ago, in an interview I did with him on 'The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,' Rather used the exact same phrase about 'tarting up' and 'dumbing down,'" says Smith. "His reference then was to the pressure he was under at the time from CBS management to lighten up his broadcast and theoretically appeal to a younger audience. So not very original of Dan, but not sexist either."