‘New Nightline is a Failure’
The new “Nightline” might be a ratings success, but it’s a critical diaster.
Jon Friedman, like many of the other critics before him over the past two weeks, doesn’t pull any punches:
“It is, indeed, fast-moving, lively and provocative — but then so are most rock videos. So far, the new ‘Nightline’ strikes me as being something else, too. It’s practically unwatchable at times. Granted, it’s illogical, if not downright unfair, to expect a new program to measure up to its predecessor this early in the game.
“But sadly, it doesn’t even come close. That’s too bad. It would have been nice to have a legitimate alternative to the procession of happy-talk celebrities on Letterman and Leno at that hour.
“‘Nightline Jr.’ loses me because so many of its segments have a jarring, end-of-the-world tone. The show would grab me if its chief goal was to tell fascinating stories — as Koppel’s version did — and let them resonate on their own merits. But to make it on TV nowadays, a show has to hype its findings and claim to have Deep Meaning (whether its segments really do or not).”
He particularly takes issue with co-host Martin Bashir, whom Friedman questions is qualified to anchor even one-third of the show.
> Friedman’s column notably echoes many of the complaints that Tom Shales had last week–primarily that the show needs to stop pretending that every item is a Major Event or a “Sign of the Times.”
> Tonight’s show will have an exclusive interview by Terry Moran with Vice President Dick Cheney.
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Nadine Cheung
Editor, The Job Post
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