CBS EXTENDS DAN RATHER'S CONTRACT UNTIL 2002.Byline: New York Daily News New York Daily News Morning daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson and his cousin Robert McCormick as a subsidiary of the Tribune Co. of Chicago. The first successful tabloid-format newspaper in the U.S. Dan Rather has a new deal. ``I was offered and have accepted a contract extension with CBS News CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. Its current president is Sean McManus who is also head of CBS Sports. Current productions Current television shows
``CBS News is not just my past. It is my future insofar in·so·far adv. To such an extent. Adv. 1. insofar - to the degree or extent that; "insofar as it can be ascertained, the horse lung is comparable to that of man"; "so far as it is reasonably practical he should practice as I can tell my future,'' he said. His previous contract would have expired in late 1999. The extension will keep Rather, 66, at CBS News into the 21st century, until 2002, and likely would raise his annual compensation of $3 million to $4 million into the $7 million range enjoyed by his peers, NBC's Tom Brokaw and ABC's Peter Jennings. Rather's ``Evening News,'' a perennial third-place finisher, has been finishing stronger in recent weeks, closing the ratings gap with ABC's second-place ``World News Tonight.'' In the most recent ratings, with No. 1 ``NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. Nightly News'' averaging almost 12 million viewers, CBS (Cell Broadcast Service) See cell broadcast. and ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. gathered around 11 million, with the CBS newscast finished just 40,000 viewers behind ABC. ``I'm bullish on CBS News,'' Rather said. ``The trend line has been very good for us. ... We've tried to concentrate on the quality of the broadcast, and we know it's made us feel better - and we know that the audience has responded to it.'' CBS' top ratings analyst, David Poltrack, said his department's analysis of the October ratings showed that ``Evening News'' ratings were not only up, but higher relative to local affiliate lead-ins as well. Even though ABC execs denied the connection, during the ABC newscast's eight-year run at No. 1, ``World News Tonight'' also enjoyed a strong local lead-in from affiliates, especially those carrying ``The Oprah Winfrey Show.'' ``Those environmental factors are becoming less potent,'' Poltrack said. ``We're getting more to an even playing field.'' |
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