ABC talking head

Hard to know how old she is, but we know she was around during the Nixon era (not sure her voice was on the White House tapes or not).

But we  can see and hear her deliver the news every evening from 2010 on, and you won’t have to get up early. She is America’s second woman to solo the anchor desk.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=8471429&cid=yahoo_pitchlist

I interned at the ABC affiliated in Scranton back in 1979.

So naturally, I am interested in this new development.

Heck, back then, I was watching the newscast from the control room, which immediately followed our local broadcast.

The time slot was fixed at 6:30-7PM. This was before traffic became unbearable (in LA, average commute is one hour ) and those who still hold a job, want to stay late to “secure” their positions.

Even when you get home early, you will end up being the one who picks up the kids and getting them something to eat.

Might as well glance at Yahoo or Google headlines. No wonder the Networks struggle to stay relevant in defending  their turf .

Still, the TV networks, likened to the three branches of government, are expected to stay around (unlike Detroit trinity, which should be leaned out in this post Cash-for-Clunkers era).

Anchors make sense of the day’s happenings. Often times, we cling to them as I was to Peter Jennings during 9/11

(he himself got no one to lean on except for Philip Morris) or Tom Brokaw during the 2000 election.

For some reason, we self project and expect them to be perfect, larger-than-life, like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, except for the dying-young part.

They are there at 6:30PM, on the dot, to assure us it’s not “the end of the world” just yet (as the 60’s song which goes : “when you say, goodbye”.)

Networks like to experiment with anchors’ sign- off . The answer is of course, whatever works best. It just “the way it is”.

Only 18 minutes of actual broadcast. But the pressure is enormous. Those 18 minutes culminate a life-time of learning, millions of dollars and a network of inquisitive reporters, being telegenic aside.

With citizen news, Tweeter and Facebook, millions will already know what’s in the scripts before they get an on-air cue.

So what’s the value proposition for Diane, Brian and Katie? Well, they will have to be a brand in themselves.

And they will have to show up (90% of success is just showing up). .

They will need to last, hopefully through many more election nights, offering us historical perspectives and pattern recognition (Chris Matthews likened Obama’s Afghan war to Kennedy’s Vietnam, and his Iraq to Kennedy’s Laos).

All three will need to be students of history, of geography, and know how to add lips. Talking head is a hard job of

rewriting, rehearsing and retouching that nose. Good luck and best wishes. I know how hot those studio lights were.

Used to climb the ladder to secure them all the time (not on my watch that the bulb blew off during the Clinton’s interview though).