CBS Evening News 'DEBACLE' With Bob Schieffer 1977

[sldl04]

Bob Schieffer is one of the most respected news reporters on television. He handled this with class...

[ThePretzelHead]

we are going to regroup now, put down the pipe, and focus. I'm serious, this is our jobs people

!

[noahf67]

Hey, when that light goes on and things blow, you just have to deal. With more and more stuff computer-based nowadays, it's astonishing to know just how much can go flat at the worst times. We've seen it happen.

[toresbe]

Nicely handled. Gotta ask though: Why are you videoing a TV screen to do the transfers?

[Teflon65]

Not quite a debacle, but an interesting foul up.

[moxie96]

we don't hear that typewriter clackery noise in news anymore, I'm old enough to remember it though I'm just 33

[DontCancelThisAcctYT]

If Bob Schieffer had been introduced to Just For Men, he may have gotten Couric's gig. But Mr Gray don't get no anchor play (or pay).

[elc1960]

If anything, this clip proves that Bob Schieffer should have been kept on as CBS' evening news anchor instead of wasting all that money and hiring Katie Couric simply because she was younger and pretty. She caught a lucky break interviewing Sarah Palin, who was a train wreck waiting to happen and Katie happened to be in the right place at the right time. She asked Palin an innocuous question, and Sarah became the proverbial "deer in the headlights" that may have cost McCain the Presidency.

[sr71ablackbird]

As far as I can tell this must have been around maybe the 70s on a weekend. That is when he usually did the news, on weekends, that is. And sometimes filling in.

[shella2bella]

Boy...did we come a long way with news far as with videos and graphs...and yes Bob was great and professional on there.

[CoolBlueZR1]

Wow, I can't believe how professional Bob was... he seemed so calm and relaxed!

[wdc2998]

Was Ed Wood moonlighting as a TV news director?

[banther1972]

Bob Schieffer is one of the last old-school news anchors. I can remember watching him in the 70's as a kid when he did the CBS Saturday Night & Sunday Night News. A great news anchor, and still is today. I didn't realize that he's still very active on Face The Nation.



I hope to read his book, "This Just In".

[vaportrails44]

And CBS News has been in the dark ever since...

[KaraLarson26]

I agree about Bob Schieffer. He is the last of the line of old school network news anchors that always conducted himself professionally and honorably when reporting the news whether it was out in the field or in the anchor chair.

[mediamadman747]

Bob's a "cool cucumber." I watch him every Sunday on Face the Nation. I'll miss him when he goes.

[Badgerinmaine]

Bob Schieffer has always been one of the newsmen I respect most. His autobiography, "This Just In", is one of the finest I have ever read.

[Captmiloman]

(cough)technical problems(cough) Bob handled it very well. Frank Reynolds(RIP) probably would've had a fit.

[paktype]

Schieffer handled that like a real pro. Kudos to him. He's one of the last of a dying breed of honorable news anchors, not the fake-boobed blondes we have today.

[kascnef82]

great thing he's still working for cbs....his retirement/death will be more bigger than dan rather and katie couric!!!

[tvgator1]

Schieffer's a TOTAL professional. He handled that as well as possible

[Devit123]

That is Very funny; the producer's whiny voice, slamming door, dead air, admitting technicla difficuly, and Bob S. trying to hold back a grin or laugh the whole time. It's almost like watching Chevy Chase deliver the news on SNL from 1977.

[erik1127]

Had always wanted to see this and I must admit, Bob is pretty damn smooth in confronting this ordeal.

[NewsLynne]

They went to break - a wise decision.

[CeroPochuxo]

Hey, that was the way TV was back in the '70's. It was harder to adjust for errors back then than it is today in television. Bob handled that very well. Good on 'em!

[catholicpriest1]

The control room apparently wasn't ready for "Section 2" and it isn't on the teleprompter either.

[paladin520]

Bob...ALWAYS a pro!!!!!

[nightfly776]

Schieffer... what a PRO!

[noahf67]

Hey, these things happen. The tape player on story one probably went on the fritz as they opened and they couldn't advance to the next wrap quick enough. Makes you realize what a tight execution these newscasts are.

[Jasonian77]

I can't believe the producer was yelling at Bob after the booth announcer's introduction. Clearly, Bob is the only one on the set who has it together.

[mediadude08]

Not to mention when Schieffer mentions the Pacific Northwest, there is a graphic of Bermuda in the background.

[Mktryk]

Sadly enough, there are probably viewers who DO think Bermuda's located there!

[soundsfromnothing]

Vanderbilt university has an online news archive in which you can view clips going back to '68. It, of course, consists of broadcasts mainly from "The big 3" ABC, CBS, NBC.

[suziestew]

go vandy...

[soundsfromnothing]

I've tried to post the web address for the archive on here, but for some reason it won't let me. If you go to yahoo, and type "vanderbilt university television news archive, you'll see it pop up. You'll need realplayer to watch the NBC clips

[idaltuguy]

Thanks for posting that sounds! Its pretty cool

[ejchiefsfan]

Ahhh, the sounds of the old newsreels.  Talk about a thing of the past.

[idaltuguy]

It's definitely different..Especially when you compare newsclips from the 70's & 80's. The 70's news is kind of subdued, very laid back. The 80's news (evening the evening news is more dramatic). Also the use of computers was more prevalent for news in the 80's.

[soundsfromnothing]

Too funny

[selloutasaurus]

Bob handled it pretty smoothly.

[eatmoreDrano]

Boy, that really is BAD. It couldn't have looked worse if they staged it. You don't even see anything to that degree on local news. But once again, Bob saves the day. I bet that voice you heard at the beginning didn't stay there much longer.

[a1cjlock]

At least he handle it professionally..

[sofaspud5710]

Hmmm....never knew that Bermuda was in the Pacific Northwest!! "Obviously we've had some technical problems here.." Gee ya think, Bob!

[halfhoosierhein]

"possibly the worst network news on-air debacle ever for an evening newscast"

umm ... did i miss something? did that really warrant "the worst debacle ever" title?

[thecardsaysmoops]

First, I said "possibly the worst." Second, can you document ONE network news program with more critical problems at the start of the show?

[ajk]

Do you have the Dan Rather tennis incident from I think 89 or so?

[noahf67]

Hey man, it happens. Handled with thorough dignity. No telling what the demeanor was behind the scenes that evening (!!!)

[falconlem]

Strife in Bermuda, now that movie "the Deep" with Jacqueline Bisset and Nick Nolte makes sense.

[chibicelchan]

I had a dream about this last night.

[adelgado75]

Too bad we don't see many screw ups like that.

[chibicelchan]

He really keeps his cool pretty well, though.

Great stuff, thanks.

[mowm88]

Hey that's great.

[AllRequired]

This is CB-MESS!

[mans2001]

Poor Bob! This reminds me of that wonderfully hilarious scene in James L. Brooks' "Broadcast News" where Aaron Altman (Albert Brooks) breaks out in flop sweat on-air during his first (and only) long-sought-after chance to anchor.

[capsgm2002]

Nice collection you've got here... you got any old news opens from the late 70's and 1980's?

[heine71]

Bob Schieffer, who did CBS weekend news in the 1970's, later between March 2005 and September 2006 was succeding Dan Rather's and was prior to Katie Couric's weeknight CBS Evening News runs.

[NEPatriot]

thecardsaysmoops:

Got any other pieces of WTVJ like sign-offs or sign-ons?

[thecardsaysmoops]

I have a question for those watching these clips:

Is there any way to change the image icon that identifies a clip? Thanks.

[WGseventysix]

I don't know of any option for that. All I know is that they capture the frame right at the half-way point of the clip to use for identification.

[sammyreed]

I think that is the PERFECT image for this one!

[mobilene]

It's outstanding to see your clips. How did you capture them?

[thecardsaysmoops]

The earliest ones were Kinescopes (1950's and some 1960'S; early Renick shows were captured on 2" tape, then over the years, either taped directly on or transferred to 3/4" tape, then DVC pro and finally to DVD (hopefully the last dubs)!

[mobilene]

You clearly have done a ton of work (and have had access to all kinds of equipment) to bring all this to DVD.  Thanks for it! Looks like you're filming the output on your TV -- with any luck, you'll be able to grab clips direct to digital for uploading to YouTube in the future.

[WeakApplause]

I can't believe I didn't think to suggest this before - there's a utility I use to copy DVDs right to my harddrive to make backup mpegs of 'em - it might be just the thing you need - it's called DVDx...if you google around you can find the free version, which I use, and which I find does exactly what I need, FYI... thanks again for saving all this stuff!

[ASKconard]

Where did you get all of these old newscasts?

[thecardsaysmoops]

I've worked for WTVJ since 1969 and have been saving things I thought were important since my first day here. Now, FINALLY, the chance to share them with others! I got the tapes from the 50's and early 60's from those who were here before me. People at the station know I'm the 'archive' of WTVJ!

[blautens]

Great video, especially the WTVJ stuff. That's unbelievably valuable history, in my opinion. Thanks for all the effort.

[WeakApplause]

Incredible foresight. I bet in 1969 you'd have never imagined that one day there'd be something called YouTube you could share video with the whole world!

Actually, in 1999 I would have never imagined it!

You should be commended on your awesome foresight! I'm sure you were the only person thinking of saving this stuff!

[MediaWatchDawg]

@thecardsaysmoops I knew a woman at my local ABC affiliate who was known as the "archive." But never understood why since she was the front-desk receptionist.

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