Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2004 19:29:15 GMT -5
As 2004 draws to a close, and we begin to look back on the year, I am awstruck by the realization we are truly in the midst of a season of change. I see is personally, as this year has brought the end of a painful reality in leaving the westside of Jacksonville, and start of a dream 18 months in the making, moving to and now living in Orlando. I am currently in the midst of the next big personal season of change, due to occur in late March, my wife is expecting our first child, a son we will name Austin Ryan. My attitude on life has changed for the better, and now that we are "home", I am going to go back to school, finally focused on what I want to major in, Accounting, and minor in Political Science.
However, not only have I experienced personal change; but we collectively as countdown listeners, music lovers, and American media followers have experienced change as well. In January, Casey Kasem stepped down as host of his pop radio countdown in favor of Ryan Seacrest. Also in January, Rick Dees was forced out of KIIS after more than 20 years of doing morning radio there also in favor of Mr. Seacrest. It now appears Dees will be leaving CC/Premiere in January completely, and whatever change is in store for us the listeners is yet to be seen if really any at all. On the countdown/ radio side we have seen the winds of change blow and blow pretty hard.
Then there's the media side of things, last night Tom Brokaw signed off of NBC's "Nightly News" broadcast for the final time and passed the baton to Brian Williams, who in my opinion did a very good job tonight. In March, it has been announced that Dan Rather is leaving the CBS "Evening News" after more than 24 years at the anchor desk. No successor has yet been named for his replacement. These moves leave only longtime ABC newsman Peter Jennings as the only anchor from the old guard.
Whether you watch the broadcast national news or not, you will have to agree that Jennings, and the two outgoing anchormen are the faces of their network. When you think of ABC, you think of Jennings, NBC-Brokaw, and Rather-CBS.
The 5 men of the old guard in which I have mentioned are synonomous with their time, with their craft, and with my generation. Their faces etched in our minds as we flip past the various channels they are seen or heard on. But their time is rapidly coming to an end. This next generation of hosts are very talented and worthy of their positions, and like their predecessors when they took over, have some very big shoes to fill from the previous era. I hope when the next ear of change occurs, that this group of hosts is remembered as fondly to my son and his generation, as the outgoing ones are to us.
However, not only have I experienced personal change; but we collectively as countdown listeners, music lovers, and American media followers have experienced change as well. In January, Casey Kasem stepped down as host of his pop radio countdown in favor of Ryan Seacrest. Also in January, Rick Dees was forced out of KIIS after more than 20 years of doing morning radio there also in favor of Mr. Seacrest. It now appears Dees will be leaving CC/Premiere in January completely, and whatever change is in store for us the listeners is yet to be seen if really any at all. On the countdown/ radio side we have seen the winds of change blow and blow pretty hard.
Then there's the media side of things, last night Tom Brokaw signed off of NBC's "Nightly News" broadcast for the final time and passed the baton to Brian Williams, who in my opinion did a very good job tonight. In March, it has been announced that Dan Rather is leaving the CBS "Evening News" after more than 24 years at the anchor desk. No successor has yet been named for his replacement. These moves leave only longtime ABC newsman Peter Jennings as the only anchor from the old guard.
Whether you watch the broadcast national news or not, you will have to agree that Jennings, and the two outgoing anchormen are the faces of their network. When you think of ABC, you think of Jennings, NBC-Brokaw, and Rather-CBS.
The 5 men of the old guard in which I have mentioned are synonomous with their time, with their craft, and with my generation. Their faces etched in our minds as we flip past the various channels they are seen or heard on. But their time is rapidly coming to an end. This next generation of hosts are very talented and worthy of their positions, and like their predecessors when they took over, have some very big shoes to fill from the previous era. I hope when the next ear of change occurs, that this group of hosts is remembered as fondly to my son and his generation, as the outgoing ones are to us.