I have never understood the reason for local Chicago newscasts to feature dual anchors. It's almost always a male and female. Does research from long ago dictate this?
The national newscasts of ABC News, NBC News and CBS News have traditionally featured one anchor.
There was an exception when Connie Chung co-anchored the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather. She eventually was fired, and Rather continued anchoring solo. Word inside CBS at the time was Rather was unhappy with Chung.
I have been an ABC News viewer since the beginning of World News Tonight which was anchored by three men. Frank Reynolds in Washington, Max Robinson from Chicago and Peter Jennings in London which began in 1978.
In 1983, Peter Jennings was named the solo anchor of World News Tonight up until 2005, when Peter passed away from lung cancer.
Katie Couric gave solo anchoring a try at CBS News. This lasted for five years when she decided to move on.
I never really gave it much thought either why local stations have 2 anchors at the desk, regardless if it's ABC 7, NBC 5, CBS 2, WGN 9 & FOX 32, the local news shops in this market. I think there are dual anchors in other local markets across America as well as on 24/7 news channels such as CNN & FOX News Channel nationally.
I know on weekend nights, there are solo anchors locally at the desk as well as nationally. I don't know if the business of news figures into the equation why there's 1 anchor on NBC 5, CBS 2 & FOX 32 on Saturday nights, considered to be a TV graveyard and a night when many people go out.
I don't know if local news shops want to pay 2 anchors on Saturday & Sunday nights as compared to the rest of the week. Just a guess on my part.
on July 2, 2024, 1:17 pm