NPR Puts Spotlight On Savannah Guthrie’s Rise At MSNBC

by Meenal Vamburkar | 2:43 pm, July 20th, 2010

» 13 comments

While the Keith Olbermanns and Bill O’Reillys of the world continue to live under the media spotlight, NPR’s David Folkenflik takes a look at another TV-news journalist, who gets considerably less media attention: Savannah Guthrie. In profiling Guthrie, NPR not only reveals more about her, but also examines an overall shift in cable news.

NPR says Guthrie, who is one of NBC’s White House correspondents and co-host of MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown, has “emerged as a rising star”:

“I’m constantly blown away by her range,” says an admiring Steve Capus, president of NBC News. “She’s had a very quick rise within the organization [and] has absolutely earned respect every step of the way.”

But the story is less about Guthrie herself and more about how she is an exception within a larger shift in cable news. Guthrie’s reporting is an example of the straight, hard-news reporting J-schools preach, but is less often present on cable news shows:

On cable, many of the more successful personalities find themselves standing out by adopting a sharper tone. Guthrie says she harbors no such desire, though the cable network on which she appears daily has won its greatest ratings successes by doing just that.

“I know what everybody says,” Guthrie says, “but … we just do straight news, and no one has ever asked me to do anything other than that.”

Juxtaposed with Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly and her “noticeably sharp tone,” Guthrie seems even less sensationalist. Yet sensationalist and opinionated has become the norm — and, as NPR states, the line is often blurred:

[CBS News senior vice president Marcy McGinnis] says the top-rated opinion hosts blur the lines.

“The format looks like news,” says McGinnis, now associate dean of journalism at Stony Brook University. “You’ve got anchors. You’ve got people talking to reporters in the field. And I think viewers might be taken in by the fact that it looks so much like a news show.”

While NBC’s Steve Capus says the audience is smart enough to realize the difference between “shows with a lively political mix and those offering an ideological take,” he also makes it a point to say he is careful not to direct Guthrie on the latter path — “it would be a waste of her talent.”

Cable News, cbs, David Folkenflik, NBC, NPR, Savannah Guthrie

http://apostrophejones.com Apostrophe jones

Savannah is as cute as a bug . Chuck is just a bug .
Sue

First you can seriously put Bill vs. that moronic Olbermann…that is the worst sort of travesty. Second, what shift in cable? What station are you watching? The only station that is as fair and balanced as it get is Fox..like it or not. Say what you will, truth is truth! Kelly has a “sharp tone?”…are you kidding me? Try Joy Behar, Cathy Crowley or Cameron Brown….YOU KNOW, it is absolutely true that the Uberleft and leftists are blind, deaf and dumb…no other conclusion is possible.
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

Is this story a joke?
Bunny

Savannah was a correspondent for CourtTV for a while a few years ago. She did a really good job reporting fairly on the trials she covered. I always liked her. She comes across as a genuine and sincerely nice person.
writer

When Keith gets back, he’ll teach her to call people racist homophobes while gritting her teeth.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Phil-Bourekas/1538058627 Phil Bourekas

It’s hard to respect the “type of journalism taught at j-schools” on the same day we find out about jourrnalism professors attempting to manipulate news and opinion through the journolist site. This may or may not reflect on Savannah, but it isn’t an endorsement I warm to…
The Real Royal King

Guthrie is informed, articulate and pleasant. She may well be a rising story, one of those rarest of journalists these days, one who isn’t an advocacy journalists. I wish her the very best.
The Real Royal King

writer said:
When Keith gets back, he’ll teach her to call people racist homophobes while gritting her teeth.

Always so negative. Sigh!
Averreauxii

Sue said:
First you can seriously put Bill vs. that moronic Olbermann…that is the worst sort of travesty. Second, what shift in cable? What station are you watching? The only station that is as fair and balanced as it get is Fox..like it or not. Say what you will, truth is truth! Kelly has a “sharp tone?”…are you kidding me? Try Joy Behar, Cathy Crowley or Cameron Brown….YOU KNOW, it is absolutely true that the Uberleft and leftists are blind, deaf and dumb…no other conclusion is possible.

You are as dumb as they come. Joy Behar is a comedian by trade….not a journalist. Sure she provides social and political commentary, but that by trade is opinionated. CANDY Crowley is not partisan. Down the middle just like Wolf Blitzer. Gives everyone a fair shake. that’s what being objective is all about. I don’t watch a lot pf C. Brown but she’s moderate in comparison to Megyn Kelly. You’d have to be really dumb not to see the partisan “sharp” tone she possesses. Google the interview she had with K. Powers a week or so ago and compare it to the one Powers had with Bill O’Reilly today. Tell me she does not have a “sharp” ideological tone, Sue Stupid.
JimBob

She looks a “little” better than most of the Skanks working working or guesting at Mess! But still spewing the same ole lefty crap like the rest of them. That has got to be the ugliest group of women ever assembled in one workplace in one period of time in history!
jrcmi

gordumbblowoutsham: “Is this story a joke?”

No, YOU are . . . along with your “show.”

DimBob: “She looks a “little” better than most of the Skanks working working or guesting at Mess!”

I’m sure she she’ll breathe easier now that you’ve sort of given her an OK, looks-wise.

” . . . That has got to be the ugliest group of women ever assembled in one workplace in one period of time in history!”

Another shallow “neocon man,” judging appearance while ignoring substance.

Are you even AWARE of what a sexist creep you are? Is your wife – or, more likely, your blow-up doll?
JimBob

Very happyly divorced! Have been for some time. No need “yet” for the blow up.
I said she looked a “little” better than most of those Skanks over at MESS! But still nothing to write home about!
If they had a Beauty Contest for the best looking female commentator or guest appearing on MSNBC, I would bet it would come down to Ed and Tingles for Queen with Joan Walsh Miss Congeniality! KO Runnerup!
jimw1016

Averreauxii said:
You are as dumb as they come. Joy Behar is a comedian by trade….not a journalist. Sure she provides social and political commentary, but that by trade is opinionated. CANDY Crowley is not partisan. Down the middle just like Wolf Blitzer. Gives everyone a fair shake. that’s what being objective is all about. I don’t watch a lot pf C. Brown but she’s moderate in comparison to Megyn Kelly. You’d have to be really dumb not to see the partisan “sharp” tone she possesses. Google the interview she had with K. Powers a week or so ago and compare it to the one Powers had with Bill O’Reilly today. Tell me she does not have a “sharp” ideological tone, Sue Stupid.

You took the words right out of my mouth.