CBS Looks Past Rather To Hipper News Team

Les Moonves said yesterday that he wants CBS's evening newscast to be "cutting edge." (John Paul Filo -- CBS via AP)

"Do you feel that you have to do something really big to get people's attention?" asked another critic after hearing this news.

"I think we have to do something really different to get people's attention," Moonves said. "There's good news about being in third place . . . we can try stuff, we can take risks. We've got a great opportunity here, we can try something different and perhaps we'll be on the cutting edge."

When his Q&A session was over, critics rushed Moonves; they wanted to hear more:

"Walter Cronkite was the most trusted name in America. Those days are over where you have that guy sitting behind the desk whom everybody believes in to the nth degree," Moonves said during the gaggle that followed.

He reiterated that CBS hadn't ruled out the single-anchor format but it would "have to be a pretty special person." Asked if Katie Couric, whose name is among those being tossed around as a possible Rather successor, was a very special person, Moonves declined to comment.

He'd also declined to comment during the formal Q&A when asked about Stewart, whose "The Daily Show" runs on Comedy Central, which, like CBS, is owned by Viacom.

"Jon Stewart is a part of our company; we speak to him regularly about all sorts of different things," Moonves said coyly when asked about the Stewart rumor.

In fairness, critics did get in a few good licks re Heyward.

Moonves's responses, in order:

"I already have gone on the record with my supportive answer."

"If you read the report, at every step of the way, Andrew asked the right questions, he demanded the right answers; he didn't get them. I think he was let down by his people."

"I have total confidence in Andrew and his ability to reshape CBS News."

And finally, our favorite:

"So, there's no questions about 'Listen Up' out there, huh?"