Journalist Review: Michelle Gielan, CBS News

I have come here to write regularly about the broad topics presented in the journalism field. I decided to start by reviewing the abilities and techniques of a network news anchor.

Lately, due to my schedule of night classes, I have been up late on a regular basis. At 2:37 every weekday morning, CBS begins airing its overnight news update, "Up to the Minute." The show, which runs for two and a half hours, recently hired a new anchor, Michelle Gielan. This is the first national newscasting job for the ex-FOX Chicago anchorwoman, but she clearly knows how to handle the pressure.

Gielan delivers top stories and lead-ins to reports, one right after another. As the broadcast is interspersed with many short commercial breaks, she must also regularly give teases for the next block as it heads to an ad break. It is a tough task to seamlessly transition between stories throughout long newscasts, but she does a nice job with this. She is always ready on cue when a report ends, as if she has a time sheet in her head.

In addition, news anchors must have their tones and inflections down, especially when beginning and ending stories. They should also speak in different tones depending on the nature of a report. On this, I find Gielan to be most effective. She performs well on lead-ins to stories from murder to sports scores. She paces herself appropriately and makes sure her viewers know when one story is ending and the next is beginning. She may be among the best in the business at opening and closing a story.

Appearance and personality are also key to one's watchability. The easier on the eyes, and the more personable, the more likely viewers will remain tuned in. Gielan is naturally a very nice-looking young lady. She usually dresses fairly conservatively in blue or white, something that blends in with her surroundings. She is always kept up well and changes little from day to day. Looking presentable, but still letting the news carry the show, is the best way to go, and Gielan does well here.

In terms of personality, Gielan comes off as warm and friendly, which is good for an overnight show. Despite not having a very commanding voice, such as a Tom Brokaw, she can connect to an audience. While not the most enthusiastic about every report, she still manages to show some legitimate human interest, especially when interviewing guests. She conveys some levels of emotion with each story. In this aspect, she does nicely, but can become great with more time.

Overall, as one can tell, I really enjoy getting a regular dose of news from Michelle Gielan. The former Up to the Minute anchor, Meg Oliver, did her job well, but I find Gielan to be an improvement. She carries herself well and is obviously talented at presenting the news of the day. A few more years' experience to polish and refine her skills may, hopefully, bring her to the dream job: replacing the floundering Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News.

Welcome

I am Brenton, an aspiring journalist and lifelong native of Tampa, Florida.

You can expect to read commentary on anything in the journalism world. I can review stories and those who report them, give ideas on how to change a few things, or even blast the worst of the worst.

So welcome everyone, and please enjoy the ride.