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San Jose Mercury News, Calif., Charlie McCollum Column: Dan Rather, CBS News Part After 44 Years

Posted on: Wednesday, 21 June 2006, 09:00 CDT

By Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

Jun. 21--To the surprise of no one, CBS announced Tuesday that Dan Rather will be leaving the network after 44 years. Rather was the face of CBS News from 1981 (when he replaced Walter Cronkite) until he left the anchor job in March 2005.

Recently, Rather has made it clear that he felt under-utilized. As part of "60 Minutes," he contributed just eight stories in almost 18 months. At the same time, CBS executives made it clear -- usually off the record -- that there was no longer a place for the 74-year-old Rather at the network.

Rather had been a controversial figure in TV news. He was feisty, often testy in interviews and his on-air mannerisms. In his later years as anchor, he became a lightning rod for conservative criticism of network TV's alleged liberal bias. The attacks reached a high point when Rather was the reporter on an ill-prepared and ultimately discredited "60 Minutes II" report on President Bush's military record that aired just before the 2004 presidential elections.

Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports, said that "of all the famous names associated with CBS News, the biggest and brightest on the marquee are (Edward R.) Murrow, Cronkite and Rather."

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Copyright (c) 2006, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: San Jose Mercury News

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