Rather: Mark Cuban Is a Modern-Day Paley

Did Dan Rather just predict the death of CBS News?

It sure sounded that way last night at a National Press Club discussion on the future of journalism, where the former CBS Evening News anchor fielded a question from moderator about whether the decline of network news was "inevitable."

"I do see a decline. I'm not sure it's inevitable," said Rather. He continued:

I think the question at the moment is whether the commitment of the ownership of the large networks -- a lot depends on their commitment as to how far it declines and how quickly it declines. As a personal comment, I would not be surprised -- I'm not predicting it, but I would not be surprised to see one or more of the major over-the-airways networks do away with evening news as we know it. Having said that I believe someone, at least some one, will stay in that business.

Rather didn't specify his old network as the one most likely to be done away with first, but at a relatively distant No. 3 in the ratings it's the obvious candidate, and the speculation has already started.

Later, Rather, who now works for HDNet, suggested that the cable channel's owner, Mark Cuban, will prove to be a savior of independent journalism.

"So much depends on whether, at the very top, particularly the ownership goes back to at least some semblance of seeing news as a public trust and has some commitment to making sure that news is practiced in the public interest," said Rather.

"[Cuban] hasn't said this to me but I think it's clear that he seeks to be in the mode of [former CBS owner] William S. Paley."

He cited the Sulzberger family, which controls The New York Times Co., as another such patron. "I think part of the solution will be people such as the Sulzbergers and the Marc Cubans of the world who say 'I believe in quality journalism as part of the red, beating part of democracy, and I want to help it.'"

Also on the panel with Rather were New York Times assistant managing editor Jill Abramson, Associated Press chief Tom Curley and journalism professor Jay Rosen. There were some significant hitches in the program, starting with an introductory video that saluted Judith Miller as a First Amendment champion and poked fun at Robert Novak's age -- not such a funny joke these days.

Later, during the Q&A session, conspiracy theorists briefly hijacked the microphone to demand of Rather and Abramson why they downplay the claims of the 9/11 Truth movement and reports about the activities of the so-called Bilderberg Group.

"I applaud the spirit in which you asked that question," Rather told the student who posed the 9/11 question, "and I applaud the gentlemanly way you're asking it." But he declined to comment much beyond that. Afterwards, both activists tried to buttonhole Rather as he made his way toward the exit; he escaped only when an event worker hustled him into an elevator and blocked others from boarding.

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