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CBS Reports

News and Documentary

About This Show

From Wikipedia:

CBS Reports is the umbrella title used for documentaries by CBS News which aired starting in 1959 through the 1990s. The series sometimes aired as a wheel series rotating with 60 Minutes (or other similar CBS News series), as a series of its own or as specials. The program aired as a constant series from 1959 to 1971. Notable episodes include "Harvest of Shame", a Peabody Award-winning examination of migrant workers in the United States, and "CBS Reports: The Homosexuals", the first time homosexuality was presented on a national network broadcast. "The Homosexuals" has been heavily criticized for promoting a negative view of gay Americans.

The "CBS Reports" banner was brought back into use in 2009, with the series "CBS Reports: Children of the Recession." Instead of being a stand-alone documentary, the new incarnation consisted of reports across all CBS News platforms. Katie Couric led coverage. The series of reports won the a Columbia School of Journalism Alfred DuPont Award.

In January 2010, a second Couric-led series aired, "CBS Reports: Where America Stands."

A portion of the traditional American religious song Simple Gifts (specifically, in the early years of the series, as adapted by American classical composer Aaron Copland for his ballet Appalachian Spring) is used as the CBS Reports theme music.

CBS Reports premiered on October 27, 1959. It was intended to be a successor to Edward R. Murrow's influential See It Now, which had ended 15 months prior, and employed several members of the See It Now production staff. For the remainder of 1959 and through 1960, CBS Reports was broadcast on an irregular basis as a series of specials.

The network gave CBS Reports a regular primetime slot in January 1961, at 10 p.m. (EST) on Thursdays. That placed it against two "tremendously popular" established shows, The Untouchables on ABC and Sing Along With Mitch on NBC. Consequently, CBS Reports was pre-empted by a high number of CBS affiliates that aired local programming in its timeslot.

When the networks announced their Fall 1962 schedules, Sing Along With Mitch and The Untouchables had been moved from the Thursday 10 p.m. timeslot. However, CBS also decided to move CBS Reports to Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. (EST), explaining that "the earlier hour will permit more young people to watch the program." But that move again put the program up against two "consistent rating leaders," The Virginian on NBC and Wagon Train on ABC.

CBS Reports continued to lead the network's Wednesday primetime line-up until Fall 1965, when the network placed Lost In Space in the 7:30 p.m. Wednesday timeslot and moved CBS Reports to Tuesday at 10 p.m., opposite The Fugitive on ABC and NBC's Tuesday Night at the Movies.

Who Talked About This Show

  • Mili Lerner Bonsignori
  • Ed Bradley
  • Dan Rather
  • Marlene Sanders
  • Frank Stanton
  • Robert Trout
  • Av Westin
  • Perry Wolff

Featured Content

Watch: Watch an excerpt on 60 Minutes from Ed Bradley's report on "The Boat People"-- a 1979 CBS Reports documentary:

Video: Watch the Edward R. Murrow/Fred W. Friendly documentary CBS Reports: "Harvest of Shame" (airdate: 11/25/60):

Resources

Links:

IMDb page for CBS Reports

Wikipedia page for CBS Reports

YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
  • Highlights
  • All Interviewee clips on this show

Highlights

  • Ed Bradley on what was among the first stories for <i>CBS Reports</i>: the Vietnam refugees known as "boat people"Ed Bradley on what was among the first stories for CBS Reports: the Vietnam refugees known as "boat people"
    Clip begins at: 16:20, Duration: 01m 15s
  • Mili Lerner Bonsignori on memorable episodes of <i>CBS Reports</i>Mili Lerner Bonsignori on memorable episodes of CBS Reports
    Clip begins at: 06:52, Duration: 05m 08s
  • Perry Wolff on being hired to executive produce <i>CBS Reports</i> and choosing stories for that showPerry Wolff on being hired to executive produce CBS Reports and choosing stories for that show
    Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 05m 01s
  • Robert Trout on <i>CBS Reports</i>Robert Trout on CBS Reports
    Clip begins at: 15:44, Duration: 03m 47s
  • Dan Rather on <i>CBS Reports</i>Dan Rather on CBS Reports
    Clip begins at: 00:30, Duration: 09m 08s

All Interviewee clips on this show

  • Mili Lerner Bonsignori
    • Mili Lerner Bonsignori on editing "Hunger in America" for CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 07:01, Duration: 00m 52s
    • Mili Lerner Bonsignori on trying to hire women on CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 13:55, Duration: 01m 05s
    • Mili Lerner Bonsignori on being asked to edit CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 00:21, Duration: 00m 31s
    • Mili Lerner Bonsignori on the content and format of CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 03:48, Duration: 03m 04s
    • Mili Lerner Bonsignori on memorable episodes of CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 06:52, Duration: 05m 08s
  • Ed Bradley
    • Ed Bradley on becoming the host for CBS Reports, and his first brush with 60 Minutes
      Clip begins at: 14:21, Duration: 01m 26s
    • Ed Bradley on what was among the first stories for CBS Reports: the Vietnam refugees known as "boat people"
      Clip begins at: 16:20, Duration: 01m 15s
    • Ed Bradley on recognizing the reach of 60 Minutes after Don Hewitt excerpted a segment from CBS Reports and adapted it for 60 Minutes
      Clip begins at: 03:27, Duration: 02m 32s
  • Dan Rather
    • Dan Rather on CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 00:30, Duration: 09m 08s
  • Marlene Sanders
    • Marlene Sanders on her work at CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 27:15, Duration: 00m 46s
  • Robert Trout
    • Robert Trout on CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 15:44, Duration: 03m 47s
  • Av Westin
    • Av Westin on producing CBS Reports and other documentaries for CBS News
      Clip begins at: 46:42, Duration: 03m 09s
  • Perry Wolff
    • Perry Wolff on being hired to executive produce CBS Reports and choosing stories for that show
      Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 05m 01s
    • Perry Wolff on executive producing "The Selling of the Pentagon" for CBS Reports
      Clip begins at: 05:01, Duration: 10m 33s
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From the Collection

  • CBS Reports: Selling of the Pentagon FTC

    "THE SELLING OF THE PENTAGON" was a controversial CBS Reports documentary that reported on the Pentagon's public relations programs. Click here to watch Archive interviewees discussing this landmark program.

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