CBS News thought Afghanistan report was important, Americans didn't care

We complain about the lack of coverage on Afghanistan and Iraq yet when they do a fine job Americans just don't seem to care. We cannot use the excuse we all have our own problems. During WWII everyone had problems but paid as much attention as they could. It seemed as if everyone knew someone serving. During the Korean War, people still cared enough to find out what was going on. Vietnam was brought into our living rooms everyday. The Gulf War was covered. The invasion of Afghanistan and the first year was covered but then all the talk and coverage was about Iraq. That too faded from the news.

We didn't really know what happened to them when they came home and took off their uniforms. We were not reminded about the troops being sent back over and over again and we were not reminded that many of them were still fighting what the war did to them. Today most don't know how many are in Iraq or Afghanistan, how many died, how many were wounded or how many ended up taking their own lives.

The ratings for the CBS news coverage is about as depressing as it gets when the people of this country are detached from the men and women risking their lives for this country. We should be ashamed that Americans just don't seem to care anymore.

CBS' Afghanistan trip unrewarded, a ratings downer
(AP)

NEW YORK — Television news divisions may be thinking twice about ambitious travel plans.

That was the ominous message delivered to the "CBS Evening News" last week. The Nielsen Co. said Katie Couric's broadcast reached just under 5 million viewers, a low point for evening newscasts for at least two decades and probably much longer.

The week's centerpiece was a two-day trip to Afghanistan, where some striking work was done by Couric and reporter Terry McCarthy. Each of those telecasts had fewer than 4.7 million viewers.

Executive Producer Rick Kaplan says the low ratings aren't a surprise. He says he makes no apologies for the trip.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

NEW YORK (AP) — Katie Couric and the "CBS Evening News" team did some striking work during a two-day trip to Afghanistan last week, only to see some record-setting low ratings in return.

The Nielsen Co. ratings have to be discouraging to news organizations contemplating expensive assignments in a tough economy. The broadcast's executive producer, Rick Kaplan, said he made "no apologies" for traveling to the war zone because of the importance of the story.
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CBS Afghanistan trip unrewarded