Welcome Back Dan Rather !

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Its an exciting day tomorrow for myself, Dan Rather and HDNet. At 8pm EST Dan Rather returns to TV with the premiere of Dan Rather Reports on HDNet . I can’t wait to see it. Like every one else, I will be watching it for the first time.

When Dan and I first met going on a year ago, we had no idea of we would hit it off. All i knew of Dan was what I saw on the CBS News and on 60 Minutes. I didnt have any preconcieved notions of what he would be like, I was curious to find out more. To say we hit it off during the first meeting would be an understatement. Beyond realizing that I was sitting with a man who had been in and around every major news event of the 2nd half ot the 20th century, Dan was a living encyclopedia of those events and more. It didn’t take me long to realize this man has forgotten more about history then I would ever know.

As we talked more, he quickly moved away from what he had done, to what he wanted to do. He wanted to do news. Not read a teleprompter. Not review and present stories others have written. He wanted to get out and do the work himself. What became clear to me was that this wasn’t a TV Icon looking for a last hurrrah. This is a man with the heart , spirit and energy of a 25 year old that was out to prove that doing news the old fashioned way wasn’t a bad thing. It was a good thing. It was a reason the movie Good NIght and Good Luck did so well we agreed. We absolutely were on the same page.

We agreed that news had devolved to segments of “find the missing blonde” or whatever story of the moment that in the past would have been tabloid fodder, but was now the center of attention for cable and network news.

We also agreed that the time was right to change all of that. To find the stories that people might care about, without regard to what ratings might be or what advertisers might be scared off. As Dan says “to let the work speak for itself”

For the past few months Dan has been all over the globe. Putting together a team. Researching stories. Interviewing. Doing News. Being a journalist.

I only know the topic Dan will be covering tomorrow night. I haven’t seen the show yet, and I haven’t asked to see the show. Im excited to watch it on HDNet just like everyone else.

Hopefully lots of you will watch it and let me know what you think.

If you dont get HDNet, you can get information here Or you can just call your cable or satellite provider and ask for it. All you need is an HDTV and a desire to experience what we hope will be a big step forward in news.

Oh , and 1 more thing. Its shot 100pct in 1080i, with enhanced audio, so not only will the content be great, it will be News like you have NEVER see it before.

Dan has been on a non stop roadshow talking to media around the country the last few days, and I wanted to read the results.

49 thoughts on “Welcome Back Dan Rather !”

  1. You can’t wait to see it? Dan Rather? The guy’s work is laughable. Even in Vietnam came off as a ham. And an insipid one at that. Then he graduated to reading cue cards, asking obvious questions on 60 Minutes, and feeling so bloated with self-importance that he once thought a confused cabbie was trying to kidnap him. Please spare us all by kindly requesting Mr. Rather to remain in oblivion. Like George Bush, he was only promoted by the network because of his looks. Thanks

    Comment by walter -

  2. was it ever proven that the story Dan Rather told on 60 minutes in September 2004 about Bush receiving special treatment with regard to his national guard service was based on forged documents. And does Dan Rather still believe that story to be true.

    Comment by danadams -

  3. I\’m senior on social security and I\’m an old I Like Ike
    republican that joined the Barack movement, I\’m white, disturbed by Rev.Wright comments and today\’s white people on online television. I sent you my message on national television for at least a half hour to everyone in prime time M-F. When you do that I\’ll hit the $ 25 donate button again.
    Help press experts and online commentators, Barack needs prime time Television especially when David Ploufe and his people pay for it. I\’m a senior donator and need your help!
    White people comments are killing him. We\’ve got several months for the truth and corrections like McCain\’s many declarations like in Israel where he had Sen. Lieberman to correct him. Obama might be wiped out on the speeches and time isn\’t on his side. Anderson Cooper went on an Obama plane ride and asked relevant questions you will ask. McCain was in front of the world, supposing to be presidential and blew it!! My message to Barak and David Ploufe who could have warned Barack not to say white people keep their memories and do not change. That is probably true and it isn\’t now black or white, its Obama time and the US recognizes CHANGE like the woman Eisenhower Republican did on Hardball.

    Barack, it\’s down to you and John McCain. Please leave Billary alone and now that McCain is killing you in the Middle East and you need to make the same Bush, his 3rd term Bush continued Iraq war. I realize Maher is controversial, but cut the words, show the sound bites, the miserable Republican economy that isn\’t changing soon. It\’ Brian Williams, Tim Russert time and you are fabulous on the tele with your judgment proof. I\’m watching you everyday and it took me months to find the communication momentum. I find that Mr. Russert, O\’Brien, favor no one, are completely objective and Meet the Press and other talk shows like yesterdays Anderson Cooper! You need an hour on prime time TV, either paid by you like paid programming or your nickel on prime time. The campaign changes daily so I\’ve donated several times and millions are doing the same thing. It\’s time to reassure these fabulous Americans. McCain rallied Parsley who has as bad of US hate as Rev Wright. At least you are a believer as I am and back to your messages on national security and what the IRAQ horror story and Islam Muslims are doing throughout the world.
    There are one billion of them in the world and no one\’s changing the Quran, their terror, dictators any time soon. It takes about 70 seconds on Goggle to figure this out. The press will reveal Hillary\’s white house and travel experiences. The news moguls will fry her like Rev Wright. It\’s time for America to hear from you.
    I\’m a senior past I like Ike and it\’s your time for hope. Chris Matthews is killing you today.
    Even old people like me care, no taxes on our social security and health Care and now maximum inflation is starting. Back to MSNBC soon my favorite Brian Williams and Hardball whom I\’ll copy this. Cheers, JB

    http://www.youe.com/watchv=vkyxwOBm5t0

    Comment by Jerry Beatty -

  4. Rather and his commentators were most interesting on election night. The low key intelligent talk was a relief from all of the insufferable glitz of the others. A few of us do watch.. so keep iit up.,..
    andrew Stern
    Prof. emeritus, Grad School of Journalism, UC Berkeley

    Comment by andrew stern -

  5. dan rather is here to say, whether people like it or not.

    Comment by gakyi -

  6. Dan Rather should go away and stay there. He took CBS from number one to number three, was a nasty, ugly bully, and ruined the careers of many network brights….even showing Walter Cronkite the door. How anyone could support this creep is beyond me.

    Found this site late but posting anyway.

    Comment by Dona Felipa -

  7. Dan Rather should go away and stay there. He took CBS from number one to number three, was a nasty, ugly bully, and ruined the careers of many network brights….even showing Walter Cronkite the door. How anyone could support this creep is beyond me.

    Found this site late but posting anyway.

    Comment by Dona Felipa -

  8. Oh please. Dan Rather ruined many careers and lives at CBS. He promoted only those who kept their noses firmly planted up his you-know-what. He practiced the same double-standards and power plays he know claims to abhor. I\’ve a million stories about this man\’s vileness. Just looking for a place to post them. Let\’s see if you have Rather\’s self-serving \”fearlessness\” to post this. Doubt that this will be a big enough forum for Rather\’s endless ego.

    Comment by Dona Felipa -

  9. http://www.moobel.org/moobel.php

    Comment by Angela -

  10. Dan must be editing this blog . Both of my comments where removed.

    Comment by Don -

  11. Would it be possible to archive episodes (after a reasonable delay) of Dan Rather presents for the public record – for those of us who either do not have access via a local provider or do not have HDTVs? (I fall under both categories.)

    Comment by Brian Boyko -

  12. Hey Mark …good move with Rather … he has a lot more to contribute to this planet.. he will bring you good luck… I am da big cat …

    Comment by tiger vidmar -

  13. Yes, because conspiracy theories about discrediting the GREAT DAN RATHER are more likely than Nixon-era liberals attempting a modern witch hunt to influence an election.

    Yes, and every election Republicans won was rigged by evil imperialist fascists, except this one. Grow up.

    You know what? I don’t even mind Dan Rather. He made a mistake, let’s get over it, everyone deserves a second chance. Esp. when he’s willing to get his hands dirty and do the real work again.

    But… if you don’t want to be duped again, just remember that liberal journalists on every network have a blind bigotry against religous folks who dare run for office. Don’t state your views on abortion, stem cell research and gay marriage, unless you agree with the pretty talking heads on TV.

    Obviously anyone who isn’t liberal is unintelligent, uneducated bigots who duck responsibility and steal as much money as possible, who can only gain power by cheating at elections. Esp. born-again christian politician Bush. He didn’t earn his money like the carpet-bagger Clintons on Walmart’s board. He didn’t use his power wisely like Clinton with his interns. He didn’t try to help his wife by piggybacking her political ambition to try to get a 3rd and 4th term as President. No, we just hate Bush because he isn’t smart and Iraq was a mistake, which anyone intelligent knew (like Clinton and Kerry who voted against Iraq after they voted for Iraq).

    It’s not because the new media are bigoted or anything. It’s not because they think religous people are idiots no matter how much education they have.

    What is the antithesis of journalism more than these comments like “yes, the evidence was wrong, but it was faked or a conspiracy.”? Really, if that’s the rational, educated, open-minded liberals that the Democrats are producing at our public high schools and colleges, I like Conservative Democrats’ and Republicans’ chances to run the country in 2008 and beyond.

    Comment by solomonrex -

  14. I liked the first show. I’m hoping that he gets to do some of the more covert issues such as the Monsanto rGBH and General Electric PCB’s that often get ignored or covered up by major media’s parent companies.

    Comment by Keith -

  15. Did anybody see the first episode of Dan Rather’s new show? I thouht it was so horribly and nauseatingly biased, I had to cut it off before it got any worse. It’s really pathetic to see someone so desperate to put forward these feeble attempts to attack the Republican party & Bush. Dan doesn’t know when to stay away. I emailed Mark Cuban my opinions and his was response was:

    ” Well out of hundreds of emails, yours is the ONLY 1 that said it was biased.

    I watched it. It wasnt biased.

    Thanks for watching HDNet

    m

    DID anybody else see this, I’d like to help Mark see that I am NOT the only one not buying Dan’s groveling attempts to lash out at the Republicans. Pathetic.

    Comment by Chris Kelly -

  16. So I’ve never been a big fan of Dan Rather. Or watching “the news”. (Or, truth be told, basketball.) But I read your blog daily, I love what you’re doing with HDnet, and I am intrigued by the idea of Rather rolling up his sleeves and getting his feet dusty again with a small crew.

    So I tuned in last night. And I loved it. I thought that Rather showed his biases a few times but it was never major and he allowed the interviewee to say their piece in response. I thought it was a very balanced, well-rounded show.

    And it looked beautiful in HD.

    Comment by Dan Guy -

  17. This is Shee Bee Esch news!

    Comment by bah -

  18. I’ve been thinking about getting HDNet, maybe this is a sign.

    Comment by gigabull -

  19. How do you respond to what Donald Trump said about you on the “Big Idea”, calling you out fake and that the Dan Rather hiring was a “match made in heaven.?” Personally, I think the hiring of Dan Rather for HDnet is a brilliant move.

    Comment by Teddy Suh -

  20. I agree. I’d like to see Dan do a full-length feature story on what it’s like to forge documents, rush a story to air, and then try to cover it up afterwards and claim it wasn’t his fault.

    Comment by basketball drills -

  21. Please Dan, no investigating news. Just who did what to whom, when, where and why. I’ll do the interpreting.

    Comment by Earl Flanagan -

  22. This sounds great, but it’s not something i would subscribe for… Buy some new episodes of Arrested Development!!! I’d be there in a second…

    Comment by ben -

  23. “… Tighter than Springsteen’s headband.”

    Glad Dan didn’t forget the hokey shiz. Can’t wait to see him chain himself to a hurricane-ravaged street sign at 1080i.

    Comment by Scott -

  24. I’m very curious to see how this endeavor unfolds. As a former journalist, I have great respect for its ideals and left the business partly because everyone was dumbing down their stories. I’m afraid the ratings for this show will not be very good and your likelihood of profits slim. I know you discussed all these things with Mr. Rather – would you mind telling us a little more about your business strategy for this show?

    Comment by Jason Graham -

  25. I have Time Warner in Dallas and they do not offer HDNet, not even in their HD package. So not cool.

    Comment by Erica -

  26. Like everyone else, I’m excited for this, and I also don’t have HDnet. I think I respect Dan Rather more than most journalists out there, and definitely more than any other “mainstream” journalist. Hopefully you’ll offer his reporting online, or I’ll just have to watch it on Youtube like everyone else. The question becomes: can Dan Rather compete with silly, low-quality videos involving midgets, crisco, and a trampoline?

    Comment by anton -

  27. I have Time Warner in Kansas City and get HDNET standard with the HD package.

    Comment by yakko -

  28. Amen Yakko! Isn’t that the truth!

    Comment by Erica -

  29. if Dan Rather reporting from forged documents is career ending, then Bush starting a war from forged documents (yellow cake anyone?) should be too.

    I’m looking forward to this newscast, I’m curious to see what happens when there are no commercial advertisers to please, not even PBS sponsors.

    Comment by yakko -

  30. Mark,
    I have Time Warner,formerly Comcast(thanks for asking Time Warner) and they do not offer HDNet. Jerks! Anyway, I would like to see Mr. Rather on-line as well. Here’s an idea why not allow us to go to HDNet online and watch Dan there? What do you think? I like Dan Rather allot and I met him back in 1998/99(?) when he was being honored at a fundraiser in Los Angeles. He is a great reporter and it would be great to have the chance to see him in action again.

    Comment by Erica -

  31. Mark, as I’m sure you have heard this before, but Cablevision in NJ does not offer HDNet. Not sure when it will, but you should use whatever influence you have in the media industry and move the process along. I’ve been dieing to get HDNet. But as a consumer, I can only do so much. My frequent requests to Cablevision customer service is always faced with a shrug of the shoulders as to when they will offer HDNet.

    Regards

    Comment by Adrian Miller -

  32. Always enjoy your blogs, Mark. However, I wouldn’t cross the street to see Dan Rather competing in a hog calling contest. What he and his producer did on CBS News regarding Bush was a much needed career-ending event.

    Comment by Bob Arnold -

  33. Mark – any way HDNet will be making this available online somehow so people like me who have no choice in our cable service other than Comcast can watch?

    Comment by arsalan arif -

  34. Great article on Rather’s return and his comments on the bias of corporate news organizations:

    http://entertainment.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=241488&affid=100055&vv=410

    Comment by James Kressly -

  35. I’m not a big Rather fan, but I applaud your support of him with a venue as well as a sizeable research and production staff. A man with Rather’s stature could have gone to many media outlets including PBS and any of the cable news channels. The fact that he chose your network is a tribute to the free-market innovation that you’ve demonstrated on your channels. I’ll be watching.

    Comment by James Kressly -

  36. I guess I expected Rather to be more of a David Stern guy than a Cuban guy.

    Comment by CaptiousNut -

  37. We also agreed that the time was right to change all of that. To find the stories that people might care about, without regard to what ratings might be or what advertisers might be scared off. As Dan says “to let the work speak for itself”

    Amen.

    Comment by JM -

  38. “To find the stories that people might care about, without regard to what ratings might be or what advertisers might be scared off.”

    The New Hour – PBS

    “…even though the “proof” was (badly) forged”

    I still say the doc was a plant by the Rove team or similar right-wing group. I’d like to see a story about where it came from (if one came out I missed it, here in India). Either way, Rather should known “if it seems to good to be true…”

    Still, betcha he does awesome work on HDNet.

    Comment by Dempsey -

  39. Sadly, living where I do in Miami, Comcast does not offer HDNet despite repeated requests by a number of their customers. And, I live in a brand new high rise that was not pre-wired for satellite. So there will be no Dan Rather Reports for me.

    Hopefully, you will consider providing the program for download. Podcast, YouTube, iTunes… whatever.

    I have nothing but respect for Dan Rather. Dan and Ed Bradley have always been two of my favorites. I will surely miss Ed’s stories on 60 minutes and would hate to not have the opportunity to continue to see Dan’s. I consider him to be one of the finest journalists of our time.

    PS. Yes, those documents regarding Bush’s service record were fakes but I have little doubt that the information they contained were probably factually correct. ’nuff said

    Comment by zOOm -

  40. @John

    No kidding! Didn’t Dan just make some comment the other week about how his story was correct and he stood by it, even though the “proof” was (badly) forged. I don’t even like Bush – but there are so many legitimate criticisms of him it’s foolish to make some up.

    Sorry Mark, this guy jumped the shark – you bought yourself a bitter old has-been who has zero credibility with anyone whose IQ is higher than their shoe size.

    Comment by ErikTheRed -

  41. I wish I could see this too. Dan is the man, kind of like Mark 😉 I always look forward to Dan Rather’s reports.

    Comment by Patrick -

  42. I’d be really interested to see Dan do a long feature on forging documents.

    Comment by John Davidson -

  43. That’s your attempt at being new and cutting edge? Hiring and old, ornery, discredited wannabe journalist? Well done. This makes the decision to change to a new basketball appear brilliant by comparison…

    Comment by Tom Brokaw -

  44. I sure wish I could see this. Dan is the man. Our DirectTV should be flowing in full force in December at the new house so I’ll be able to catch these regularly. Thanks, Mark!

    Comment by keithparnell.com -

  45. Mark, why not stream/ post an online. lower quality version of the HDNet newcasts? Seems that approach would be right in line with how you operate.

    Comment by Michael -

  46. I’m looking forward to seeing this – not just because I like Dan Rather – I want to finally see what my HDTV setup is capable of for “every day TV”. I’m sure with Dan’s passion is will be entertaining and informative.

    Rob

    Comment by Rob La Gesse -

  47. Looks like a normal retiree. You just can’t stay away too long. I think I’ll be like that too. When I’m done I’ll want to work or do something else. I can’t just quit.

    Comment by Browie.com -

  48. Sounds great. Any chance you will be posting HDNet content on the Internet in the near future? Unfortunately, I’m in NJ and my evil cable provider who-shall-not-be-named (Comcast) has decided not to offer your programming.

    Comment by Mike -

  49. Glad to see one my (and my parents, incidentally) favorite news people getting back to business. I remember watching 60 minutes religiously with my dad when I was a kid, funny the stuff that you bond over…

    Welcome back to TV, Dan…and thanks for helping make it happen Mark.

    Comment by Worth Wollpert -

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