As if CBS News doesn't have enough problems with its nightly newscast. 
Now the news is out, via Hollywood Reporter and Reuters, that $15 million wonder woman Katie Couric delivered a commentary, read in the first person, that was written by someone else and turned out to be largely lifted from The Wall Street Journal.
The newscast in question aired April 4, but CBS didn't acknowledge a problem until after a blogger caught it. Actually, the Wall Street Journal caught the "error" right away and complained to CBS, which fired the producer who wrote the piece for Couric. CBS also removed it from its website right away.
But CBS didn't publicly comment until it was reported by RegrettheError.com.
Here's the problem I have with this... although the text for the 60-second commentary was written in the first person and led off with Couric using the phrase "I still remember when I got my first library card," Couric did not write the piece herself. Obviously, she didn't realize that much of it was plagiarized.
I don't expect the network anchors to write every piece of news copy themselves. That what they have reporters and producers for. Most of us realize they are often little more than news readers.
But a commentary - especially one recalling a supposedly personal memory - should be written by the person delivering it. Sure, have an assistant or a researcher dig up background, if needed. Run it past a colleague or an editor to be sure it flows. But damn -- for $15 million, write it yourself!
The Tiffany Network used to be known and respected for its newscasts. Think of the legendary journalists who worked for CBS -- Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Charles Kuralt, to name just a few.
Not only has CBS News slipped to a solid #3 in the ratings, but its journalistic integrity seems to be slipping as well.
It's a shame.