Huntley-Brinkley's golden anniversary

On Oct. 29, 1956, the Huntley-Brinkley Report debuted on NBC. It was all of 15 minutes long. I can't remember that night, but I remember in later years when my parents would stop what they were doing, when they could, to watch the evening news delivered by that duo. Now, my family can barely tell you the evening network news is one.

I don't blame that on a different lifestyle or the proliferation of cable channels. I blame it on the fact that network news is irrelevant. Most of what it reports is not relevant to me. Add to that the fact that I don't care how they frame issues, and I have no desire to watch Brian, Katie or whoever is doing ABC's evening news these days.

For me, the morning news shows are more likely to have my interest, but the evening news means little or nothing to me.

But the golden anniversary of the Huntley-Brinkley Report should be marked as a warning of what the news once was and what it has become.