The man who will destroy CBS News

This week's New York Times Magazine cover story is about Les Moonves, the chairman of CBS. The profile is complementary, describing Moonves' prowess in television programming which has resulted in the network going from third to first place.

At least a few paragraphs in the piece should scare the socks off journalists, however. They describe Moonves' efforts to re-invent the CBS Evening News, including orders that CBS News President Andrew Heyward shoot alternative format pilots. Reportedly, the pilots have not impressed Moonves. According to the article, although Moonves likes Heyward, he reportedly said the news president may not be prepared to "lead a revolution." Moonves wants to blow up the newscast and start over, something Heyward cannot very well resist since he owes his job to Moonves. (Many critics thought Heyward should've taken the fall for "Memogate," but Moonves kept him on.)

According to the piece, Moonves thinks the new broadcast should be "somewhere in between" two "boring people behind a desk" and Naked News.

Former CBS News great Edward R. Murrow once noted that journalism and show business were incompatible. And he hadn't even met Mr. Moonves.