60 Minutes for a younger generation. That’s what West 57th was intended to be. It was named after the address of the CBS Broadcast Center in New York. The show was fast paced and visually flashy but had essentially the same format as 60 Minutes. The program had no main anchor; the correspondents (like Meredith Vieira and Steve Kroft) would introduce their own stories. Despite its popularity and profitability, West 57th faced a lot of internal criticism. Dan Rather was afraid it took away resources from the CBS Evening News and Don Hewitt saw it as a rival to 60 Minutes. The program was cancelled in 1989.
The theme is composed by Edd Kalehoff. It opens with electronic drums, which is rare for a news theme at that time. The screaming saxophone, which gives the show a gritty vibe, is played by legendary saxophonist David Sanborn.
Edd Kalehoff – West 57th
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