Overlooked Excellence

There are only two reasons I bother to set my alarm clock: an early flight or CBS Sunday Morning. Since my local tv station carries this unfailingly informative program at revolving times (it can start anywhere from 6 AM to 7:30 AM) setting my alarm is a calculated guess. 

I am kind of a latecomer to this program. In the days when Charles Kuralt headed it, my friend Chris Utterback would often call afterwards to discuss something she’d seen on the show. Since turning on the television wasn’t part of my Sunday morning ritual, I relied on her to give me a recap.

Now that I’m a devotee, I wonder why it took me so long. Perhaps it’s because CBS never promotes it and assumes that fans will show up without any fanfare. 

What prompts me to interrupt my sleep is the consistently interesting stories they bring us. Last Sunday, they reran a piece with one of my heroes, Richard Branson. Then there was another about a business I’d not heard of called Catch a Piece of Maine, a unique enterprise started by a couple of passionate young lobstermen who were a study in innovative marketing and customer service. (You can read both of the pieces if you click on the link and scroll down to the August 31 show.)

Whether they’re featuring someone well-known or someone obscure, I always leave the show grateful to have learned something new or seen creative thinking in action. Sunday Morning is superbly produced and worth a look. Quite simply, it’s a lovely way to begin the day.