Retrieve top CBS News stories from their public RSS feed. Get current headlines in clean JSON for news monitoring or content aggregation.
Get CBS News top stories. Returns fresh CBS News top stories from its public RSS feed.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.17.5Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full disclosure burden. It usefully reveals that the data comes from a public RSS feed and is 'fresh,' implying a read-only, no-auth operation. However, it does not mention rate limits, pagination, or how many stories are returned, leaving some behavioral gaps.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is short and front-loaded with the action. It is slightly redundant, repeating 'CBS News top stories' in both sentences, but each sentence does add a new detail ('Get' vs. 'fresh ... public RSS feed').
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a zero-param tool with no output schema, the description gives the essential resource and source, but it does not clarify the return format or how this tool relates to the near-identically purposed cbsnews_headlines sibling. An agent may hesitate about which tool to invoke.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The tool has zero parameters, so the baseline is 4. There are no parameter semantics to explain, and the description correctly doesn't invent or imply any.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description uses a specific verb and resource ('Get CBS News top stories') and adds a concrete data source ('public RSS feed'), making the tool's action clear. However, it does not differentiate itself from the sibling tool cbsnews_headlines, which likely serves a similar top-stories purpose.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The usage context is implied: an agent can tell it should be used when CBS News top stories are requested. Yet it provides no explicit alternatives, exclusions, or guidance on when to choose cbsnews_headlines, cbsnews_sections, or cbsnews_article instead.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.