CBS News president Sean McManus and executive vice-president Paul Friedman earlier this year discussed buying out the remainder of Katie Couric's contract to anchor the evening news, reports Gabriel Sherman at New York Magazine's Daily Intel blog.

Still, while no decisions have been reached, the discussions seem to signal that the experiment of making Couric an evening anchorwoman "was a failure in terms of reinvigorating the TV news business," Sherman writes. Couric's $15 million annual contract isn't up until June 2011, the article notes.

But Couric is also considering options, remaining open to staying at CBS as well as moving to different networks, the story says. Her spokesman said, "Katie is enjoying her job and is focused on her work. And we'll leave the speculation to everyone else.” She might even end up returning to NBC: NBC CEO Jeff Zucker has told her agent that the network would welcome her return when she's free to move, the story says.

It's possible whatever her next move would be that she'll look for creating a larger media brand for herself, possibly creating a production company, the article adds.


http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwire/

...even if she wanted to, WHY would Katie return to NBC? She's anchoring "THE CBS EVENING NEWS", conducts as many interviews as she wants to on "60 MINUTES", and could even revive "PERSON TO PERSON" if given the opportunity. Isn't she happy being on CBS?

...or could it be the money? Martin Bashir just "jumped ship" at ABC, after six years of being the "third wheel" on "NIGHTLINE", for a more lucrative MSNBC contract guaranteeing him a daily afternoon show, and "feature interviews" on NBC's "DATELINE" as well [his tie received a separate deal, and will fill in for him whenever he's unable to appear].

...or perhaps the "daily grind" of preparing and delivering a nightly network newscast has finally caught up with Katie. Who knows? Next year will reveal all!


:tv:

Why, why, WHY is Jeff Zucker still CEO at NBC? And they wonder why the network is in 4th place. I can see why they'd think Katie would boost their ratings, but why would SHE want to go back? :confused: