While Katie Couric's June exit from the anchor chair of CBS Evening News after five years appears a foregone conclusion, a departure from CBS News is far from that. With CBS aggressively pursuing Couric for a daytime talk show, if she chooses to go with CBS TV Distribution, she is expected to stay at CBS News until the fall 2012 launch of her talk show, continuing her gigs on 60 Minutes and CBS Sunday Morning. (There will be a similar provision to work in the news division of NBC if she decides to set her syndication show there, and at CNN, in what now appears a more unlikely scenario of Couric signing with Time Warner's Telepictures Prods. for her talker.) As for Couric's potential replacement at CBS Evening News, early speculation seems to be focused on 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley.

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/

http://www.deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Katie_Couric-737405_20110326005521.jpg

http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/CBS_Production_News/60_pelley_notebook1012_320x240.jpg

....I would have vetoed the idea of Katie Couric becoming the anchor of "THE CBS EVENING NEWS" as soon as it came up. She's good at most things- interviewing people is her forte- but fronting a nightly newscast isn't one of her strengths. To be a TV anchor, you have to have had "experience"....on assignment, in the field, covering actual news and events. Katie had NONE of those qualities, yet CBS, under Sean McManus (in charge of sports and news) and Les Moonves {"Mr. CBS" these days} decided her personality was enough to carry an evening newscast. Perhaps in the days of NBC's John Cameron Swayze and CBS' Douglas Edwards- who were basically "news readers"- Katie would have been accepted at "face value". Not today.

Let her have her own daily talk/interview series, network or syndicated, and have her continue her occasional assignments for "60 MINUTES" [not "SUNDAY MORNING", though]. There had been a perfect replacement for the "EVENING NEWS" before Katie's name had been suggested....John Roberts. But the network "wasted" his talents by keeping him on the weekend editions of the "EVENING NEWS" (and as a substitute on weekdays), and he was allowed to defect to CNN. Now, he works for Fox News.

Scott Pelley is good, but he's not "anchor material". If I had to choose, I'd give that chair and desk to Harry Smith, who does very well filling in for Katie.


You, of course, may have your own choices, and I'd love to hear them....


:tv:

Katie Couric, the first woman ever to anchor a network news broadcast, will be leaving her post at "CBS Evening News" after less than five years on the job, this according to reports.


Speculation has been going on for some time that Couric would bolt, and now a network exec tells the AP that is the case, though no official date has been set. Her contract is up June 4.

It's expected Couric will move on to host her own syndicated show.

http://www.tmz.com/2011/04/04/katie-curic-cbs-evening-news-anchor-leavin-syndicated-show/

So there's an opening for Charlie Sheen at CBS - just kidding :D

As long as they don't get Bryant Gumbel, it should work out. CBS is in third place behind the other two networks in evening news ratings.

Is she leaving or are they letting her go? I don't watch any of the network nightly newscasts, but I guess Couric isn't rated very well as an Anchorwoman.

^ I was about to ask that myself.

...when Katie took over the "CBS EVENING NEWS" from Bob Schieffer, this is what the standings were for all three network newscasts:

#1 "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS"
#2 "ABC WORLD NEWS WITH CHARLES GIBSON"
#3 "CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC"

This is what it is now:

#1 "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS"
#2 "ABC WORLD NEWS WITH DIANE SAWYER"
#3 "CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC"


Not much difference, is there? {Unless you factor Diane Sawyer replacing Charles Gibson in December 2009.} This is why Katie is leaving the "EVENING NEWS". She had five years to "turn" her program around, and deliver a larger audience...and she hasn't. Pure and simple.


:tv:

I also heard that Meredith Vieira is leaving 'Today'. Maybe Katie and Meredith could just switch jobs and Katie could have her old gig back and CBS could have an anchor who could at least read the news intelligently.

^ You know, I was just thinking the same thing!!!!

Is she leaving or are they letting her go? I don't watch any of the network nightly newscasts, but I guess Couric isn't rated very well as an Anchorwoman.

I believe she's leaving on her own. Her contract is up in June and she reportedly is tired of the nightly grind. I believe she's going to try to have a talk show lined up for 2012. So she's leaving on her own, but CBS isn't exactly begging her to stay. Katie was making a reported $15 million a year, BTW.

More of a mutual thing, I see.

More of a mutual thing, I see.
Yeah they both wanted her to leave!

Can you blame either of them, really? :lol:

It's kind of a bummer Anderson Cooper's going to be hosting his own syndicated talk show next season, because I think he'd be the perfect replacement. I just don't see Scott Pelley being the guy to bring in ratings.

Katie Couric Awkwardly Deflects Questions About Her Future Plans on "The View" (VIDEO)
by Nick Zaino
posted Apr 12th 2011


There has been frequent speculation lately that Katie Couric will be leaving "CBS Evening News" for another show, perhaps even for her old gig on "Today".

Couric dodged most of Barbara Walters' pointed questions today on "The View" about her job status, saying there has been no announcement and her plans, whatever they may be, are not public.






Would you finally confirm that you are leaving already?

I haven't made a decision. I'm in the process of discussions.

I respect you wanting me to answer this question and you wanting to make news here on "The View", but I'm not in any position to discuss it at this point in time.

I'm talking about certain opportunities and figuring things out. I'm loving doing the "Evening News" and am proud of the show that we put out.







But you may be doing a syndicated show...

Well.. I'm looking at all sorts of opportunties.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/04/12/katie-couric-barbara-walters-view-future-plans-video/

Why on earth would you go on a top-rated, high profile network interview show when you either can't or don't want to answer questions about your future plans?

Katie Couric Tells Matt Lauer She'll Decide on Future 'In the Next Few Weeks' (VIDEO)
by Joel Keller
posted Apr 13th 2011


In a bit of a surprise, Katie Couric stopped by her old stomping grounds on "Today" to promote her new book The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives. After she and her old co-anchor Matt Lauer engaged in some chit-chat about the book, Lauer got down to brass tacks, asking Katie what her future plans are.





So what are you going to do?

I'm not sure. I'm really excited about the future.

I really love doing my job at "CBS Evening News", I really do and right now I'm in the middle of figuring everything out.

Barbara Walters on "The View" was just like.. (makes stabbing sounds) and I just don't know, honestly.






So when do you think you'll make your decision?

I'm hoping within the next few weeks because it's kind of important for everybody that we move forward. So.. I'm hoping soon... sooner rather than later.






So if you do decide to leave "CBS Evening News" what would you take back from the last five years?

I won't have any regrets. I love doing the "Evening News" and it's such an honor and a privilege to be in that position.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/04/13/katie-couric-matt-lauer-today-interview/

I never liked her on 'Today' because of her 'I'm better than you are' attitude. She'd be better suited for 60 Minutes or 60 Minutes II or even 48 Hours Mystery (is that still on?) I just can't see her with a talk show.

I never liked her on 'Today' because of her 'I'm better than you are' attitude. She'd be better suited for 60 Minutes or 60 Minutes II or even 48 Hours Mystery (is that still on?) I just can't see her with a talk show.

I couldn't have said it better myself. You perfectly summed up my feelings about Katie Couric and her "holier than thou" attitude!!! :clap :clap :clap

Katie Couric to Announce "Evening News" Exit This Week
Apr 25, 2011
by Joyce Eng


Katie Couric is expected to announce her exit from "CBS Evening News" this week, ending months of speculation, The New York Times reports.

CBS will announce her successor, who is expected to be "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley, next week after Couric returns from London, where she will anchor the royal wedding this Friday, the Times says.





Couric's contract ends June 4 and the exit plan will give the network at least a month for a transition, according to the paper.

It's unclear, however, if Couric will also reveal her post-"Evening News" plans this week, which have widely been reported to be a syndicated daytime talk show.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Katie-Couric-Leave-CBS-1032253.aspx

Red Rover, Red Rover,
Let Glenn Beck take over!

:rock:

Katie Couric: I'm Leaving "CBS Evening News"
Apr 26, 2011
by Joyce Eng


Katie Couric is leaving the "CBS Evening News".

"I have decided to step down from the 'CBS Evening News'," Couric tells People.

"I'm really proud of the talented team on the 'CBS Evening News' and the award-winning work we've been able to do in the past five years in addition to the reporting I've done for '60 Minutes' and 'CBS Sunday Morning.

In making the decision to move on, I know the 'Evening News' will be in great hands, but I am excited about the future."







Couric — who became the first female solo nightly news anchor when she joined "Evening News" in 2006 — did not say what she will do next, but it's likely to be a syndicated daytime talk show.

"I am looking at a format that will allow me to engage in more multi-dimensional storytelling," the former "Today" show host says.







Details about when and where the show will air are "still being discussed," she says. Couric is being pursued by such networks as ABC and her former home, NBC, and could remain on CBS with a new talk show deal.

Couric's announcement ends months of speculation about her future with "Evening News". Her contract ends June 4 and CBS is expected to announce "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley as her successor next week to allow for a transition.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Katie-Couric-Leaving-CBS-1032362.aspx

...but now CBS has to look ahead as to who's going to front the "EVENING NEWS" next.

If Thalia Assuras were still working for the network, and I were in charge of CBS News, I would have chosen her to succeed Couric; she was good anchoring the Saturday edition of the "EVENING NEWS". But the network ultimately wasted her by having her co-host the Saturday edition of "THE EARLY SHOW", then cut her loose in 2009. A damn shame....she had more credentials as an evening news anchor than Katie ever did.



Scott Pelley? He's okay on "60 MINUTES", but I don't know if he's up to anchoring a nightly network newscast.


:tv:

Maybe they should just have different people try anchoring for awhile, and then choose the best one. I mean, what does CBS News have to lose at this point?

Katie Couric's final day on "CBS Evening News" will be Thursday, May 19.

Couric, whose contract with the Eye ends June 6, confirmed in April that she would be leaving the program after a five-year tenure; she will be replaced in the anchor role by Scott Pelley.

Her "Evening News" exec producer Rick Kaplan departed the net on Thursday to take over the e.p. slot at ABC's "This Week With Christiane Amanpour" vacated last year by Ian Cameron.

For the future, Couric is planning a syndicated talk show, though she has yet to sign with either of the two networks interested in distributing it - namely ABC and CBS itself.

Sources told Variety last month that ABC might put a network daytime slot on the table; others have speculated that the Alphabet could give back an hour of network time to affiliates and agree to run the new Couric program in the newly freed-up timeslot on their O&Os.

Recently, CBS was said to have pulled its offer for Couric's upcoming yakker off the table, but that doesn't mean the Eye is out of the running - CBS hasn't waived its right to match any offer Couric gets until the end of the month, and it's unlikely that ABC will make a serious play for the high-profile anchor until they can be sure that she's free to accept it.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118037000?refCatId=14

...Scott Pelley's image just replaced Katie's in the "CBS News" bumper often seen at the end of the "EVENING NEWS", "60 MINUTES", et. al. Gee, you'd think the network was almost "heaving her out the door"....and I was positive she'd finish out the month, instead of the 19th. I wonder......



KATIE: {at her anchor desk on May 19th} Well, this marks the end of five happy and productive years with the "CBS EVENING NEWS". And I want to thank....
{a pair of big, beefy hands is seen grabbing her, covering her mouth, and yanking her off camera. After a loud noise or two in the background, Scott Pelley quickly fills her seat...}
SCOTT: ...and thank you, Katie, for keeping this seat warm for me. And I'll be seeing you on Monday, May 30th, for the new-
KATIE: (loudly, in background) ...but I'm not finished yet!!
{the sound of what appears to be a baseball bat or tire jack is heard hitting something with a dull thud}
SCOTT: [glancing at background, quickly turning towards camera again] ...for the new "CBS EVENING NEWS". Harry Smith will be here tomorrow night. Until Monday, May 30th, good night.
KATIE: (moaning somewhat in background) You guys are gonna hear from my attorney in the-
{another loud sound- a pistol shot?- is heard in the background}
SCOTT: [again, glancing at background, somewhat concerned as he looks into the camera again] Good night! And, get well soon, Katie....


;)


:tv:

http://i54.tinypic.com/r7t98o.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/zxtmhj.jpg

...I was right: Harry Smith did fill in for the departing Katie on the 20th! But Scott won't appear on the program until June 6th....

:tv: