Relationship between CBS and Couric ending with a whimper, not a bang
Katie Couric was chided by David Letterman this week for thinking of leaving her job as anchor of the CBS Evening News.
"It's not like it's a temp gig," Letterman told Couric, reminding her that other anchors "ride into the sunset."
For Couric, the sun apparently sets around 2 p.m. Don't blame her, though. That anchor seat has lost a lot of value since it was occupied by Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather. In fact, a case could be made that Couric traded down when she left NBC's "Today" for CBS.
Now she wants to try daytime. What's interesting is that CBS does not appear to be making a big push to keep her in the anchor chair. CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, who was instrumental in wooing Couric away from NBC to CBS, is sitting back and letting the new leadership at CBS News -- Chairman Jeff Fager and President David Rhodes, call the shots, according to people familiar with the situation.
Moonves may not want to be seen publicly pursuing someone who clearly has their mind made up. Perhaps singing "Happy Birthday" to Couric for a video the network made for her in January was as far as he was willing to go.
That Couric is consulting with her former "Today" producer (and ex-NBC Universal CEO) Jeff Zucker probably hasn't helped her relationship with her current bosses at CBS. It will be interesting to see if CBS seriously considers going after a Couric talk show or passes.
Inside CBS, attention is starting to focus on Scott Pelley as the leading candidate for Couric's job should she bolt, which seems to be a foregone conclusion.
Pelley, a "60 Minutes" correspondent, is close to Fager, who besides being chairman of CBS News continues to executive produce the newsmagazine.
Pelley has been with CBS for more than 21 years. If he is given the job, odds are the network won't have to worry about him eyeing his next big deal or wondering what else is on the horizon.
If Couric does leave, her stint at CBS will be one of the shortest for an evening news anchor. Cronkite did it for almost 20 years and Rather for more than two decades. ABC's Peter Jennings and NBC's Tom Brokaw also put in over 20 years anchoring. While ABC weathered some instability with the anchor slot after Jennings died, Diane Sawyer seems willing to take Letterman's advice and ride into the sunset. NBC's Brian Williams also seems entirely comfortable in his job.
There will be lots of analysis about Couric's run at CBS News. She did not boost ratings the way CBS would have liked. Her persona, perfect for the morning, ultimately did not work as well in the evenings. The media seemed more obsessed than viewers about her role as CBS News anchor. In daytime, she will be back in her comfort zone.
-- Joe Flint
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Photos: Top right: Katie Couric. Credit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images. Bottom left: Scott Pelley. Credit: John Filo/CBS.
What is so great about her anyway ??? Network News is dying a slow and painful death...make way for balanced reporting...Fox News rules...and most of you hate that fact...but people are on to the "big 3" propping up of liberals by these hypocrites...and leaving by the droves...KC notwithstanding...
Posted by: sanityisrare | March 25, 2011 at 03:03 PM
What is so great about her anyway ??? Network News is dying a slow and painful death...make way for balanced reporting...Fox News rules...and most of you hate that fact...but people are on to the "big 3" propping up of liberals by these hypocrites...and leaving by the droves...KC notwithstanding...
Posted by: sanityisrare | March 25, 2011 at 03:03 PM
How funny that I, just some average schmo, predicted with certainty that Couric would flop on the Evening News, while the big whigs at CBS chased her down with tens of millions of dollars. Maybe they should hire me to consult on their next choice.
Posted by: Greg | March 25, 2011 at 03:04 PM
CBS needs to get a 'Tim Russert' type. You know the ones, they may be LIBERAL, but when they come to work, they leave that political ideology CRAP at home!
Posted by: Glubber | March 25, 2011 at 03:04 PM
The only thing left for Katie is to do a gyno video exam on Current TV, maybe Al can hold the camera!?
Posted by: edwardo | March 25, 2011 at 03:06 PM
Gee, I wonder who Les will finally decide to put in the anchor chair? Oh, I have it! How about Morgan Freeman announcing....
"This is the CBS Evening News with Julie Chen".
Posted by: George Arnold | March 25, 2011 at 03:06 PM
Hey before you leave why not ask Obama a few questions.
Where is you birth records? Who knew you in College? Who were some friends growing up? What was your birth doctors name? Nurse? Who was Bill Aryes? Friends name at law school? Teacher name? Where is your school records? Did you ever vote a yes or no in the Senate? How many states do we have in the US?
Come on Couric, ask some questions. What is your favoite color.. CBs/ Abc/ Nbc/ all trash.
Posted by: Al | March 25, 2011 at 03:10 PM
Instead of putting yet another politically correct liberal as anchor,why doesn't CBS put an outspoken conservative or libertarian in there?Maybe there ratings wouldn't continue going into the crapper....
Posted by: robert m. simon | March 25, 2011 at 03:11 PM
Katie has never been a "legitimate anchor"--she got the big contract when she allowed her famous colon check up. Of course that came right after her husband passed away, bless him. So she paid for the multimillion dollar contract by taking it in the well, you know what I mean. Then she became the shill for the Clinton's and Hillary's grand right wing conspiracy theory. She's an elite and she needs to just take her money and go shopping. I could care less. She made her pack with the Devil and of course that means she's on the wrong side of forever.
Posted by: Jack Habitt | March 25, 2011 at 03:14 PM
I only watch news channels. Fox only/ the rest of you are Obama kiss ups/ Where that A O birth certificate?
Posted by: Al | March 25, 2011 at 03:15 PM
"Relationship between CBS and Couric ending with a whimper, not a bang"
Just like my relationship with my ex-wife! Hiyoooooooo!
Posted by: Hugh Jass | March 25, 2011 at 03:18 PM
She is a failure.
$15MM /yr & still in last place.
How many people lost their jobs at CBS to pay her?
Posted by: Omen | March 25, 2011 at 03:20 PM
As far as I'm concerned, the whole concept of the 6 O'Clock News on network television is dead. Over the last 10 + years the bias and lies of omission have become epidemic and there is no trust anymore. I see Brian Williams and I know for a fact I am going to get a slanted version of the news. I see Katie Couric and I feel as if I'm watching an opinion show. The network anchors have spouted off their personal opinions too many times over the last decade and their producers and network execs have played along, giving the distinct impression the news "aint what it used to be." In the past, the nightly news was a straightforward recounting of the facts of the story. All the facts from all sides of the issue being reported upon. Not anymore. If a story doesnt fit in Katie or Brian or Diane's personal worldview (which coincides with the networks, of course) then it doesn't get reported on. This is why cable news and the internet has blossomed as people look elsewhere for honest reporting. The networks have forgotten how to do that and now their traditional position as the newscaster for the public is long gone. Re-runs of the Simpsons are more relevant now than the evening news.
Posted by: Steve Johnson | March 25, 2011 at 03:21 PM
Leslie Moonves should be fired for hiring her and even worse paying her $15 million dollars, he lowered the stock of CBS with that poor business call.
Scott Pelley is a great replacement.
Hope ABC News gets the message and dumps Puppy Eyes Diane Sawyer whose squinting makes her look like she is always on PMS or has hemorrhoids, I cannot watch her read the News.
Katie never develops the "Journalists Mantra" no matter how much she tried. Let us face it she was weak, unassuming, and quite frankly not a serious News Reader.
It is good she goes into other directions. I suggest she takes Pierce Morgan job on Larry King Live, she can interview, but anyone can do that except Morgan.
She along with Bob Costas, Ted Koppel, and Stephanopoulos would make great munchkins for the remake of The Wizard of OZ they are all about the same size too. I can see them singing we are the Lolly Pop Kids, The Lolly Pop Kids, it would a great charity event at the Gridiron Dinner maybe.
Katie was becoming fat and frumpy as we speak and was very overpaid. They should fire the Executive that hired Katie; she was a disaster almost as bad as Dan Rather was.
Posted by: agmines | March 25, 2011 at 03:23 PM
The real problem with CBS is they lost all credibility years ago. When "I'm partying with Mao now!" Walter Cronkite took over, the stench of yellow journalism anchored at CBS was felt all through the Tet Offensive. Dan Rather making documents up, Bob Schieffer donating heavily to the socialist causes he champions on and off the air. Dimwitted Katie, even with her left leaning like-minded approach could not keep the remaining audience that left in droves when the alternatives to the Big 3 came onto the scene.
Good Riddance!
Bit of advice, honest reporting, change up your sources and your go to people, NOW is not to only place to get an opinion from women, it is the only place to get an opinion from liberal women though, stop the 'if it bleeds it leads",
Posted by: EdMurrow | March 25, 2011 at 03:39 PM
she's a boring airhead, who cares?
Posted by: Let George Do It | March 25, 2011 at 03:55 PM
Face it.. CBS didn't lose viewers because Katie Couric was hosting their nightly news... CBS lost viewers because of their liberal bias.. Along with all the other liberal news networks..
Posted by: M's | March 25, 2011 at 03:58 PM
She's good to look at ... sometimes, but not for much else.
Posted by: Cheryl | March 25, 2011 at 04:07 PM
Hey Katie - here is some real news you could report on the way out - if you give up your ultra lib bias that is:
"The president does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation." - Sen. Barack Obama December 20, 2007.
BIDEN FLASHBACK: 'If he gives authorization to war... without Congressional approval, I will make it my business to impeach him!'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dRFJ6CF2Mw
"I will focus on the economy like a laser beam" Barack Obama multiple times.
Off to war we go.
Still in Iraq
Still in Afghanistan
Now Libya - no defined mission - no cost estimates in dollars nor lives.
Into another countries civil war with no clue as to the goal. Is it the nation building that democrats derided? Is it to kill Kadafi, in violation of international laws? Is it regime change that democrats derided? Is it blood for oil that the democrats so loudly claimed a few short years ago? Are rebels friends of the USA? Or will they turn against against us in the future? WHAT IS THE MISSION, WHAT IS THE GOAL?
By Obama and Bidens own words, it is time to impeach - report on THAT Katie. Pretend for a second you are a REAL reporter.
Posted by: Darrel | March 25, 2011 at 04:11 PM
Couric becomes the microcosm for the continuing rejection of the mainstream media by 'fly over America'. Couric and her ilk lost touch with America long ago. The media sealed their fate when they actively campaigned for the rank amateaur who is now is the White House. I have never personally seen Couric deliver a newscast, but I have heard that her condescending attitude is too much to bear.
Posted by: catherwood | March 25, 2011 at 04:12 PM
None of the three major networks' anchors are any good. Network news have too many feel-good segments, even when there are major stories going on in the world.
Posted by: Bernadette | March 25, 2011 at 04:15 PM
I'll read Drudge's news on TV for 50 bux an hour.
Posted by: Cheryl | March 25, 2011 at 04:15 PM
Who cares? She is nothing more than a talking head. Lets face it, any bozo who can read a teleprompter can be a news anchor.
Posted by: Mark | March 24, 2011 at 09:02 PM
Get OBowMao!
Posted by: ADM | March 25, 2011 at 04:15 PM
Daytime TV is dead.
Why do you think Oprah is getting out?
Judge Judy is kicking her butt that's why.
A Katie daytime talker will fail.
You aren't Ellen or Rachel Ray.
And Lord knows we don't need another View.
Stay in News!
Work something our with Comcast/NBC News/MSNBC/CNBC/Weather Channel.
With Olbermann gone they have his $7 million + in the kitty Plus the Comcast dough!
And 8PM on MSNBC is open.
Plus You and Brian Williams would be Killer coverage for the 2012 elections.
Posted by: NHBill | March 25, 2011 at 04:16 PM
Couric does not have a likable personality. You do not feel good when you watch her. She's harsh and has a bitchy quality. Good riddance.
Posted by: denver mom | March 25, 2011 at 04:19 PM