CBS May Eliminate "Evening News" Anchor If Couric Leaves: Report

[CatWoman]

According to TMZ, Katie Couric will leave CBS on her own terms and the network will likely eliminate the "Evening News" anchor altogether. Further, TMZ reiterates earlier reports that it is Couric who is frustrated with the situation that is not what she was promised when Les Moonves lured her to the network:

Sources connected to the whole CBS magilla with Katie Couric tell TMZ Katie will probably jettison the evening news anchor chair for good, but not before the election.

Here's the lowdown. CBS hasn't delivered on any of the promises that lured Couric to the network in the first place -- generally, they said they would adjust the newscast to her skills, but in fact it's almost the same Metamucil broadcast as before. We're told she's frustrated and there is "strong interest" on the part of CNN, in particular replacing Mr. King when he retires.


Though TMZ specializes in Hollywood gossip, there's every reason to believe they are right in this instance. Katie Couric has a very short path to TMZ founder Harvey Levin. Levin is an old friend and colleague of current "Extra" Senior Executive Producer Lisa Gregorisch-Dempsey (they worked on "Celebrity Justice" together, and "Extra" and TMZ work out of the same office in New York). Gregorisch-Dempsey and Couric are close friends as well. For example, Gregorisch-Dempsey was quoted as such in the People report that Couric was leaving the "Today" show.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/11/cbs-will-probably-cancel_n_96261.html

[niyad]

1. "adjust the newscast to her skills"?? what in the HELL is that supposed to mean

dumb it down to the point of being totally useless? exactly what skills does she have?

[trotsky]

2. That phrase leapt out at me too.

I thought that's what they did when they showed her getting her makeup done, eating a salad, and telling us about a bunch of people that died. :eyes:

[TomInTib]

3. Camera placement.

Under desk.

She has great legs, you know.

[Benhurst]

4. Grandma Moses had great legs, too; but her agent wisely decided

to emphasize her other talents.

[TomInTib]

6. I have great legs, too...

but I have never been able to teach them to play guitar.

[Deja Q]

7. So hire Sharon Stone as the next anchor... seems like a basic instinct to most...

:shrug:

[TomInTib]

8. I will work the camera. For free. nt

[SpiralHawk]

20. Coruic is a Pixie Propagandist

Her 'skill' is making the propaganda pretty.

[Stinky The Clown]

22. It means "Telepromter and Cue Cards Written in Crayola Crayons"

It means all "I"s will be dotted with cute little heart shaped circles. It means the laptop buried in her anchor desk will have pink Barbie shit on the edges.

edit to add: With so many really talented woman journalists, why did CBS *ever* pick this dipweed?

[annabanana]

5. If so, it would be an ignominious end to a formerly great institution.

CBS used to define television journalism.

[bullwinkle428]

9. Les Moonves will probably just replace Katie with his wife...

Julie Chen, who currently hosts "Big Brother" on CBS...

[noel711]

10. What they promised her was cash..

and she's not doing too badly in that department.

Oh please, Katie, take a long vacation,
and put us out of our misery....

[DangerDave921]

11. Couric and ratings

First off, nothing is voluntary in the TV business other than Seinfeld leaving while on top. Couric's ratings are lousy and have always been lousy. She tried a newer format at first and got lousy ratings. They went more traditional and she got lousy ratings. So the network wants her out, so they will let her "voluntarily" leave.

She would be a perfect fit for Larry King. Celebrity chit-chat and interviews that are virtually devoid of any serious content. Just like her old morning show gig.

Couric was never the right choice to anchor the evening news. Too light and airy, with too much baggage from her morning days. Then again, who the hell watches the TV news anyway?

[riverdeep]

17. "Then again, who the hell watches the TV news anyway?"

Old people. My parents watch the news everyday. They have this idea that they want to know what's going on, a noble concept. A couple of times I've tried telling them TV is the last place to get informed, especially on network news, but their ways are set. They started watching when Walter Cronkite was doing it, and now, even though it's people who were going to go into modeling but wound up in news doing it, they still watch.

[DangerDave921]

21. You nailed it!

I watch cable news in the mornings just to check on any big stories, but you're right -- no one under 60 watches the evening news anymore. Internet gives you just about every source of news you can imagine -- from whatever political leaning you want. And in more detail than you can ever find on a 2-minute story, half of which is video.

[Hangingon]

12. CBS has been trailing for a long time.

Katy has been a disaster but, sadly, the demise of CBS news may be Dan Rather's legacy.

[Crabby Appleton]

16. Word nt

[SoCalDem]

13. Might as well.. most people are not watching anway

at 6:30 (0r whenever it's on), probably most people are still in their cars, trying to get home

[AlCzervik]

14. maybe they could have a another spin off---"Csi---evening news" now that would

generate ratings.

[InkAddict]

15. But, but, Rove's fingerprints are everywhere.

though I {{heart}} the lab equipment...and science experiments...too cool!

[tritsofme]

18. Maybe Randi Rhodes will apply

I hear she is looking for work...

[robcon]

19. Why do they need the CBS Evening News?

There's not enough audience to support the three broadcast networks (in addition to the cable news stations.)

Put on another reality show during the timeslot. Or whatever.

No one will miss it. It's like the time the networks decided they didn't need three sets of kids' programs all Saturday morning after Nickelodeon ate their lunch.

Drop the news - go for entertainment.

[Arkham House]

23. Why don't the networks just hire actors to portray "anchorpersons" and be done with it?

[Forrest Greene]

24. The Situation That Is Not What She Was Promised

No pom-poms. No twirling batons.