Katie Couric Quits? CBS Evening News Anchor Still There

A katie-couric-getty-images by JTDGarlic
A katie-couric-getty-images, a photo by JTDGarlic on Flickr.
Katie Couric. Many have tried to push the CBS Evening News Anchor - the first woman to hold the role for CBS News - out of the door almost since she arrived in 2006. There were men like Sports Illustrated's Paul Zimmerman who in my 2006 interview with him at the NFL Draft that year, questioned the choice of the then-Today Show host as the choice to be the latest in a long, distinguished line of television journalists, featuring the legendary Walter Cronkite.  There's even something called The Katie Couric (Blank) Death Watch, where you fill in the blank, with "career" or "credibility."

This corner believes in Katie Couric, and has from day one.  But, as a woman friend with one of the news networks in New York observed today, Katie "Makes a lot of money.  That kind of money is rare in this business." And the point is CBS may be looking to pair down the payments to any current or future CBS Evening News face.

So with all that sexist crap, it should come as no surprise that, when the leggy face of CBS News announces that she wants to expand her role beyond just reading the news, the word is somehow translated into "Katie Couric Quits."

Even our own Nikky Raney at Zennie62.com got into the act, quoting the LA Times blog, and the AP. Geez.

Thankfully, it took non-mainstream media site TMZ.com to set the record straight:


Sources connected with Couric tell us ... Katie has no hard feelings toward CBS and may end up staying at the network, but feels her role as anchor of the CBS Evening News has been way too confining.

We're told Couric is most interested in doing a syndicated show -- probably a talk show -- but wants to end up somewhere that has a news operation where she can contribute. Sources say she's in serious talks with CBS, NBC and CNN. Her reps are talking to ABC, but that's a long shot.

Katie's exit from CBS Evening News is "not 100%" but it's just a matter of time before Katie announces her departure -- sources say it will come in the next few weeks.

Stay tuned.