AP source: Couric leaving news anchor post

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

Katie Couric is leaving her anchor post at "CBS Evening News" less than five years after becoming the first woman to solely helm a network TV evening newscast.

A network executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity because Couric has not officially announced her plans, reported the move to The Associated Press on Sunday night. The 54-year-old anchor is expected to launch a syndicated talk show in 2012 and several companies are vying for her services.

... No departure date has been set for Couric. Her CBS News contract expires on June 4.

... Still, discussions are already under way about who will replace Couric on the evening newscast. Russ Mitchell, Scott Pelley and Harry Smith are among the internal CBS candidates, and new CBS News Chairman Jeff Fager is also expected to look outside the company.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/04/03/entertainment/e210109D46.DTL&tsp=1

[alp227]

1. at least Jim Lehrer will still be around on PBS. I won't miss Katie.

I like Mitchell, Pelley, and Smith too.

[roody]

2. CBS Evening "News" is more accurate.

[Raschel]

3. I liked Katie. Thought she had a good voice. It didn't have so much of that forced cadence that

Brian Williams does. She was the easiest to listen to for me.

[Kolesar]

13. Katie Couric was worthy. Her interviews were insightful.

[emilyg]

4. I will not miss her.

[Joe Bacon]

19. I won't miss Ms. "Navy Seals Rock" either.

Might actually try to watch CBS News again. Stopped after Bob Schieffer was bounced for her.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

5. What,,,The new Oprah?

:spray: I'll miss Oprah... Katie, not so much!

[pam4water]

6. Bring back Bob Schieffe!

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

7. If anyone's paid their dues at CBS, it's him

If Couric only wanted 5 years, she should have waited and let Bob have the spot first

Schieffer may not be the perfect journalist, but he's a pro and has earned it. Of course, I think they should just bring back Dan Rather, myself.

[cstanleytech]

8. Considering Dan is 79 years old he might not want to come back

even if they offered him the job which I doubt they will.

[pam4water]

17. OH I did not know he was... that near retirement.

[Dulcinea]

23. They won't pay for someone like Schieffer or Rather.

They probably want someone younger who won't command a high salary. I don't know how old Rather and Schieffer are, but they're hardly spring chickens.

I like Schieffer too.

[slay]

9. Remember when CBS had real newsmen like Dan Rather? Now they are just BS

just like the rest - propping up a failed political system - and a failing economic system. katie's on the council for foreign relations so she'll end up in media somewhere - spreading their influence - steering us away from things they think we Ought Not Know. good job Katie - other than knocking down that dufus Palin - you've done a great job in making sure there is no REAL news in the nightly news other than stats and fluff pieces. ugh.

[Keith Bee]

10. Don't short-change her takedown of Palin

That was a valuable public service.

[Leftist Agitator]

12. "In what respect, Charlie?"

Blargh.

[Raschel]

21. You mean "Churlie"

:hi:

[Kolesar]

14. Couric was so calm, but she did her job well with that interview.

The story sustained for a long while.

[No Elephants]

16. +1

[dipsydoodle]

11. We get her late at night in the UK

She's got good presense and I've never noticed any overt bias.

[Ian David]

15. Her new talk show will be called, "Some People Say." n/t

[leveymg]

18. Couric isn't the major problem w/CBS News - it's the owner, Viacom, & Sumner Redstone, a neocon.

Ever since he took over the network in 2005, there has been a continual purge of liberals and a decline in the quality of programming in the news division. Like its network competitors, NBC(GE) and ABC (Disney) network news operations have been cut to the bone, and it shows. With few exceptions, there were few real progressives in positions to impact over the air content at any of the majors.

The firing of Dan Rather and his replacement by Katie Couric marked the end of a better era at CBS and for the industry.

[KurtNYC]

20. following the footsteps of Bryant Gumble

left TODAY for CBS then disappeared

[Raschel]

22. Disappearing with a lot of money.