Katie Couric Plots Exit from the CBS Evening News

Katie Couric Plots CBS Exit
The Daily Beast ^ | 3/25/11 | Howard Kurtz

Posted on Friday, March 25, 2011 4:31:14 PM
The CBS Evening News anchor is very likely to leave in June and Scott Pelley is a top contender to replace her but CBS is looking both within and outside the network, Howard Kurtz reports.

The search is on for Katie Couric’s successor.

The new CBS News chairman, Jeff Fager, is looking at candidates both within and outside the network, insiders say.

One strong contender if Couric vacates the anchor chair in early June, as now seems almost certain, is veteran newsman Scott Pelley. The 60 Minutes correspondent has long been a favorite of Fager, who doubles as the show’s executive producer. But with Fager taking a methodical approach to his first major decision, Pelley is not a lock. A few short weeks ago, the expectation in the Couric camp—after discussions with top CBS management—was that she would sign a new deal to stay in the anchor’s job through the 2012 elections as she figured out the next phase of her career. But the thinking on both sides has now changed as Couric has aggressively tested the waters—and found substantial interest in her services.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-03-25/katie-couric-likely-leaving-cbs-news-scott-pelley-leading-replacement/?cid=hp:mainpromo4#

 

"Hello, this is the CBS Evening News with Charlie Sheen."

 

WINNING!

 

OK, HH, that's the first genuine laugh I got off the board today.

 

I'd give anything for Charlie Sheen to anchor the CBS Evening News. Roll over, Walter Cronkite, tell Edward R. Murrow the news. Can you imagine the ratings bonanza?

 

Sheppard Smith, your phone is ringing....

 

Honestly, why would anyone want to be the face of CBS News?

 

Well, Katie Couric is getting about fifteen million reasons why every year.

The new person wouldn't command that, but it would still be sizable.

 

On a loop.

 

Crap!

I was kind of hoping that Katie Couric would leave the air.

 

Just sayin, Meredith Vieira makes $10 million a year, AND people actually watch.

 

CBS doesn't want to come to grips with reality, which is this: evening news viewers like to have old men read them the news. They loved Bob Schieffer, and left when Katie Couric came on board. Young people will not watch the evening news, and for the most part old people will not watch young people read the news.

CBS has been completely unable to develop any sort of anchor talent, which is why they had to hire Katie in the first place. Scott Pelley, while a perfectly good reporter, would be a disaster as anchor of the Evening News. He comes across as Niles Crane, spending a half hour speaking to the unwashed masses before jetting off to play polo. If you don't have someone like Brian Williams, who is a damn good anchor, you need to go with someone who at least has a certain gravitas on the anchor desk. Virtually anyone who fits works for NBC.