Katie Couric Set to Sign ABC Talk Show Contract
Katie Couric's contract with CBS expires today, and she's widely expected to announce that she's signing a deal with ABC to host a syndicated daytime talk show.
The New York Times reports that both NBC and CBS held unsuccessful talks with Couric, who remains a hot property despite disappointing ratings during her tenure at 'The CBS Evening News.'
Rumors that
she was close to a deal with ABC have been swirling for weeks, and according to the 'Times' the clincher was when ABC President Anne Sweeney sweetened the deal with the promise of a role in the news division.
For her part, Couric says she is happy with the end result of the protracted negotiations: "It is very gratifying that so many people were willing to meet with me and were interested," she said. "It made me think maybe a show like this could do reasonably well. We'll see."
Talks with rival networks apparently stalled for a variety of reasons. NBC execs were reportedly okay with Couric's choice of producing partner -- ousted NBC chief Jeff Zucker -- but did think that her camp was making "excessive demands," including an insistence that NBC stations agree to air an hour-long Couric show at 4PM, which is prime real estate in daytime.
Plus, the Times reports that NBC executives had never made an offer to Ms. Couric (a point her side acknowledged) and emphasized privately that their internal research showed her to be too unpopular with viewers. Meanwhile, for their part, Couric's team felt that NBC had too little experience in the syndication business.
The CBS talks apparently ran aground because the network wanted Couric to focus on the syndicated show, not an ongoing role in the news division. Earlier reports said that CBS was offering Couric a new package including both a daytime talk show and a prestigious regular slot on Sunday night news magazine, '60 Minutes' -- said to be one of her longterm ambitions -- but that opportunity would have ended once the daytime show started.
After conducting extensive market research of their own, Couric and her team have settled on a simple formula for success for her new show, which is due to launch in 2012: If the show is good, people will watch it.
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We don't need another talk show..They're all the same...I will not watch Katie or any other talk show...The people at ABC are really stupid if they think another talk show will bring up their ratings...If anything, the ratings will drop...And I suppose the're taking another soap off...
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WE HAVE ENOUGH DAY TIME TALK SHOWS, I FOR 1 AM SICK TO DEATH OF THEM AND IF THEY ARE GOING TO PUT HER IN THE TIME SLOT OF GENERAL HOSPITAL, NO ONE WILL WATCH IT AND SHE WILL BE OUT OF A JOB LIKE THE OTHER 2 SHOWS THAT ARE TAKING THE TIME SLOT OF ALL MY CHILDREN AND ONE TO TO LIVE. THESE SHOWS WILL NEVER MAKE IT.
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I wonder how many cars she'll give away on her first show?
For crying out loud, she couldn't hack the news so what makes you think she is going to be able to hold down a talk show? These tv stations throw millions of dollars at this non-talent lady. Use the money to feed the poor, make water wells for those who have no clean water, but for goodness sake stop giving this lady airtime, and more cash!!
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Yeah, just what this country needs, another overpaid talk show host. People in this country must really have nothing going on in their lives that they gotta sit and listen to this crap all day. Pretty pathetic!
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Couric was perfect on the Today Show, even though it has always sucked. Unfortunately, the Today show still sucks, and they most likely don't want her back. So Katie will be like a ping pong ball for the rest of her career. I'm surprised networks haven't figured out that no one cares about Katie Couric.
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who cares- is abc still broadcasting ???
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I DON'T LIKE HER AND HER GREEDY WAYS. AND THOSE ON THE OTHER SIDE. IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY.
I DO NOT LIKE HER, WILL NOT, I REPEAT WILL NOT WATCH HER SHOW.
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And this is no different than all the stupid reality shows out there? The Voice, American Idol, The Biggest Loser, etc. Thier all about money and nothing else. Definetly not about talent or quality entertainment.
We don't need another talk show. Worst thing about them? The audience's screaming. Couric's not at all worth all the money they'll invest in her. Never liked her.
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Are you kidding??? This is what they canceled my soaps for??? ABC will soon stand for Absolutely Boring Channel!
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I would suggest to ABC that they add an addendum to the Contract
that a six month review would be established to see if the addition to the station was beneficial to everyone! After the six months "review" and if Katie made a positive difference, then the Contract would be in full force! She is too "in your face" and in MY opinion will not be the "boost" that ABC needs and is looking for.
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What a bunch of crap..just what we need..she can't tell the news who wants to listen to her talk to people...she won't last long and that's what they get for taking the soaps off...abc is a sorry excuse for channel anymore I'm done watching them..................
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Yet another talk show on the same stuff that everyone one else is talking about...They took my soap operas off for this! I for one will not watch!!!!!!!!!
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Sorry Katie, for some reason, just could not bring myself to watch you , even on the evening news. Guess this is just another program being eliminated from my schedule. Good luck. If ABC is still broadcasting.
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Perfect example of another no talent rotating from show to show or station to station hoping for something successful. It doesnt work! This giggly old hag needs to write a book on how to be self absorbed!
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why can't she just go away?
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just go away couric!
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Hey folks, how about showing some respect? Did none of you learn respect as a child? Apparently not. All you have to do is read one thing and drag him or her down, whether it is Katie Couric, Meredith Vieira, Matt Lauer, or an actor/actress, etc. If you cannot say anything nice, do not saying anything at all.
I am tired of going on sites like this or really any web site and read negative remarks and some of them are really over the top. Oprah Winfrey's talk show ended May 25 and I think they are looking for somebody to fill up the slot she left. Now, my local ABC news station has news at 4 now, but before then was Oprah Winfrey show which lasted until 5pm.
Just because Katie Couric came in last every weeknight, does not mean she will be dead last in talk show ratings. She in fact, may be good, who knows. Instead, you folks on here did not even say good luck or anything, all you did was drag her down and that is not fair. She is 54 years old and has two girls she wants to spend time with before they move out of her house and on their own.
Meredith Vieira is leaving because her husband has MS, which is genetic and not something you want to have. He has had it since he was 25, he is now 63. My aunt's ex husband's mother and brother died from MS and neither of them were very old. The primetime for it to show up is your 30s, sometimes early and rarely later.
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Epic Fail!
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