When I last posted about the Katie Couric drama brewing at CBS News things weren’t looking too good for the perky anchor.
Ratings for the former “Today” star have been the worst in CBS News history and practically every newspaper and news website around has Couric bolting from the eye network to CNN where she will reportedly take over for the retiring Larry King.
Well, now the tide might be changing at CBS (though, I highly doubt it since new reports indicate that CBS wants CNN’s hunky anchor Anderson Cooper to replace Couric) given a recent surprise visit to the newsroom by network chairman Leslie Moonves.
The big wig reportedly swooped down from his penthouse office to specifically address rumors that Couric is getting the boot from the network.
Moonves told CBS News employees that “there are no plans for a change – today, tomorrow and into the future,” according to a network executive who blabbed to newspaper reporters after the meeting.
Moonves also reportedly told the group that while Couric’s status will continue to be reviewed if ratings continue to lag, nothing would change until after the presidential election.
It’s no secret that Couric sits in a solid third place behind NBC and ABC in the evening news ratings, but Moonves apparently was irate with the recent onslaught of articles that have been written about his star’s fall from grace, which is why he wanted to meet with employees and set the record straight.
According to staff members, Moonves decided it was time that everybody was very clear where CBS stood and that he was not going to let news articles set anybody’s agenda. He also reportedly expressed anger at the articles that talked about weakness at the news division and reassured employees that the network was totally supportive of Couric.
I worked in the TV news business for more than a decade and I will bet my right arm that Couric jumps ship after the presidential inauguration and heads over to CNN. And let’s just hope the rumor about Anderson Cooper replacing Couric is true.