Stars To Join Katie Couric For Grammy Special

Katie Couric will chat with a parade of music stars on her “All Access Grammy Special,” including Justin Timberlake, Lil’ Wayne, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.

The program, featuring interviews with past and present Grammy nominees, is set to air Feb. 4 on CBS.

Also making appearances will be The Jonas Brothers, Carrie Underwood, Metallica, Ne-Yo, John Legend, Rascal Flatts, Duffy, Adele, Kid Rock, Jazmine Sullivan, Jordin Sparks and T-Pain.

CBS will then broadcast the 51st annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8. The ceremony at Los Angeles’ Staples Center will include performances by Lil’ Wayne, Perry, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Coldplay, the Jonas Brothers and Kenny Chesney.

Lil’ Wayne leads this year’s field of nominees with eight nods, including album of the year for “Tha Carter III.”


Katie Couric’s ‘Not Just For Breakfast Anymore’

When Katie Couric jokingly asked for help with a new catch-phrase signoff as the new anchor of the “CBS Evening News,” she never expected 50,000 people to come forward with suggestions.

Couric made the appeal on her first broadcast last month, and has since been flooded with responses from viewers. She revealed some of the ideas she was pitched on an appearance she made Thursday night on CBS’ “Late Show” with David Letterman.

Her favorite, she told Letterman, was “Here, kitty kitty kitty.”

Another winner made light of Couric’s former post at NBC’s “Today” show: “Thanks for watching,” she said. “I’m Katie Couric, and I’m not just for breakfast anymore.”


Katie Couric’s Ratings Start to Fall

CBS hired Katie Couric in an attempt to build up ratings.

And they succeeded – at first. However, Reuters is reporting that the ratings for the “CBS Early News” are once again back to where they were before Couric joined the team.

In fact, nothing has changed – “NBC Nightly News” is in first with 8.5 million viewers last week, while “World News Tonight” on ABC is in second with eight million, and “CBS Evening News” is in third with seven million viewers.

However, the eye net is up in total viewership from where it was a year ago, by just over 500,000.


Katie Couric Promo Photo Digitally Altered

A photograph of Katie Couric that appeared in the newest edition of CBS’ Watch! magazine was doctored to make the news anchor appear slimmer, the network admitted on Wednesday.

According to spokesperson Gil Schwartz, the blame falls on an employee in CBS’ photo department who got “a little zealous” with the digital retouching. Couric appears about 20 pounds lighter in the second version.

Another CBS spokesperson, Dana McClintock, said the photo was “retouched without the knowledge of Ms. Couric or CBS News management,” reports Reuters.

The original, untouched picture had been widely distributed by the network as an official press photo, making the digital changes easy to spot on the new version.

The television network is currently promoting Couric’s upcoming September 5 debut as anchor of the CBS Evening News.


Couric Keeps Making Broadcast History

Katie Couric is making U.S. broadcasting history in more than one way.

Reuters reports that CBS has announced plans to simulcast the “CBS Evening News” live on the Internet as it airs on television. It is the first U.S. broadcasting network to do so.

The webcasts will begin on the Couric’s first official day as anchor which is Tuesday, September 5. Couric is also making history for being the first solo woman network anchor in U.S. broadcasting history.

“It’s another giant step toward providing CBS News content to people wherever they are – in their homes, in their offices, in their cars, on their computers or on their cell phones,” said Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports.

CBS will also have other web content – including a blog from Couric, a new webshow hosted by the anchor, as well as a live webcast from the CBS newsroom early on in the day, and an online reporter’s notebook of Couric’s, which will go into more detail on the pressing issue of the day.


Katie Couric Leaves Today Show

Katie Couric was given a fond farewell by her colleagues at NBC’s “Today” on Wednesday, Reuters reports.

Couric, who was anchor on the TV morning show for 15 years, is leaving NBC to anchor the “CBS Evening News” in the fall. Her last day at “Today” was Wednesday, the last day in her NBC contract.

Many retrospectives of the stories that Couric covered during her time at “Today” were aired. As well her fans, celebrities and ordinary Americans, sent in well wishes from across the country.

“I leave this morning not with a heavy heart … but with a very full heart, filled with love and memories and, yes, gratitude,” Couric said.

When Couric takes over the anchor chair at CBS in the fall, it will be the first time in American broadcasting history that a woman anchors a nightly network news program without a co-anchor.

She thanked viewers, but also thanked her colleagues, especially her co-anchor Matt Lauer.

“I know I’ll never have a partner like you again,” Couric said to Lauer, “because I’ll never be working with a partner again.”


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