While the 48-year-old morning host is contemplating the offer, sources said, it's unclear whether she can formally negotiate a new job until her NBC contract expires in May.
NBC News President Steve Capus said the network hopes to hold on to Couric, who has been the face of the "Today" show for almost 15 years. He called the growing speculation about her next step "premature." [...]CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves had unsuccessfully tried to lure Couric away last spring when Dan Rather left the anchor desk. Since then, veteran Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer has served as interim anchor of the evening newscast, a stint he expected would only last a few months, while network executives pondered how to remake the show.
When McManus replaced news President Andrew Heyward in October, he announced that one of his immediate goals was to court new talent to the network. Couric has been his top priority, sources said, with the news president offering her "the moon" to come aboard. Any offer would have to involve a substantial salary to match Couric's current deal with NBC — a reported contract of $60 million over 4½ years.
From what I hear, part of the delay in relaunching "Evening" after Rather's departure has been that CBS suits are holding out hope for Couric or some other outsider to come in and take the helm, given the lackluster stable of anchors CBS currently has.
Would Katie Couric as anchor make you more or less likely to watch?
Hat tip: TVNewser.
