It’s Monday morning, and the frenzy over whether Katie Couric will leave the “Today” show for the CBS anchor desk, and thus become the first woman to host a network news show solo, has started up again.
As noted in the Fix, today there’s a report in Television Week alleging that Couric’s CBS deal is all but final, and that the announcement that she’s ditching NBC could come as early as this week. The follow-up no-brainer announcement — that she’ll be headed to the rival network — might come as early as next.
So basically: still no official word. But everyone is about ready to soil themselves with excitement. Check out Drudge’s understated coverage of the Television Week piece. He also links to a charming column by the New York Daily News’ Richard Huff, who doesn’t think “The CBS Evening News” is “a good fit” for Couric; she should really do a “talk/interview” show instead. But don’t get your knickers in a twist, Huff assures, “this has nothing to do with her being a woman headed toward a slot normally held by men. Elizabeth Vargas broke that mold already over at ABC.” That’s right. You’ve already got one chick behind the anchor desk, so quit your bitching. Jeez.
I can only imagine that the next week or so is going to be even more of a circus, and the whole frenzy makes me wonder: If we get this worked up over the idea of a lady taking the helm of an old-fashioned half-hour news program, how are we ever going to handle the ascension of a woman to the country’s highest office?
