Moonves Backs Low-Rated Couric In Newsroom Visit
Hollywood Reporter, Monday, April 21, 2008 11:15 AM
CBS chief Leslie Moonves paid a visit to the newsroom Friday--apparently in a show of confidence for anchor Katie Couric, as rumors about her departure swirl. "There are no plans for a change--today, tomorrow and into the future," he told employees, according to a one insider.
Of course, that doesn't mean Couric will be off the hook if her ratings get even worse, but she is apt to be around at least until after the election, says the insider. Moonves and CBS News President Sean McManus were both at the Friday meeting of Couric and "CBS Evening News" Executive Producer Rick Kaplan, which is televised internally to all the net's bureaus.
Recent news articles suggest that Couric is on borrowed time as she runs a distant third behind competitors at NBC and ABC. Moonves and McManus wanted to rebut that idea, according to one staffer: "They decided it was time that everybody was very clear where they stood, and that they were not going to let news articles set anybody's agenda," Kaplan says. "They made it clear in everybody's mind that they were totally supportive of Katie and of CBS News."
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Of course, that doesn't mean Couric will be off the hook if her ratings get even worse, but she is apt to be around at least until after the election, says the insider. Moonves and CBS News President Sean McManus were both at the Friday meeting of Couric and "CBS Evening News" Executive Producer Rick Kaplan, which is televised internally to all the net's bureaus.
Recent news articles suggest that Couric is on borrowed time as she runs a distant third behind competitors at NBC and ABC. Moonves and McManus wanted to rebut that idea, according to one staffer: "They decided it was time that everybody was very clear where they stood, and that they were not going to let news articles set anybody's agenda," Kaplan says. "They made it clear in everybody's mind that they were totally supportive of Katie and of CBS News."
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