Ratings

Katie Couric's Uncertain Future

With CBS News in last place, a pay cut is likely.

Katie Couric has a little more than a year to go on her contract with CBS's Evening News, but network executives won't even say whether they're willing to keep her on staff. The show hasn't budged from third place since Couric became TV's first female anchor in what top CBS News brass sees as a noble but failed experiment. If CBS renews Couric's contract at all, she'll likely take a cut to her $15 million salary. If the rumor mill is to be believed, Couric could be the next big daytime talk host—her contract conveniently expires the same month that Oprah plans to go off the air, although according to Couric's friends she's more likely to jump to a show similar to Larry King's interview program.