Couric Debuts
On CBS News....
Katie Couric makes her debut in the CBS "Evening News" anchor chair on Tuesday, and the 49-year-old newswoman is under incredible pressure to deliver -- but not for the reason people think.
The bulk of the attention given to Ms. Couric's decision to walk away from NBC's "Today" show in favor of CBS -- and there has been plenty of it -- has concerned the immediate ratings impact of the move. Would "Today," long the No. 1 morning show, sink without her sitting on the sofa? Will Ms. Couric's fans follow her to a more serious program at the opposite end of their day?
Those questions miss what is really at stake when Ms. Couric looks into the camera Tuesday night. Ms. Couric is certain to draw a big audience, and "Today" has actually climbed in the ratings since her departure in May. (Meredith Vieira, 52, replaces Ms. Couric at "Today" on Sept. 13.) The real question is the longer-term one of whether CBS has finally figured out a way to lead the aging evening news programs out of their prolonged slump.
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