CBS: We're not
cutting Katie's salary
Denies reports that it will reduce anchor's $15 million
By Toni Fitzgerald
Feb 4, 2010
As if responding to some invisible blip on the calendar that mandates at least one Katie Couric controversy per quarter, the New York Post and Drudge Report have stirred up the "CBS Evening News" anchor's first media firestorm of 2010.
Yesterday the publications reported that CBS News, which laid off dozens of employees earlier this week, wants to slash Couric's salary if she re-ups with the network.
"I would be flabbergasted if she didn’t take a pay cut," one anonymous source told the Post.
The former "Today" host makes $15 million per year under her current deal, which is up in 2011. The Drudge story even suggested that there was a backlash against Couric mounting in the CBS newsrooms.
Sean McManus, head of CBS News, was quick to denounce the rumors as nonsense, telling the widely read blog TVNewser, "There hasn't been one single discussion about altering Katie's role or adjusting her contract."
McManus also dismissed speculation that the layoffs, including dismissals at "60 Minutes" and "The Early Show," were in any way related to Couric's salary.
This is merely the latest stumbling block for CBS and Couric, whose departure from the network has been rumored seemingly since she signed with them four years ago to take over the nightly news from interim anchor Bob Schieffer.
After a huge debut, Couric sank back into third place and set a series of all-time lows for the newscast. Her ratings have stabilized since, but she sits well behind news leader NBC and second-place ABC, which remained steady through the Charles Gibson-to-Diane Sawyer anchor transition last year.
Nearly two years ago, a widespread report had Couric stepping down after the 2008 presidential election. But her much-heralded interview with vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin brought her newfound critical support, and the exit story soon faded away.
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