Bob Costas And Brian Williams (But Not Katie Couric) To Co-Host Olympic Opening Ceremonies;

[Joseph_Gallant]

Bob Costas And Brian Williams (But Not Katie Couric) To Co-Host Olympic Opening Ceremonies;

NBC has issued a press release announcing on-air talent for the network's coverage of this Friday's (February 10th) Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Turin/Torino.

It was a given that NBC primetime Olympic host Bob Costas would host or co-host the broadcast. As widely expected, NBC "Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams will be joining Costas.

But many in and out of the industry expected "Today" co-hostess Katie Couric would be joining Costas and Williams. She isn't.

The NBC press relaase stated that Couric would not be part of the Opening Ceremonies telecast because "she will miss this week's Opening Ceremonies rehearsals in Torino due to her live anchoring of the 'Today Show' from Rome, Florence, and Milan beginning (Monday)".

This is spin that would make a politician proud!

The real reason: NBC does not want to give a prime-time showcase to someone who is likely to be leaving the network soon to jump to CBS and anchor their evening newscast.

I feel that if NBC thought they had any chance of keeping Couric, she would have been joining Costas and Williams in Turin/Torino on Friday's Opening Ceremonies broadcast.

To me, this is the strongest indication yet that Katie Couric is about to jump networks.

 

[Almo]

Katie rumors

> > The real reason: NBC does not want to give a prime-time
> showcase to someone who is likely to be leaving the network
> soon to jump to CBS and anchor their evening newscast.
>
> I feel that if NBC thought they had any chance of keeping
> Couric, she would have been joining Costas and Williams in
> Turin/Torino on Friday's Opening Ceremonies broadcast.
>
> To me, this is the strongest indication yet that Katie
> Couric is about to jump networks.
<font color=green>From TMZ:Insiders directly connected with NBC News tell TMZ that Meredith Vieira is now first choice to replace Katie Couric if she leaves 'Today.'

There's also talk of expanding 'Today' to four hours. If that happens, TMZ is told that Campbell Brown, once the frontrunner to replace Katie, would anchor a portion of the program.

We're told currently there's a 70 percent chance that Katie will jump to CBS.

And get this -- NBC insiders say another name the network has kicked around is Kelly Ripa, though we're told she is currently not available.

Insiders tell TMZ Vieira currently pulls in more than $5 million for her work on 'The View' and 'Millionaire.'

Vieira, once a correspondent with '60 Minutes' left CBS because she did not want to work as hard as the job demanded. Vieira has three children and a husband who has health issues.

</font>