WP: Anchor Katie Couric Blasts Into Third Place

[DeepModem Mom]

Anchor Katie Couric Blasts Into Third Place
By Lisa de Moraes
Tuesday, October 3, 2006; Page C01

CBS's Katie Couric-anchored newscast has fallen to third place in a three-way race for viewers among the broadcast evening newscasts, triggering an exuberant news release from CBS News marveling at Couric's unprecedented double-digit, across-the-board gains in her first month and celebrating her victory over the decades-old ratings curse that has plagued new anchors.

The multimillion-dollar campaign to launch Couric as anchor of the perennially third-place "CBS Evening News" delivered two weeks in which Couric's was the most-watched newscast. It opened with more than 10 million viewers and settled -- not unexpectedly -- down to about 7.9 million the second week.

Couric's slide continued in Week 3; she finished in second place with about 7.7 million viewers, behind perennial evening news winner Brian Williams, who logged about 8.2 million on NBC.

And, while final numbers on Couric's fourth week in office will come out today, it appears from preliminary stats that she has fallen to third place with about 7.5 million viewers, behind Williams's 8.2 million and Charles Gibson's 7.6 million at ABC. To get there, Williams and Gibson held firm week to week, while Couric continued to shed some viewers....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100201432.html

[Justice Is Comin]

1. And Phil Donahue sits out of work.

[Rowdyboy]

2. My partner and I watch the evening news, switching channels depending

on the current story. We were both fans of Katie and decided to give her a chance. After a couple of weeks, its WAY over. The CBS Evening News has become The morning Today Show's nightly edition. I reallt prefer real news (you now, like Colbert)....

[lpbk2713]

3. .... and Katie, you're doing a heck of a job.

Snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory.