CameronMathison Cameron Mathison

What am I going to do now that AMC is going off the air? Find happiness from within! Looking fwd to teaching a 1-hr beginner meditation... ....class tomw (5/5) @kmccalifornia on looking inward for happiness, reducing our craving of external objects to make us feel good...

oh please he will go to GH or become a correspondent for GMA

http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/the-katie-couric-dilemma-is-she-abc-bound-or-is-cbs-bluffing/

As Katie Couric tomorrow enters the 30-day matching window with CBS News, during which her soon-to-be-former employer can match any offer from another company, it appears that the ex-CBS Evening News anchor has no offer on the table at the moment. That doesn't mean that she won't have a deal for a daytime talk show on June 5 when her deal with CBS News formally expires. But after possible suitors had been whittled to two -- CBS and ABC -- CBS TV Distribution pulled its offer for a syndicated daytime talk show with her over a week ago, before Couric officially announced her exit from CBS Evening News last Tuesday. Meanwhile, talks between Couric and ABC, which was the last major player to enter the fray, are ongoing as ABC is finalizing its offer. That offer is expected to include a syndicated talk show, which would give Couric the ownership and potential financial windfall she had been seeking, and not a network talker as some had speculated, so there will be no alienated soap opera fans who would blame Couric for the cancellations of One Life to Live and All My Children. Additionally, there will be a role for her at ABC News, including possibly pieces on primetime newsmagazine 20/20 but probably not the prominent role in the network's coverage of the 2012 presidential elections as some have speculated. As a sign of the different approaches at ABC and CBS, I hear ABC News president Ben Sherwood has been very deeply involved and even spearheading the process at ABC, while at CBS negotiations were reportedly led by the head of the company's syndicated division John Nogawski.

So is ABC now Couric's only option, or is CBS bluffing and will use its matching right to get her for less than they were originally willing to pay when NBC was a formidable bidder? Depends who you talk to. For CBS, which was the first company to begin discussions with Couric because of her association with CBS News, there certainly is an element of fatigue as talks had dragged on for months. Additionally, word was that there was some frustration over Couric's desire to continue to be very involved on the news side beyond the fall 2012 launch date of her daytime talk show. CBS' offer reportedly included a syndicated talk show with CBS TV Distribution, one of the leading producers of syndicated programming, as well as a beefed-up presence on 60 Minutes and CBS Sunday Morning and three primetime specials. But I hear there was a disagreement over how involved Couric should be in news after the launch of talk show, with CBS syndication executives wanting her to focus on the show and her requesting to continue juggling both. "It felt like she was just keeping her foot in news in case something with the talk show went sour," one person close to the matter said. So about 10 days ago, CBS pulled its offer, which was first reported by TV Guide Magazine. It was the latest company to do so. Time Warner's offer was handicapped by the fact that the company doesn't have a station group to help with the distribution of a daytime talk show and that the news opportunities were on the ratings-challenged CNN, which I hear was not appealing to Couric and her team of advisers, which includes former NBCU CEO and Today exec producer Jeff Zucker and Ed Wilson, so they passed on it. But the abrupt end of the talks with early frontrunner NBC was surprising. I hear it was triggered by the rumor circulated a month ago that Couric's former Today co-host Matt Lauer might join her on the talk show. Word is NBC, which has Lauer locked in on Today until the end of 2012, was so miffed by the speculation -- which some link to Zucker, who worked with Couric and Lauer at Today -- that they pulled out shortly thereafter. That is approximately when ABC seriously entered the picture. ABC, of course, had other daytime-related matters it had to attend to before tackling talks with Couric: the daytime overhaul with canceling OLTL and AMC and replacing them with reality series The Chew and The Revolution. To give Couric a syndicated daily talk show, ABC will probably have to give an hour of daytime programming back to the affiliates and that would likely be the 3 PM slot currently occupied by General Hospital though it doesn't necessarily mean that the sole soap on ABC's daytime schedule will be canceled as it may be moved to an early time period. The Chew and The Revolution are set to take over the 1 PM and 2 PM slots in the fall and in January but the odds are they won't both succeed, leading to a vacancy.

Sources close to Couric's camp indicate that there is still interest by CBS and call the offer retraction as "a good ploy to protect themselves if (Couric) goes to ABC," as CBS still has the right to match ABC's offer. Other suggest that CBS is serious in its decision to not pursue a talk show with Couric. Whatever the truth, CBS is certain to take a good look at ABC's offer to Couric, as her contract stipulates, before making a decision whether to match it or let her go. The situation puts ABC in a weird position: should they make a low offer now that they're the only player and risk CBS swooping in and easily matching it or go high and possibly overpay if CBS is indeed not interested. (I hear what the suitors for Couric have been willing to offer her was $10-$20 million as an advance toward profits from her talk show.) One way or another, there will probably be a signed deal with Katie Couric on June 5.

CameronMathison Cameron Mathison

What am I going to do now that AMC is going off the air? Find happiness from within! Looking fwd to teaching a 1-hr beginner meditation... ....class tomw (5/5) @kmccalifornia on looking inward for happiness, reducing our craving of external objects to make us feel good...

I think he's actually really serious about this meditation stuff. I don't think it's a full-time career for him though.

CameronMathison Cameron Mathison

...More info: http://tinyurl.com/434fkok Come join me if you're in the LA area!!

http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/the-katie-couric-dilemma-is-she-abc-bound-or-is-cbs-bluffing/

GH would never survive at an earlier time slot.

Edited May 5, 201114 yr by Jonathan

I like Katie okay but an hour with her seems about a half hour too long. Unlike the nightly news or even The Today Show, this show will rest more heavily on her personality and though she can be fun I fear she's more Jane Pauley than Oprah. Same goes for The Chew and The Revolution in terms of seeming a half hour too long. Watching that 3 hr. block seems arduous.

I am done with any and all articles that try to lay blame on everything other than the simple fact that soaps have been crippled by shitty writing and even worse acting.

Bye Bye GH.

Oh, but remember what Frons said? How they weren't talking with Katie Couric?

God, "that Brian Frons" is such a liar. GH should not feel comfortable, especially now that a K.C. show w/ the network is all but a done deal.

It always strikes me odd how Katie Couric's reputation within the television news industry rests largely on her years at "Today." First of all, Katie, people weren't tuning in to watch you chirp like a damn cheerleader at seven o'clock in the morning. (Two words: Matt. Lauer.) Second, never forget that "Today" rose to the top of the ratings at a time when its biggest competitor, "Good Morning America," was in serious free-fall.

But, whatever, Pep Squad Leader Katie. You're annoying and just a footnote in history. Diane Saywer has had more longevity in the business than you, and her best assets are covered all the time by the news desk!

Edited May 5, 201114 yr by Khan

But wait, there's more!

"But I hear there was a disagreement over how involved Couric should be in news after the launch of talk show, with CBS syndication executives wanting her to focus on the show and her requesting to continue juggling both. "It felt like she was just keeping her foot in news in case something with the talk show went sour," one person close to the matter said."

I'll give Couric credit for not being completely brain-dead; launching a daytime chat show is risky, at best. But CBS News isn't stupid either. Again, I argue people made "Today" number-one for reasons that had little-to-nothing to do with Couric. (Please, Nancy Grace has more credibility as a journalist than Couric - and I draw that comparison, btw, b/c Couric will be lucky if she ends up on Headline News or a similar, smaller news organization w/in the next five years.) Conversely, people have stayed away from the "CBS Evening News" for reasons that have everything to do with Couric. Therefore, it stands to reason that an increased participation on the other CBS News programs might be as detrimental to them as it has been to the flagship program. More importantly, though, CBS looks at their decision to bring on Couric and make her the new face of their news operation as a very costly mistake. This isn't like what happened @ ABC w/ Barbara Walters, who flopped at co-hosting the evening news, but who had had enough journalistic credibility from "Today" and other things to merit keeping her w/in the division. The only thing one could say for Couric's success at her old show is that she wasn't as bad as Deborah Norville; and now, CBS, realizing this empress has no clothes, just wants to be done with her. Others might argue the whole they-retracted-their-offer-to-see-what-ABC-will-do theory, but I really don't think so.

"To give Couric a syndicated daily talk show, ABC will probably have to give an hour of daytime programming back to the affiliates and that would likely be the 3 PM slot currently occupied by General Hospital though it doesn't necessarily mean that the sole soap on ABC's daytime schedule will be canceled as it may be moved to an early time period. The Chew and The Revolution are set to take over the 1 PM and 2 PM slots in the fall and in January but the odds are they won't both succeed, leading to a vacancy."

Wouldn't it be funny, though, if the following were to happen?

1) "The Chew" and "The Revolution" premiere and both become big hits.

2) GH either experiences an unexpected upswing in the ratings (hey, it's happened before!), or holds steady enough to where the higher-ups think twice about pulling the plug on their remaining soap.

Now, you have a full lineup (don't forget "The View!") and pretty much no place to put Couric's new show. What are you going to do, Mr. Frons? ;-)

Edited May 5, 201114 yr by Khan

SMH

http://www.tmz.com/2011/05/04/katie-couric-abc-deal-20-million-cbs-soap-opera-general-hospital-matt-lauer-news-syndicated-show-money-contract/

Katie Couric and ABC television are on the verge of signing a $20 million deal, which would give Katie her own talk show, as well as significant involvement in ABC News -- and the big casualty could be "General Hospital."

Sources connected with ABC tell TMZ -- under the deal that is in the final stages -- Katie would do specials for ABC News, "20/20," and do a significant amount of fill-in work -- including anchoring.

ABC would also give Katie a 1-hour, 5-day-a-week syndicated talk show, that would begin in September, 2012. Our sources say ... one option ABC is considering is giving its affiliates back the hour where "General Hospital" airs to make room for Katie. In other words, ABC would axe the third, longest-running soap in history and the last one standing on ABC.

ABC is also realistic, believing that one of its two new 2011 syndicated shows will fail, leaving room for K.C.

We're told ... when the dust settles and ABC's daytime schedule gets rearranged, Katie would probably land in the 3 PM time slot.

BTW ... we're told Matt Lauer will NOT be part of Katie's show.

As for the moola, our sources say the entire package for Katie and her partner, Jeff Zucker is a $20 million GUARANTEE for the syndicated show -- and that's just for the the first year. We're also told Katie will get a "nominal amount" for her work in the news division.

Edited May 5, 201114 yr by EyewitnessNews

One one hand they say they'll cancel GH for Katie, then they say either Chew or Revolution will fail and she coudl go there. I wonder which it is.

I don't think this will replace GH, I think GH will just be replaced by something else, but considering Frons went out and said GH was so healthy in terms of ratings, he will look like a fool when they cancel GH and start trotting out the ratings/demos again as a reason.

Oh, but remember what Frons said? How they weren't talking with Katie Couric?

God, "that Brian Frons" is such a liar. GH should not feel comfortable, especially now that a K.C. show w/ the network is all but a done deal.

Yep he specifically said they were't talking with Couric

I smell burning pants

I think he's actually really serious about this meditation stuff. I don't think it's a full-time career for him though.

CameronMathison Cameron Mathison

...More info: http://tinyurl.com/434fkok Come join me if you're in the LA area!!

Good for him. I've dumped more than my fair share of hate on CamMat but I support any way these people can show they're coming to terms with the end of the show and moving on. I have so much more respect for this approach than the ones who are still in the denial/anger/save our soaps stage.

My money is on The Revolution, The Chew, and Katie all failing.

I'll be surprised if they don't, especially with ABC's track record. Aside from Katie, which I assume they would want to succeed given the money they are paying her, I think they want to get out of the daytime business anyway, they're just not going to announce it yet, they will go in stages, until nothing is left but repeats or syndicated shows.