Katie Couric has officially signed a multi-year, multi-platform deal with Disney/ABC Television Group.
The centerpiece of Couric’s Disney/ABC deal is an hour-long daytime show premiering in September 2012.
“I’m very happy to be returning to the network where I began my career as a desk assistant in 1979,” Couric says in the ABC release. “It is tremendously exciting to have the creative freedom to develop my own show with Anne Sweeney, the Disney/ABC TV Group and Jeff, and to contribute to such a vibrant, innovative news division. I can”t wait to be part of this incredibly talented, visionary team.”
The “Jeff” in question is, of course, Jeff Zucker. The departed NBC-Universal bigwig will serve as executive producer on the yet-to-be-titled syndicated series, which will be based in New York City. Couric and Zucker previously worked together on NBC’s “Today.”
“It was a blast working with Katie at ‘Today” and I”m excited to do it again,” Zucker states. “And besides, it should be more fun spending time with Katie at 3 or 4 in the afternoon than at 3 or 4 in the morning.”
With over a year before the premiere of the daytime show, Couric’s first move in her new corporate home will be joining the ABC News team, starting this summer. The network says Couric will anchor specials, contribute interviews, participate in special events coverage.
“Katie Couric is one of television”s iconic figures and we are thrilled to have forged such an exciting partnership with her,” states Anne Sweeney, president, Disney/ABC Television Group and co-chair, Disney Media Networks. “We look forward to having Katie join the best News team in the business, and to working with her to create a dynamic and successful talk show franchise.”
Couric worked on NBC’s “Today” from 1989 through 2006, serving as host or co-host through most of that run. She left “Today” in 2006 to become new anchor and managing editor for “CBS Evening News” and a regular contributor for “60 Minutes.” She announced her decision to leave her evening news position in April, formally leaving the anchor chair on May 19.