Couric to Make ‘Major Announcement’
CBS Evening News Anchor to Spearhead Three-Network Cancer Fund-Raiser in September
By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/27/2008 12:19:00 PM
Katie Couric's "major announcement" that Matt Lauer teased on Tuesday morning's Today is a three-network cancer fund-raiser planned for September.
Couric, of course, has made colon-cancer research and fund-raising a personal mission since her husband, Jay Monahan, died of the disease 10 years ago.
The Sept. 5 primetime special, Stand Up to Cancer, is designed to raise money and awareness about cancer research and prevention. It will be commercial-free and shown on ABC, CBS and NBC and will include the participation of all three evening-news anchors -- Couric, NBC's Brian Williams and ABC's Charles Gibson. There will also be appearances from film, TV and music stars.
All three anchors will make the rounds on Wednesday's morning shows to talk up the initiative. Couric, Gibson and Williams will appear on CBS' Early Show first, followed by Today and ABC's Good Morning America.
Lauer's tease once again revved up the media speculation about Couric's future at CBS News and misleadingly made it sound as if Couric was giving the announcement exclusively to Today.
The CBS Evening News anchor has been the subject of much speculation regarding her likely truncated future at CBS News, which announced last week that Bob Schieffer, who planned to retire after the election, will stay put for at least a few more years.
