Katie Couric’s ABC Talker Gets a Name: ‘Katie’

By Alex Weprin 

Former “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric has settled on a name for her upcoming ABC talk show, two people familiar with the decision tell TVNewser. The program will be called simply “Katie,” when it debuts in Fall 2012.

Disney-ABC is preparing to market the show to stations and advertisers, and has already put together marketing materials, some of which was provided to TVNewser.

At the Promax/BDA conference in June, former NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker–who serves as executive producer on Couric’s upcoming show–hinted at its name when talking about the host:

Advertisement

“I think Katie is a unique brand in television,” Zucker said at the time. “The mere fact that you can just say Katie and know who we are talking about is evidence of that.”

Social media and interactivity will play a big role in the show, which is still in the early stages of development. Disney-ABC is currently building out a few websites for the program, including www.TalkToKatie.com, which is expected to serve as a hub at which viewers and Couric can interact.

Couric has continued to have a strong presence on social media platforms since she left CBS News in May. After leaving CBS she cut a deal with ABC that will see her contribute to ABC News for a year in advance of her daytime talker from Disney-ABC. With Couric now working more or less full-time at ABC, she has begun staffing up in advance of her show.

With the end of Oprah Winfrey’s “Oprah” earlier this year, syndicators see an opportunity to try and fill that void. Another prominent news anchor will be touching down in syndication this year with an  eponymous program, when CNN’s Anderson Cooper launches “Anderson.”

Advertisement