Couric Watch: $39 Million Over 3 Years?

Gail Shister says: “The deal for Couric at CBS is ’98 percent’ done, CBS insiders say.”

$$$: “Buzz on Couric’s CBS contract says it’s worth $39 million over three years. That would be on par with her 4 1/2-year, estimated $65 million deal with NBC.” (But the WP says “Couric is earning $15 million to $16 million a year under the contract she signed in 2001 and CBS is expected to exceed that.” $39 divided by 3 = $13 million a year.)

And: “Couric will do four to five pieces a year for 60 Minutes. 60 has only one regular female correspondent, Lesley Stahl, 64, and the corps’ average age is 66.” (In addition to 60 Minutes, she may “have some other opportunities for producing news programs for prime time at the network,” the NYT adds.)