The Ticker: McManus, Dedman, Smoking…

> The managing of expectations continues ahead of Katie Couric‘s debut: In today’s Inquirer, CBS News prez Sean McManus insists that he’s “more concerned about ratings in September 2007 than September 2006…”

> “Good Morning America is days away from naming a new weather person and news reader for the morning show,” FTVLive says…

> P.R.: Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Bill Dedman is joining MSNBC.com’s investigative projects reporting team…

> A year after Peter Jennings‘s death, ABC employees are still smoking at Peter Jennings Way, the American Council on Science and Health asserts…

> Richard Huff: “Finally, a new study finds a benefit of watching TV. That’s the good news. The bad? To get the full benefit of television in this case, you’ve got to be a kid and get stuck with a needle…”