Katie Couric Joins ABC With Syndicated Talk Show

ABC Television announced on Monday it has signed a multi-year, multi-platform agreement with Katie Couric to host and produce her own nationally syndicated talk show and to join the ABC News team, said Anne Sweeney, president, Disney/ABC Television Group and co-chair, Disney Media Networks.

Couric will be reunited with Jeff Zucker, who will be an executive producer with Couric on the yet-to-be-named syndicated series, which will be based in New York and produced in conjunction with Disney/ABC.

In addition to hosting the new syndicated program, Couric will join the ABC News team, contributing to all programs and platforms.

Beginning this summer, Couric will anchor specials, contribute interviews, participate in special events coverage and bring her many talents to bear on some of the most important and interesting stories of the day.

“Katie Couric is one of television’s iconic figures and we are thrilled to have forged such an exciting partnership with her,” Sweeney said. “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.”

“I’m very happy to be returning to the network where I began my career as a desk assistant in 1979,” Couric said. “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.”

“It was a blast working with Katie at ‘Today’ and I’m excited to do it again,” said Zucker. “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.”

Couric’s new syndicated show will premiere in September of 2012 on KESQ News Channel 3.