60 Minutes has made a few headlines throughout this year, with many figures coming and going on the show. Recently, one series alum, Katie Couric, opened up about her time on the program. In one share, she discussed a time when a story she pitched was ultimately taken up by another famous co-worker.
Katie Couric Worked On 60 Minutes From 2006 To 2011
Couric is known for her prolific career as a journalist, having worked for various networks over the years, including ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, and CNN. From 2006 to 2011, she served as a special correspondent for 60 Minutes, alongside her role as an anchor for CBS Evening News.
Recently, viewers have seen a number of changes occur at 60 Minutes. Over the past months, a number of figures have made their departure from the show, including Tanya Simon, Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega, and Anderson Cooper.
Recently, Couric weighed in on her time on the show during an appearance on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast. At the time, she claimed that an executive producer with the program, whom she didn’t identify, didn’t like working with her.
Couric shared, “The head of 60 Minutes at the time, I think maybe because he wasn’t really consulted about bringing me over. I was sort of seen as somebody from a different network coming in and sort of muddying the waters. I hadn’t come up in the CBS system. So I don’t know, he just didn’t like me.”
In particular, Couric recalled a moment when a story she pitched concerning an up-and-coming star was rejected. However, she soon saw one of her co-workers get assigned to work on it.
Couric Shared Another Time When Her Story Was Reassigned Without Her Knowing
As Couric shared, “I always felt like 60 Minutes was a little behind on like, big cultural moments. I said, ‘There’s this incredible singer, and I think she’s gonna be the next Madonna. She’s so interesting… I think we should do a profile of this person: Lady Gaga.”
According to Couric, she allegedly made the pitch back in 2009 after the release of Gaga’s single, “Just Dance.” At the time, she was told that it wasn’t on brand for the show. However, the showrunners soon changed their mind once she had more hits.
Couric felt, “I was like, ‘Okay, well she’s kind of overexposed now.’ And I thought, you know, wouldn’t it be nice to get somebody right as they’re about to pop instead of a year later?” That said, Couric admitted that she was still excited about the story, only for her to be surprised to learn that it was instead assigned to Anderson Cooper.
Couric admitted that this wasn’t the only time something like this happened. Years later, she said that she was scheduled to interview Hillary Clinton. However, her producer later got a call, hearing that Scott Pelley was asked about interviewing the then–Secretary of State. When asked about it, Couric claims that she was told that the show decided to “change things up,” noting that she was upset that this happened behind her back.
What is your reaction to Katie Couric’s recent share? Have you been following this story? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
