Katie Couric facts for kids
Katherine Anne Couric (born January 7, 1957) is a well-known American journalist and TV presenter. She started her own company, Katie Couric Media, which creates news and other content. She also writes a daily newsletter called Wake Up Call and hosts a podcast called Next Question with Katie Couric.
Couric has worked as a host at all three major TV networks in the United States: NBC, CBS, and ABC. Early in her career, she was an editor for CNN. She was the first woman to be the main solo anchor for a major network's evening news program (CBS). From 2013 to 2017, she was Yahoo's Global News Anchor. In 2021, she was the first woman to guest host the popular game show Jeopardy!.
Besides news, Couric also hosted a daytime talk show called Katie from 2012 to 2014. Some of her most important jobs include co-hosting Today, anchoring the CBS Evening News, and being a correspondent for 60 Minutes. Her 2011 book, The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives, was a bestseller. In 2004, Couric was honored by being added to the Television Hall of Fame.
Quick facts for kids
Katie Couric
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Couric in 2012
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| Born |
Katherine Anne Couric
January 7, 1957 Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
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| Education | University of Virginia (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
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Notable credit(s)
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Today CBS Evening News 60 Minutes Katie Yahoo! News |
| Spouse(s) |
Jay Monahan
(m. 1989; died 1998)John Molner
(m. 2014) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Emily Couric (sister) Jeff Wadlow (nephew) |
| Awards | Television Hall of Fame (2004) |
Contents
Early Life and Education
Katie Couric was born in Arlington, Virginia. Her mother, Elinor Tullie, was a homemaker and writer. Her father, John Martin Couric Jr., worked in public relations and was a news editor. Katie grew up in a Presbyterian family.
She went to Jamestown Elementary, Williamsburg Middle School, and Yorktown High School. In high school, she was a cheerleader and interned at a radio station. In 1975, she started college at the University of Virginia, her father's old school. She worked for the college newspaper, The Cavalier Daily. Katie graduated in 1979 with a degree in American Studies.
Television Career Highlights
Starting in Television
Katie Couric's first job in 1979 was at ABC News in Washington, D.C. She then joined CNN as an assignment editor. From 1984 to 1986, she was a reporter for WTVJ in Miami, Florida.
For the next two years, she reported for WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. Her work there earned her an Associated Press award and an Emmy Award.
Time at NBC News
Couric joined NBC News in 1989. She often filled in as an anchor for various NBC news shows, including Today and Meet The Press.
She also returned to NBC in 2018 to help host the Winter Olympics opening ceremonies. She provided additional coverage and interviewed athletes.
Co-hosting Today (1991–2006)
In 1989, Couric became a national political correspondent for Today. She became a permanent co-anchor on April 5, 1991. In 1994, she also co-anchored Now with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric, a weekly news show.
She stayed at Today and NBC News for fifteen years. On May 31, 2006, she announced she was moving to CBS to anchor the CBS Evening News. This made her the first solo female anchor of a major network's weekday evening news program.
While at NBC, Couric sometimes filled in for anchors on NBC Nightly News. She also hosted the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for 14 years. Couric interviewed many important people, including presidents and famous figures. She won a Peabody Award for her series about colon cancer.
On May 28, 2008, Couric returned to Today to promote Stand Up to Cancer. She appeared with other news anchors to raise awareness about cancer. In January 2017, she returned for a week to co-host Today again.
Moving to CBS News
Anchoring CBS Evening News (2006–2011)
On April 5, 2006, Couric announced she was leaving Today. CBS then confirmed she would be the new anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News. She also contributed to 60 Minutes and hosted prime-time news specials. Couric's salary at CBS made her one of the highest-paid journalists. Her first broadcast as anchor was on September 5, 2006.
CBS promoted her arrival heavily, hoping to boost viewership. While her ratings were better than her predecessor's, CBS Evening News remained third in viewership.
The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric won the Edward R. Murrow Award for best newscast in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, Couric received the Emmy Governor's Award for her career.
She interviewed many world leaders and celebrities, including President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Couric led CBS News' coverage of several elections. She was also the first network anchor to report from Port au Prince after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. She reported from the Gulf Coast during the BP oil spill and from Cairo during the Egyptian Revolution in 2011.
Couric was the only solo female evening news anchor in the U.S. until Diane Sawyer joined ABC in 2009. In early 2011, Couric announced she would leave CBS Evening News. Her final broadcast was on May 19, 2011.
Reporting for 60 Minutes (2006–2011)
Couric was a correspondent for 60 Minutes, contributing several stories each year. She was the first to interview pilot Chesley Sullenberger after the "Miracle on the Hudson" plane landing.
Interviews with Sarah Palin (2008)
Couric conducted a series of interviews with Sarah Palin, who was running for Vice President in 2008. These interviews were shown many times before the election. Couric received an award for her journalism excellence for these interviews.
CBS Reports (2009–2011)
Couric was the main reporter for two CBS Reports series. The first, "CBS Reports: Children of the Recession", focused on how the economic downturn affected children. This series won an award for excellence in journalism. The second series, "CBS Reports: Where America Stands", looked at major issues facing the United States.
@katiecouric (2009–2011)
Couric hosted a weekly online interview show on CBSNews.com. She interviewed many famous people, including Al Gore, Michelle Obama, and Justin Bieber.
Returning to ABC News
Special Correspondent (2011–2013)
From 2011 to 2013, Couric was a special correspondent for ABC News. She co-anchored coverage of the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Couric also guest-hosted popular talk shows like The View.
She created an annual special called The Year with Katie Couric. This program looked back at the biggest news events and newsmakers of the year.
Hosting Katie (2012–2014)
In June 2011, ABC announced that Couric would host a new daytime talk show. The show, called Katie, started in September 2012. It was the second online show Couric was involved with.
Katie often featured ABC News reporters and anchors who discussed important news events. The show was renewed for a second season in 2013. However, it was canceled in December 2013 due to low ratings. The last episode aired on July 30, 2014.
New Media Ventures
Yahoo! News (2014–2017)
In November 2013, Yahoo! hired Couric as their Global Anchor for Yahoo! News. She started this role on January 13, 2014, with an interview with former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
In March 2015, Yahoo News and ABC News expanded their partnership. Couric and other Yahoo editors appeared on Good Morning America. In June 2017, Couric decided to end her contract with Yahoo! News to focus on her own company.
Katie Couric Media (2017–Present)
In 2017, Couric started her own media company, Katie Couric Media. This company produces her newsletter, Wake Up Call, and her weekly podcast, Next Question, with iHeartMedia.
Other Projects and Appearances
Katie Couric has also worked on animated films, voicing a news reporter in Shark Tale. She made cameo appearances in movies like Austin Powers in Goldmember and TV shows like Murphy Brown and Will & Grace. She also co-hosted NBC's live coverage of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for many years.
She has given graduation speeches at several universities, including her alma mater, the University of Virginia. Couric works with designers to raise awareness about colorectal cancer. In 2010, she received an honorary degree for her efforts in cancer awareness.
In 2011, she hosted a Sesame Street special called "When Families Grieve," which helped children understand what happens when a parent dies. In 2011, she also guest-starred on the TV show Glee.
Couric has written two children's books, The Brand New Kid (2000) and The Blue Ribbon Day (2004). The Brand New Kid became a New York Times bestseller. Her third book, The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives, was published in 2011. All profits from this book go to Scholarship America.
In 2013, Couric aired a segment on the HPV vaccine. Some critics felt the segment focused too much on rare side effects. Couric later clarified her stance, emphasizing the vaccine's safety and effectiveness.
Couric has also been an executive producer for several films. In 2014, she produced and narrated Fed Up, a documentary about the food industry and obesity. In 2016, she produced and narrated Under the Gun, a documentary about gun violence. This film faced criticism for an edited segment, leading to a lawsuit that was later dismissed. Her company has partnered with National Geographic to produce documentaries like Gender Revolution (2017). She also produced Flint (2017), a drama about the Flint, Michigan, water crisis. In 2018, Couric hosted a series called America Inside Out with Katie Couric on National Geographic Channel.
In 2019, she was an executive producer for the Netflix miniseries Unbelievable. In January 2021, Couric served as a guest host for Jeopardy!.
Personal Life and Charity Work
Family
Katie Couric married attorney John Paul "Jay" Monahan III in 1989. They had two daughters, Elinor and Caroline. Her husband sadly passed away from colorectal cancer in 1998 when he was 42 years old.
In September 2013, she got engaged to financier John Molner. They married in a small ceremony in June 2014. They also star in an online cooking series together.
Her sister, Emily Couric, who was a state senator in Virginia, died from pancreatic cancer in 2001. Katie has two other siblings, Clara and John Jr.
Cancer Awareness
On September 28, 2022, Couric shared that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer earlier that year. She had surgery in July and began radiation treatment in September.
Couric has been a strong advocate for colon cancer awareness since her first husband's death. In March 2000, she had a colonoscopy on live television. A study later showed that this encouraged many other people to get checked. In 2005, she also broadcast her own mammogram to raise awareness for breast cancer. She has also supported the National Hockey League's Hockey Fights Cancer campaign.
Couric has been honored for her work in increasing cancer awareness. In 2011, she became the Honorary National Chair for the National Parkinson Foundation's Moving Day campaign. Her father passed away in 2011 from complications related to Parkinson's disease.
Images for kids
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Couric in 2012
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Couric hosting the 63rd Annual Peabody Awards
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Couric in 2007
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Couric with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Mosul, Iraq, April 8, 2011
See also
In Spanish: Katie Couric para niños
