Katie Couric facts for kids
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) |
Katherine Anne Couric (born January 7, 1957) is a famous American journalist and TV host. She started her own company, Katie Couric Media, which creates news and other media. She also writes a daily newsletter called Wake Up Call.
From 2013 to 2017, Katie was the Global News Anchor for Yahoo! News. She has worked as a TV host for all three major TV networks in the United States: NBC, CBS, and ABC. Early in her career, she was an editor for CNN.
Katie Couric was the first woman to be the main solo anchor of a major network's evening news show (CBS). In 2021, she made history again as the first woman to guest host the popular game show Jeopardy!. Besides news, she also hosted her own daytime talk show, Katie, from 2012 to 2014.
Some of her most important jobs include co-hosting Today, anchoring the CBS Evening News, and being a reporter for 60 Minutes. Her 2011 book, The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives, was a bestseller. In 2004, Katie Couric was honored by being added to the Television Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Katherine Anne Couric was born in Arlington County, 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 went to public schools in Arlington, Virginia, including Jamestown Elementary and Yorktown High School. She was a cheerleader in high school. While still a student, she interned at a radio station in Washington, D.C.
In 1975, she started college at the University of Virginia, which was her father's alma mater. She worked for the university's daily newspaper, The Cavalier Daily. Katie graduated in 1979 with a degree in American Studies.
Katie's TV Journey
Starting Her Career
Katie Couric began her career in 1979 at the ABC News office in Washington, D.C. She then joined CNN as an assignment editor. From 1984 to 1986, she worked as 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.
Her Time at NBC News
Katie Couric joined NBC News in 1989. She started as a reporter covering the Pentagon. From 1989 to 1991, she often filled in as a substitute anchor for various NBC news programs.
In February 1991, Katie became a substitute co-host for the Today show. On April 5, 1991, she became the permanent co-anchor. She stayed at Today and NBC News for 15 years.
While at NBC, Katie sometimes filled in for anchors on NBC Nightly News. She also hosted the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for 14 years. Katie interviewed many important people, including presidents and celebrities. She won a Peabody Award for her series about colon cancer.
On May 31, 2006, Katie announced she was leaving NBC to join CBS. She returned to NBC briefly in 2017 to celebrate Matt Lauer's 20th anniversary on Today. She also co-hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies for NBC.
Moving to CBS News
Leading the CBS Evening News
On April 5, 2006, Katie Couric announced her move to CBS. She became the new anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News. She also contributed to 60 Minutes and hosted special news programs for CBS.
Katie's first broadcast as anchor of the CBS Evening News was on September 5, 2006. She earned a high salary, making her one of the highest-paid journalists. While her ratings improved for the show, it remained in third place compared to other networks.
The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric won the RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award for best newscast in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, Katie received the Emmy Governor's Award for her career. She interviewed many world leaders and famous people during her time at CBS.
Katie reported from major events like the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the Egyptian Revolution in 2011. She was the only solo female evening news anchor in the U.S. until Diane Sawyer joined ABC News in 2009. Katie left the CBS Evening News on May 19, 2011.
Reporting for 60 Minutes
As part of her CBS contract, Katie Couric was also a reporter for 60 Minutes. She contributed several stories each year to the show. She was the first to interview pilot Chesley Sullenberger after the "Miracle on the Hudson" plane landing.
Interviews with Sarah Palin
In 2008, Katie Couric interviewed Sarah Palin, who was running for Vice President. These interviews were shown many times before the election. Katie received an award for her journalism during these interviews.
CBS Reports and @katiecouric
Katie was the main reporter for two CBS Reports series. One series, "Children of the Recession," focused on how the economic downturn affected kids. This series won an award for excellence in journalism.
She also hosted a weekly online interview show called @katiecouric on CBSNews.com. She interviewed many famous people, including politicians, actors, and musicians.
Return to ABC News
Special Correspondent for ABC News
From 2011 to 2013, Katie Couric was a special correspondent for ABC News. She appeared on shows like Nightline and co-anchored coverage of the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Katie also guest-hosted popular talk shows like The View and Live! with Regis and Kelly. She hosted a special Thanksgiving program with Lady Gaga. In 2011, she created her annual special, The Year with Katie Couric, which reviewed the biggest news events and people of the year.
In April 2012, Katie filled in as co-anchor for Good Morning America. This was her first time hosting a morning news show since leaving Today.
Hosting Katie (Talk Show)
In June 2011, ABC announced that Katie Couric would host a new daytime talk show. The show, called Katie, started in September 2012. It was a mix of news and entertainment.
Katie often had ABC News reporters on her show to discuss important news. She also welcomed guests from other ABC shows. Katie was renewed for a second season, but it was later canceled in December 2013. The final episode aired in July 2014.
Yahoo! / ABC News (2014–2017)
In November 2013, Yahoo! hired Katie Couric as their Global Anchor for Yahoo! News. She started this new role in January 2014, interviewing important figures like former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
In 2015, Yahoo News and ABC News worked together more closely. Katie and other Yahoo editors appeared on Good Morning America. This partnership kept Katie involved with ABC News.
In her book Going There, Katie shared that she edited a 2016 interview with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Katie said she did this to "protect" Ginsburg from comments that might have been misunderstood.
In June 2017, Katie decided to end her full-time contract with Yahoo! News. She chose to work with them on a project basis instead, focusing on her own production company.
Other Work and Projects
Katie Couric has also used her voice for animated films. She was the voice of news reporter "Katie Current" in the movie Shark Tale. She has made small appearances in other movies and TV shows, like Austin Powers in Goldmember and Will & Grace.
In 2003, she switched places with Tonight Show host Jay Leno for a day. Katie also co-hosted NBC's live coverage of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for many years. She received the Golden Plate Award in 2005 for her achievements.
Katie has given graduation speeches at several universities, including her alma mater, the University of Virginia. She works with fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo to raise awareness about colorectal cancer. In 2010, she received an honorary degree for her efforts in cancer awareness.
In 2011, she received another honorary degree from Boston University. She also hosted a Sesame Street special called "When Families Grieve," which helped children understand the loss of a parent. In 2011, she guest-starred on the TV show Glee.
Katie 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.
Katie has also been an executive producer for several documentaries. In 2014, she produced and narrated Fed Up, which looked at the food industry and obesity. In 2016, she produced Under the Gun, about gun violence. Her company, Katie Couric Media, partnered with National Geographic to produce documentaries like Gender Revolution (2017). She also produced Flint (2017), a drama about the Flint water crisis. In 2018, she hosted America Inside Out with Katie Couric on National Geographic.
In 2019, she was an executive producer for the Netflix miniseries Unbelievable. In January 2021, Katie Couric was a guest host for the game show Jeopardy!.
Personal Life and Charitable Work
Family and Relationships
Katie Couric married attorney John Paul "Jay" Monahan III in 1989. They had two daughters: Elinor Tully "Ellie" (born 1991) and Caroline "Carrie" (born 1996). Sadly, her husband Jay died from colorectal cancer in 1998 when he was 42 years old.
In September 2013, Katie became engaged to financier John Molner. They married in a small ceremony at her home in The Hamptons on June 21, 2014. They also star in an online cooking series called Full Plate with Katie & John.
Katie's sister, Emily Couric, was a state senator in Virginia. Emily died from pancreatic cancer in 2001 at age 54. Katie has two other siblings, Clara Couric Batchelor and John M. Couric Jr.
Cancer Awareness and Advocacy
On September 28, 2022, Katie Couric shared that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of that year. She had surgery in July and began radiation treatment in September.
Katie has been a strong advocate for colon cancer awareness since her first husband died from the disease. In March 2000, she had a colonoscopy on live television. A study later showed that this encouraged many other people to get checked for colon cancer.
In October 2005, Katie also broadcast her own mammogram on the Today show. She hoped to inspire more people to get screened for breast cancer. She has also supported the National Hockey League's Hockey Fights Cancer campaign.
Katie has been honored for her work in raising cancer awareness. In 2011, she became the Honorary National Chair for the National Parkinson Foundation's Moving Day campaign. Her father died 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
