Yahoo Adds Video Program With Katie Couric
Yahoo Inc. unveiled on Wednesday a new web series starring veteran TV anchor Katie Couric, one of a growing number of television and Hollywood personalities jumping into the online video world.
Couric will host a weekly program on Yahoo, starting next Tuesday, called "Katie's Take." On the show, Couric will be doing a lot of what she did first as the co-host of NBC's "Today" morning show and then as a newscaster on the CBS "Evening News," talking about news and social trends, with a particular focus on nutrition, parenting and health.
Couric, who has a new afternoon talk show syndicated by Walt Disney Co.'s ABC coming this fall, is appearing on Yahoo as part of an agreement between the web company and ABC.
Couric's new show was one of a number of new video programs to be detailed by Yahoo Wednesday afternoon in a presentation for advertisers. Other programs include a talk show starring actor Jeff Goldblum. Yahoo had previously announced that Tom Hanks is starring in a sci-fi series he has created, "Electric City," set to debut in the summer on the web outlet.
Yahoo's advertiser presentation followed a similar event staged by AOL Inc. Tuesday night, another by Hulu LLC last week and precedes one planned by Google Inc.'s YouTube next week.
Each has been beefing up its investment in new programming in hopes of attracting more viewers. And by staging the events for advertisers, as TV networks have done for years, online video outlets are hoping to attract more advertising dollars.