"CBS Evening News" anchor Katie Couric is the latest name being floated as a possible successor to Oprah Winfrey in the "who will rule daytime?" sweepstakes. Syndicators have reportedly approached Couric, whose current contract expires in May, about helming a daytime talk show beginning in 2012. If she agrees, she'll be taking on another new contender: CNN's Anderson Cooper, whose daytime talker, "Anderson" — set to debut in fall 2011 with an emphasis on "water-cooler topics" and personal stories — has already been bought by 80 local TV channels looking for another Winfrey. Critics consider the odds:
Couric has a real shot: Oprah's departure leaves "a huge hole in the daytime arena," says Charlie Toft at Film.com, and "Couric might be the only person with the name recognition to come close to filling it." Her time at the "Today" show left her adept with lighter topics, and "she's not above the sort of personal sharing that Oprah turned into an art form."
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