Nov. 25, 2013 1:14 p.m. ET
Katie Couric became the latest high-profile journalist to join a digital outlet, striking a deal with Yahoo, YHOO -0.53% Yahoo! Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq $36.30 -0.20 -0.53% Nov. 25, 2013 3:47 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 10.91M P/E Ratio 30.30 Market Cap $37.02 Billion Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee $406,873 11/25/13 Katie Couric to Leave ABC News... 11/22/13 Katie Couric Negotiating ABC N... 11/21/13 Convertible Bonds Get Lift Fro... More quote details and news » the company announced Monday.
Ms. Couric, the former anchor of "CBS Evening News" and the "Today" show, is giving up her role as special correspondent for ABC News to become a global anchor for Yahoo beginning in early 2014. In that role, she will conduct interviews with major newsmakers, report live on world events and lead a growing team of correspondents for Yahoo News, the company said.
Her syndicated talk show, "Katie," will be unaffected by the deal, although it is uncertain how long she will continue with that show.
"Katie's depth of experience, her intellectual curiosity, and her charisma make her the perfect choice to anchor Yahoo News and the whole Yahoo Network. Her unmatched energy, savvy, and versatility enables her to connect with audiences across the globe," said Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer in a statement. "News is a definitive daily habit for our users—and Katie will work with our talented editorial team to pioneer a new chapter of digital journalism."
Ms. Couric's move follows a string of Yahoo hires from the New York Times, NYT -1.86% New York Times Co. Cl A U.S.: NYSE $13.70 -0.26 -1.86% Nov. 25, 2013 3:47 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 446,475 P/E Ratio 17.35 Market Cap $2.09 Billion Dividend Yield 1.17% Rev. per Employee $352,201 11/07/13 AT&T Acknowledges Charging Gov... 10/31/13 Newspapers' Circulation Measur... 10/31/13 New York Times Reports Loss More quote details and news » including technology columnist David Pogue, political writer Matt Bai and former magazine editor Megan Liberman. The hirings are part of Ms. Mayer's effort to bring more attention-getting content to Yahoo and strengthen the company's online video presence.
It won't be Ms. Couric's first time in the online video space. While at CBS News, in addition to her traditional anchor duties, she hosted @katiecouric, a weekly online interview series, as well as anchoring webcasts during the 2008 election season.
"It is very exciting to be a part of a leading company at the intersection of content and technology," Ms. Couric said in a statement.
Although her two-year-old special correspondent relationship with ABC News will end as a result of the deal, as The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, Ms. Couric will remain closely tied to ABC. Yahoo and ABC News have had a content partnership since 2011.
Moreover, "Katie" is syndicated to local TV stations in the U.S. by a unit of ABC. The future of "Katie," now in its second season," is still being debated.
Write to Keach Hagey at keach.hagey@wsj.com
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