Katie Couric is leaving her anchor post at the “CBS Evening News” less than five years after becoming the first woman to helm a network TV evening newscast.

A network executive, who asked not to be identified, reported the move to The Associated Press last night. The 54-year-old anchor is expected to launch a syndicated talk show in 2012.

Couric’s move to CBS News from NBC’s “Today” show was big news in 2006.

She tried to incorporate her strengths as an interviewer into a standard evening news format, and millions of people who normally didn’t watch the news at night checked it out.

But they drifted away and her newscast reverted to a more traditional broadcast.

After a few weeks, the “CBS Evening News” settled into third place in the ratings and is well behind leader Brian Williams at NBC’s “Nightly News” and second-place Diane Sawyer at ABC’s “World News.”

No departure date has been set for Couric, but her CBS contract expires June 4. -Source

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