Report: Katie Couric to Leave CBS Evening News

Katie Couric is leaving her post at CBS Evening News, The Associated Press reports.

Less than five years after she became the first woman to solely anchor a network TV nightly newscast, Couric is expected to announce her departure. She has plans to launch her own syndicated talk show in 2012, according to the AP.

The Biz: Is Katie Couric headed to daytime?

Couric's contract with CBS expires June 4, and the network has given no official word. "We're having ongoing discussions with Katie Couric," CBS News spokeswoman Sonya McNair told the AP Sunday. "We have no announcements to make at this time. Until we do, we will continue to decline comment on rumor or speculation."

Couric left NBC's Today  2006 for CBS. Despite her popularity on the morning show, Couric's evening program has consistently placed third behind NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams and Diane Sawyer's World News on ABC.

Russ Mitchell, Scott Pelley and Harry Smith are among the names being mentioned as possible replacements for Couric, the AP reports.