As the other papers caught up with The Wall Street Journal's report yesterday that Katie Couric may be out at the CBS Evening News in 2009, we learn a little bit more about the meetings and planning that have been going on. The Times reports that the issue of her early departure was raised in a February 28 meeting with Couric, her agent, CBS News president Sean McManus, and CBS chairman Les Moonves. It was, a source tells the paper, part of some "idle talk and musings" about the future of the program — but the prospect of her leaving was definitely discussed. And, the paper reports, she talked about the possibility of switching to her own talk show on CBS or taking over for Larry King. But the Post reports that the pressure is off the anchor until after the inauguration — CBS sources told the tabloid that only then will they sit down and officially discuss her future. Still, all this talk has already made Katie a lame duck — papers like the Daily News are already ranking the odds on who will replace her. To which we say: Go Go Gadget Anderson!

Couric’s Fate Was Topic A in CBS Suite [NYT]
DEADLINE PRESSURE ON KATIE [NYP]
What $75M Kat-astrophe, says CBS about Katie Couric [NYDN]
Earlier: Katie Couric's Last Stand