CBS to put 'Evening News' with Couric live on Web (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - CBS said on Thursday it will streamits prime-time news program with Katie Couric live on theInternet simultaneously with the newscast, a first for a majorTV network that highlights U.S. broadcasters' rapid expansionon the Web.

The Web casts will begin when Couric first sits in the "CBSEvening News" anchor chair on September 5 in a high-profilearrival after leaving her co-host job on NBC's "Today" morningshow.

Couric takes the post that was once held by Dan Rather andWalter Cronkite in a move aimed at boosting CBS from its No. 3position in network news viewership.

In the week ended August 11, for instance, rival NBCaveraged about 8.1 million viewers a night compared ABC's 7.5million and CBS's 6.9 million, according to Nielsen MediaResearch.

CBS's move to "simulcast" the Evening News and provideother Web content, such as a "Couric & Company" blog, alsomarks a new way for it to win wider audiences. Spokesmen forCBS's rivals were quick to point out that they offer Webcontent, too, although not live simulcasts of nightly news.

In a statement, CBS called its strategy a "groundbreakingdevelopment."

"It's another giant step toward providing CBS News contentto people wherever they are -- in their homes, in theiroffices, in their cars, on their computers or on their cellphones," said Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports.

In the past year, as high-speed broadband Web connectionsto homes and offices have reached mass market levels, thedemand for video online has greatly increased and networks arenow offering some shows for downloading on-demand.

NBC offers "NBC Nightly News" with anchor Brian Williamson-demand following the live newscast, and the network alsoputs out a Web blog on the day's news-gathering called "TheDaily Nightly."

ABC puts up a 15-minute original Web cast called "WorldNews" every afternoon, and it also offers a blog.

CBS will match and try to exceed its rival efforts. CBSsaid the Evening News also will be available on-demand, and itunveiled another new Web show, "Eye to Eye," hosted by Couricand featuring extended interviews which will be availableon-demand.

Other Internet content will be "CBS News First Look withKatie Couric," a live Web cast from the CBS news floor early inthe morning, and "Katie Couric's Notebook," a one-minuteglimpse of a top story or an important issue.

CBS is owned by CBS Corp., NBC is a unit of the NBCUniversal media division of General Electric Co., and ABC ispart of The Walt Disney Co..

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