Disney expected to woo Couric for ABC

Disney, parent company of ABC, is expected to make a play for Katie Couric, who could anchor/host a syndicated daytime talk show on WABC/7 in the fall of 2012 and also have a role on some network news programs, according to industry observers and various reports Thursday. Assuming an offer comes, CBS has a little under a month to match it.

Couric's show would be syndicated -- as opposed to a network program such as "The View."

The distinction is important because network shows are guaranteed time slots while syndicated ones have to fight hard for them.

The risk for any new syndicated offering is that key afternoon time periods have already been sewn up by "Dr. Phil" and "Judge Judy" for years to come, squeezing out newcomers. That's considered one reason CBS' talks with Couric broke off; CBS already has those shows on many of its stations.

For Couric, the advantage at ABC may be time. Two new lifestyle programs are replacing "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" this September and next January. But "the odds of both" newcomers succeeding is "50/50," said one industry observer. If one fails, a time slot would open for Couric.

There was some speculation Thursday that "General Hospital" might even be canceled to give Couric a 3 p.m. slot. But outright cancellation is considered unlikely because "GH" is the second-highest rated daytime soap among women, 18 to 49. However, it could also be moved to an earlier time slot, if one of the new lifestyle shows flops.

Couric's spokesman declined to comment Thursday.

SEE PHOTOSKatie Couric at work and play