CBS News to Launch Web Interview Show Hosted by @KatieCouric

CBS and Katie Couric are no strangers to using the web to compliment broadcast news. Last year they streamed their coverage of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions to the web, with Couric playing anchor, and earlier this year Couric used Facebook to challenge followers to submit video clips.

Now the network is working with the primetime news personality to launch a live web-based show where Couric will delve deeper into issues with one-on-one guest interviews. The webcast, titled @KatieCouric, will include integrated Facebook chat and be broadcast live to the web on CBSNews.com.

Tomorrow’s debut episode airs online at 7:00pm ET with guest Glenn Beck, who will be discussing politics and his new book with the anchorwoman. On Thursday, Couric will follow-up with viewers for a conversational online video discussion from 2:00 to 2:30pm ET, hosted on both CBSNews.com and Couric’s Facebook Page.

We’re not surprised by the @KatieCouric web show, especially given Couric’s social media presence, and find it to be a logical next step that we expect more networks to emulate. We already know that television viewers are also simultaneous web users.

Plus, with news networks like CNN bringing live content to the web throughout the day via CNN Live, it just makes sense to leverage made-for-web content to tap into online audiences and dissect topics with more analysis than typically allowed for during on-air broadcasts.

Tags: @katiecouric, cbs, katie couric, ONLINE VIDEO, webcast