Doomed-from-the-start Evening News anchor Katie Couric and her record-low ratings may be parting ways with CBS well before the expiration of her $15-million-per-year contract. Inked to stay on board through 2011, the once-maven of morning television has had an extraordinarily rough go in evening news since she signed on to replace interim anchor Bob Schieffer—who had sat in for Dan Rather after the Bush National Guard affair—in June 2006.

The Wall Street Journal speculates that Couric may depart as early as January—once the aftermath of the presidential election simmers—and could potentially fill the benign interviewer seat of 74-year-old Larry King (who, as a side note, recently got tossed from his son's little league game).

CBS denies the break-up rumors in The LA Times.