History made 19 Years Ago

Nineteen years ago, in a media landscape that now feels worlds away, television history was made.

On September 5, 2006, Katie Couric, a familiar face from morning television, stepped into one of the most venerated roles in broadcast journalism, making her highly anticipated debut as the first solo female anchor of a weekday network evening news program, the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

The milestone moment came after Couric had spent 15 years as the popular co-anchor of NBC's The Today Show. Her move to the prestigious anchor desk at CBS was a seismic shift in the industry, filling the void left by the legendary Dan Rather. Rather had helmed the broadcast since 1981 but departed in March 2005 following a controversial report on President George W. Bush's military service.

While the pioneering Barbara Walters had broken ground as the first woman to co-anchor a network evening news broadcast alongside Harry Reasoner at ABC from 1976 to 1978, the anchor's chair had remained exclusively male territory for solo presenters. Couric's debut, backed by immense hype, shattered that long-standing tradition.

Looking back from today, it’s remarkable to consider the gravity of that single broadcast. The initial episode drew a massive audience, eager to witness the historic event. Though the show's ratings would eventually trail its competitors, NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams and ABC's World News with Charles Gibson, the impact of her appointment was undeniable. Katie Couric held the anchor position for five years, until May 2011, forever changing the face of evening news just 19 years ago today.