why did katie couric leave the today show

Katie Couric left the "Today" show in 2006 after 15 years as co-host. She made the decision to leave because she wanted to take on a new challenge as the first woman to be the sole anchor of a network evening newscast at CBS Evening News. Couric felt restless at "Today" and wanted to be respected more for her serious journalism skills. She also sensed the show was becoming softer with less hard news and more sensational segments. Despite NBC offering her a lucrative contract to stay, she chose the CBS opportunity to advance her career and break new ground for women in broadcast journalism. Katie described leaving as very difficult because of her strong connection to the "Today" audience and her close relationships with the show's staff and co-anchors.