Couric predicted that the "pretentious era" of the evening-news anchor is going to be a thing of the past.

Couric, who was speaking during a Q&A session with "60 Minutes" correspondent Lesley Stahl, added that she "resents" being asked how difficult it will be to make the transition from the "lightness" of morning news to the more "sober" evening news.

"Anyone who watches 'Today' knows that I've done more hard-hitting interviews than any evening news anchor," she said.

"There's an awful lot of work to do," McManus said. Viewers will see some changes when Couric joins -- including a new set, graphics and music -- but any changes "may not be revolutionary" and the broadcast will "evolve over time."

"Dramatic differences might impress a lot of critics, but they also will alienate the core group of viewers who still watch every night,"

(OK, I give up. Who the hell is this person and what is this news thing at 6 PM she rants of? She's reportedly getting 15 million dollars each year to present 1/2 hour of news 5 nights each week plus a couple of those "hard-hitting" interviews she's famous for. That'll sure be less pretentious I guess. Most people I know making less than 15 million are less pretentious than those who make more. I know one person who watches news at 6 PM. That's my dad and he wouldn't watch a woman deliver it if you set his feet on fire otherwise. It's a matter of gravitas you see, women won't ever have gravitas. I can't imagine anyone with a computer and a fast connection that watches any TV news whatever today. Dad has WebTV and dial up for it. By time the news is delivered as 6 PM it's old, stale, rehashed. At 6:15 if you're reporting an event that happened at 6:10 you may be timely, other than that, it ain't news, it's entertainment. I don't care about new graphics, a flashy new set and I really don't care about her interpetation of the news...her's or anyone elses. I want the facts, I'll make up my own mind from that point, thanks. I have more live news feeds than she does, right here at my fingers. Honest to God, I know she's a personality of some sort, I just don't know why. And I'll promise you this...I'm better informed, more aware, more up-to-date than anyone who turns on the box in their living room for anything other than SpongeBob SquarePants! They call it "The Boob Tube" because that's was it is. Jerry Springer anyone?