Wanted: Evening News Anchor

B. Barket

After two brutal years of Katie Couric's perkiness, CBS seeks seasoned journo with gravitas, grit, and a loyal following. Who should fill the chair? A few suggestions:

cbs 60 minutes correspondent lesley stahl

P. Kramer

Wanted: Evening News Anchor

Lesley Stahl, correspondent, CBS's 60 Minutes
GOING FOR HER: Lady-who-lunches style belies killer instinct honed at CBS's fabled news division. Has interviewed heavyweights like Boris Yeltsin, Yasser Arafat, and Antonin Scalia.
GOING AGAINST HER: Was passed over for Katie in '06, and reportedly responded to the slight by trashing her all over town.

F.M. Brown

Wanted: Evening News Anchor

Ann Curry, news anchor, NBC's Today
GOING FOR HER: Played the dignified sidekick to Couric's toothy antics on Today; has covered breaking news in Baghdad, Rwanda, and Darfur.
GOING AGAINST HER: Would her loveliness distract viewers from the news she's delivering? Because she is so, so lovely.

bbc world news america correspondent katty kay

A. Wong

Wanted: Evening News Anchor

Katty Kay, correspondent, BBC's World News America
GOING FOR HER: Scary-smart, and has more stateside viewers than higher-profile Yank anchors Chris Matthews and Wolf Blitzer.
GOING AGAINST HER: The snooty English accent and a name that sounds like that of a talking doll our mother played with when she was 6.

Larry Busacca

Wanted: Evening News Anchor

Gwen Ifill, moderator, PBS's Washington Week
GOING FOR HER: Reportedly called "the cleaning lady" by charming Don Imus, she's a no-nonsense Beltway vet best known for her blunt crossfires.
GOING AGAINST HER: Passed on a gig with NBC, in part because PBS allows longer, more in-depth pieces. The CBS Evening News has time for about 10 minutes of reporting, with the remaining 20 devoted to Cialis ads.