Ratings whores: CBS News willing to kill Katie

You'd figure that Les Moonves and company would have gotten the hint when ABC's anchorman Bob Woodruff got his head half blown off while driving through the warzone in Iraq for a photo ops and a few ratings points (not to mention what happened to their own Kimblerly Dozier and crew). But CBS News is desperate and the new season is around the corner, so they're pulling off a dangerous stunt by shipping off 50-year-old single mother of two young daughters Katie Couric into the danger zone. Not only will this be Katie's first visit to such a deadly spot (playing for the cameras with a price on your head is a lot different from sitting in a director's chair, showing leg at Columbine)-- CBS is saddling her with her new, publicity-happy producer, the bombastic Rick Kaplan, who just happens to be six feet seven inches tall and weighs close to 300 pounds.

Sez one of our correspondents: "Kaplan will be a great target. How stupid is this stunt?"

Saddest part: This will get freak show ratings for a night or two, then the Katie News will sink back into nowhereland and Katie will inch closer to a permanent gig on 60 Minutes or afternoon talk.