Via Page Six:

July 22, 2006 — "ACCESS Hollywood" expressed "regret" last night for reporting on its Web site that Katie Couric would refuse to set foot in dangerous war zones as the new anchor of the "CBS Evening News."

Earlier this week, the NBC-owned celebrity news show's Web site stated: "Katie Couric, who takes over the 'CBS Evening News' in September, told 'Access Hollywood' that at this point, she would not venture into the Middle East hot spot. 'I think the situation there is so dangerous, and as a single parent with two children, that's something I won't be doing,' Katie said."

That comment was widely reported yesterday, including on Page Six. But it turns out to be an old quote that "Access Hollywood" took out of context. In a clarification, a spokeswoman for the show said Couric's remarks "were from a previous interview on May 30 in regards to whether or not she would go to Iraq in light of injured CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier."

Meanwhile, an NBC "insider" tells Jossip it was not a conspiratorial swipe against Couric for leaving CBS, just an innocent screw-up.

To paraphrase, then, for CBS, NBC and Katie: Move on people, nothing to see here. Until September anyway.