Compared to the other talk show competition: “Steve Harvey” debuted last week to a 1.5 rating/4 share, “Jeff Probst“ debuted yesterday to a 1 rating/3 share, “Ricki Lake“ debuted yesterday to a 0.8 rating/2 share (worth noting that Lake was affected by a retransmission dispute in the New York market, which likely affected ratings somewhat) and the second season of Anderson Cooper‘s talk show debuted to a 1.3 rating/4 share.

• Related: A review of “Katie”

“Katie” even manged to improve on its “General Hospital” lead-in by +12%.

The final ratings will likely be slightly different, but don’t expect any drastic changes in the numbers. The more important numbers for Disney and Couric — the weekly ratings — will be available next week.

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The first three segments of Couric’s Disney chatfest were devoted almost entirely to guest Jessica Simpson’s post-partum weight loss — thanks to Weight Watchers. There were so many rhapsodic plugs, I kept waiting for the 800 number and my free ginzu knife.

Simpson gushed about her new role as a Weight Watchers poster girl. Then came a sneak preview of her Weight Watchers ad, followed by a full segment joined by her Weight Watchers coach. The capper was a free two-week Weight Watchers membership, via ‘Katie’s’ website.

To be kind, Jessica Simpson was no Sarah Palin, but Couric appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the absence of heavy lifting. After her hellish tenure as anchor of ‘CBS Evening News,’ ‘Katie’ must feel like a fabulous, all-expenses paid vacation. Hey, if Anderson Cooper did it, why not Couric?

Call it ‘Today Extra Lite.’

As has become the fashion, ‘Katie’ opened with a cutesy taped bit. More than a little derivative, given that she did the same thing for her guest-hosting stint on ‘Good Morning America’ in April.

She wakes up from a weird dream and proceeds to tell it to a mystery person in the other twin bed. (An homage to ‘I Love Lucy?’) “I dreamed I left ‘Today’ to anchor the evening news, and I did it for five years, and then I dreamed I was going to be hosting my own daytime talk show!”

Peeling back the covers, a jammies-clad Matt Lauer says: “That wasn’t a dream, and the talk show starts right now!” Cue hilarity.

After almost a full half-hour of Jessica Simpson and Weight Watchers, however, I was reeling from estrogen-induced boredom. Thankfully, the next guest, Sheryl Crow, who composed ‘Katie’s’ up-tempo theme song and is a good friend of the host, had some interesting things to say.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The fill-in, joining George Stephanopoulos, Josh Elliott, Sam Champion and Lara Spencer comes as “Good Morning America” continues to chip away at the perennial morning show leader, “Today,” where Couric spent more than 15 years. During the week of March 12, the younger viewer gap between the two shows was the smallest since July 2008.

We hear Roberts will make mention of the fill-in during the 8am hour of tomorrow’s show.

Couric set up shop at ABC News last Spring after spending five years at CBS News. She will launch her syndicated talk show “Katie” in the fall. Couric has hosted a few specials for the network and went on GMA last November to promote her Regis Philbin hour, but this is the first time she’s anchored since leaving the “Today” show in 2006. Couric returned to “Today” last April to promote her book “The Best Advice I Ever Got.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

As the Girl Scouts of the USA celebrates its 100th anniversary, we’re finding out which  tvnewsers once were Scouts themselves.

The girl pictured at right?  Yup, it’s Katie Couric, who tells ABC News online of having competed for the ‘Most Creative Dish’ award at a troop cookout.  Despite the steak sandwich she whipped up, she lost out, “much to my chagrin”.

The lesson she learned? “Sometimes life isn’t fair. It can be tougher to swallow than a steak sandwich, but that’s the way the hoagie roll crumbles.”

PBS’ Judy Woodruff also was a Scout, for about nine years. “It broadened my horizons in an important way,” she says, “and I’ll always be grateful to the Girl Scouts for that.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

• The University of Virginia announced today that Katie Couric will be the 2012 commencement speaker. A 1979 graduate of UVA, Couric will deliver the address at the University’s 183rd Final Exercises on May 20.

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• Disney-ABC Domestic TV announced today that Katie Couric‘s new syndicated talk show “Katie” has now been cleared in 80% of the country adding stations in Cleveland, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Nashville and more. TVSpy has the story.

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“Katie” will air on the eight ABC O&Os, reaching 24% of U.S. TV households, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. The show has also been sold to ABC affiliates in Dallas (WFAA), Boston (WCVB), Atlanta (WSB), Washington, DC (WJLA), Detroit (WXYZ), Phoenix (KNXV) and Tampa/St. Pete (WFTS).

KING TV in Seattle is a rare, big market NBC affiliate that will air the show.

The ABC-Disney deal was announced in June. “Kate” is set to premiere in September. Meanwhile, Couric is working on projects for ABC News.

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Well, this morning she co-hosted LIVE alongside Kelly Ripa. Couric talked about her days of getting up early for the “Today” show, and how she still has nightmares about oversleeping and getting to the show late, because, well, she did.

“One time I overslept and I looked at my little digital clock and it said 6:38,” said Couric. “And oh, my God. I had to get dressed in about five minutes and I got there in the nick of time. And I think that was when I was co-anchoring with Bryant [Gumbel]. And he was not pleased with that.”

Last week Couric was in Washington DC where she emcee’d the Habitat for Humanity “Build Hope” gala at the National Building Museum.

“Sometimes it feels strange not to be in the thick of things,” Couric tells The Hill‘s Judy Kurtz. “But I also think after 20 years of being on television every single day, it’s a nice opportunity to take a break. So I’m OK with it, actually.”

At the event, Couric learned she has an admirer in Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia. “This ole Southern boy has always dreamed of meeting Katie Couric,” said Isakson. “Habitat for Humanity just granted all of my wishes.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

• Diane Sawyer, who is anchoring “World News” from Afghanistan tonight: “Katie has so many unique gifts as a journalist, an interviewer and a broadcaster. She is also a friend and, as she knows, I’m so happy she’s joining the team at ABC News.”

• Barbara Walters: “Katie and I are good friends and have stayed closely in touch through the years. I am very happy to welcome her to the ABC family and I know she will be a great success.”

• Christiane Amanpour, host of “This Week” whose EP Rick Kaplan was Couric’s EP at “Evening News:” “Katie and I have known each other since we began working together at CNN over 25 years ago. This is a very exciting reunion.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.