Update: 8:44pm: "The Meredith Vieira/TODAY rumors are patently false," an anonymous tipster asserts. "NBC would be foolish to risk damaging the TODAY show by hiring an outsider who hasn't worked as a journalist in over a decade, and expand the show even further beyond its means. This scenario will not happen."

"Insiders directly connected with NBC News tell TMZ that Meredith Vieira is now first choice to replace Katie Couric if she leaves 'Today,'" TMZ alleges. Vieira is currently moderator of The View. She is also host of the weekday version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.

She was a reporter for WCBS-TV for three years before joining CBS News in 1982 as a correspondent. In 1985 she became a principal correspondent for 'West 57th.' In 1989 she became a co-editor of 60 Minutes. She left 60 Minutes in 1991 while pregnant with her second child. Vieira joined ABC News in October 1993 as chief correspondent for ABC News' Turning Point, which premiered in March 1994. She moved to The View in 1997.

> Also: "There's also talk of expanding 'Today' to four hours." (FOUR hours?!) "If that happens, TMZ is told that Campbell Brown, once the frontrunner to replace Katie, would anchor a portion of the program." The site says "there's a 70 percent chance that Katie will jump to CBS..."