More random intrigue in Katie Couric's life story

(Let’s try this again. I tried to post this, repeatedly, beginning four hours ago with no success. If it doesn’t work this time I will personally enter the Internets and tear this blog to shreds.)

TV news anchors are just like baseball players – you can trade them to opposing teams. Who knew?

Or at least that’s the impression left by this New York Daily News story quoting an unnamed network source that solves CBS’s Katie Couric woes by sending her to CNN in exchange for Anderson Cooper.

The scenario has Couric hip-checking Larry King, and at his age, that’s gotta be dangerous. CNN officials insist Larry’s going nowhere – in a good way, that is.

And the New York Times suggests that even with out the Couric quandary, CBS is in a world of hurt: It was the hardest hit by the writers strike (except for The CW, and The CW doesn’t count anymore), earnings are down (its healthiest division is currently its billboards, which tells you something), its stock price has plunged nearly $10 in the past year and COO Les Moonves is raiding the pantry, taking home $36.8 million in 2007.

And what is Moonves doing to earn those big bucks? Passing the buck: He’s insisting he bears no responsibility for the travails of “The CBS Evening News.” His full argument, as presented in the Times: “I really don’t.”

You convinced me, Les.