Katie Couric officially hired as Yahoo's 'global anchor'

Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Just days after reports indicated that Katie Couric would be leaving ABC News for Marissa Mayer and her team at Yahoo, the internet company made it official with an announcement Monday.

Yahoo News said in a release that Couric will join the company as "Global Anchor," in an effort to develop its global news coverage.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, who is said to have personally recruited the 56-year-old TV veteran, praised Couric's "energy" and "versatility" in a statement.

"Katie’s depth of experience, her intellectual curiosity, and her charisma make her the perfect choice to anchor Yahoo News and the whole Yahoo Network. Her unmatched energy, savvy, and versatility enables her to connect with audiences across the globe,” Mayer said. “News is a definitive daily habit for our users -- and Katie will work with our talented editorial team to pioneer a new chapter of digital journalism.”

Couric will need that versatility. After three decades on the small screen, her work with Yahoo News will mark the first time that the former TV hostess and news anchor has worked almost exclusively for a web company.

“It's very exciting to be a part of a leading company at the intersection of content and technology,” Couric said in a statement. “I have great admiration for Marissa Mayer and her team and their commitment to bringing news, entertainment and information to the Yahoo community across multiple platforms. Joining Yahoo offers a tremendous opportunity to reach people all around the world in the way that they're using and consuming media today."

Yahoo News also said that Couric would continue to host her daytime talk show, Katie, on ABC. But the network has yet to decide on whether to pick it up for a third season.