Katie Couric/CBS Negotiation -- DEAD!

Katie Couric talks with CBS to stay at the network level to do a syndicated talk show is officially dead - will not happen ... this according to sources connected to CBS. Sources indicate that the failure occurred because CBS did not want to give Katie substantial interest in the operation of the new network. We are told CBS honchos were willing to give parts for Katie "60 Minutes", but nothing more - and Katie was not having it.

Accordingly, Katie is making a clean break from CBS and will not be a syndicated show on the network.

We are told that ABC is now the likely future home of KC