'60 Minutes' correspondent to replace Katie Couric

Will Scott Pelley do what Katie Couric and Dan Rather couldn’t before him?

The “60 Minutes” correspondent, who Tuesday was named the new anchor of the “CBS Evening News” effective June 6, has his work cut out for him to lift the show from its perch in the evening-news ratings cellar.

Pelley, 53, will bring hefty journalistic chops to the job — half of the awards won by “60 Minutes” since he joined the program in 2004 have been for his work.

He replaces Couric, 54, whose contract is up in June and who announced last week that she would leave the job. She has spoken of possibly hosting a syndicated talk show.

(With Reuters)