Katie Couric leaving CBS Evening New.

Less than five years after taking over the CBS Evening News, Katie Couric is moving on to other projects, according to the AP. An anonymous network executive told the news organization that Couric will launch her own syndicated talk show in 2012, on a channel that is yet to be determined.

"A network executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity because Couric has not officially announced her plans, reported the move to The Associated Press on Sunday night. The 54-year-old anchor is expected to launch a syndicated talk show in 2012 and several companies are vying for her services, including CBS."

Neither CBS nor Couric, who only returned from vacation last night, would comment on the report.

The AP's story is simply the latest in a series of reports that all but confirm Couric will be giving up the anchor chair after five years, and continued diminished ratings.  It seems equally certain that Couric is planning some sort of talk show, though with whom and what network it will air on is less clear.

Couric was the first woman to hold a network anchor chair when she took over for Bob Shieffer back in 2006.  That she is opting out now seems a smart plan -- the evening news, despite the fact it still draws large numbers in comparison to cable -- is a dying beast.

And Couric, who saw huge success as a morning show anchor, has shown a desire of late -- she is very active on Twitter and launcher her own webisode series in 2009 -- to diversify beyond the network format.  Presumably this will give her the opportunity to do so.