Katie Couric appeared on Larry King Live tonight. Highlights follow…

On the CBS Evening News current third place status and the idea of a cable channel…

KING: You had extraordinary ratings at the shot, 13.6 million I think opening night (INAUDIBLE) they’ve had.

COURIC: Yes.

KING: And now you kind of leveled off and are running about third where they always run. Is this a time phase thing?

COURIC: Time phase?

KING: Meaning is it going to take some time? Is this a phase-in process?

COURIC: Yes. Well, obviously I think it does take some time. Viewing habits are hard to change and I think, you know, the bottom line is, Larry, I didn’t take this job for ratings. I took this job for the challenge and for the ability to really work on editorial content, to do serious news stories, the opportunity to work on “60 Minutes,” which I think is the only true journalistically superior magazine show on television. I’ve always dreamed of working on that show.

KING: But you’re used to top ratings, Katie. You’re the girl who owned — you’re used to being number one.

COURIC: Well, you know, when I started at the “Today Show” we were number two and, to be honest with you, I’ve always thought that some of the best shows we did were when we were in second place. And, I think anyone who has worked with me would tell you that I’m blissfully unaware of ratings. Obviously if they do well and obviously if we have a big sampling the first couple of days or so it’s nice to hear, “Oh, that’s nice a lot of people watch.” But it’s just not something that I dwell on truly.

KING: Then what is the goal?

COURIC: The goal?

KING: It’s not to be number one then what is the goal?

COURIC: Well, I mean that would be nice. Listen, you know, obviously that would be nice.

KING: It’s CBS’ goal isn’t it?

COURIC: I think CBS’ goal is to reinvigorate the evening news and to put on a quality newscast and a show that we can all be proud of and a show that really I think is modernized and ushers in sort of the new information era. You know when we started in the business, well when you started there wasn’t even television, right Larry? I’m just kidding.

KING: Funny how you’ll never be back, really and truly.

COURIC: No but when we started things were so different and now, you know, we all talked about how the Internet was going to change everything and, of course, cable obviously has changed things dramatically as well. But I think that everybody is wrestling, whether you’re a newspaper, a cable show, a network news show, a network morning show, with how to integrate all these different media distribution systems and how to make them all work for you.

KING: Do you wish CBS had a cable system?

COURIC: Sometimes I do actually.

KING: Of course you’d need to spend an awful lot of time.

COURIC: Well it would be nice because that means a lot more resources. But, at the same time, I think it’s nice to really be able to concentrate your efforts on one terrific broadcast.

Couric on reporting from the field…

KING: And one thing about Dan, he went into the field.

COURIC: Oh, yes.

KING: You going to do a lot of that, too?

COURIC: Well, yes, you know, I’m a reporter.

KING: By nature?

COURIC: Yes. And that’s how I started. I love being out in the field, getting the story. I feel superbly comfortable in that environment. And I’ve been trying to get out as much as I can. I went to a — you know, it’s difficult and especially at first, I think, to go on location that much because I need to get back for the broadcast.

But I was in Los Angeles earlier this week and I did a story with some wonderful military wives in San Diego because we haven’t heard from families very much lately. And, you know, tried to get to a diner in Norwich to talk to some Connecticut voters and I’m anxious to do more on the scene reporting.