Katie Couric Makes ‘Good Morning America’ Guest-Hosting Debut, Visits ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Set (Video)

In what would have seemed an impossibility a decade ago, Katie Couric on Monday began a television broadcast with the words “Good Morning, America.”

The co-host of NBC’s Today Show for 15 years, Couric began a week-long guest hosting stint on its rival ABC morning program, Good Morning America, spending the early hours with fans in the crowd, presenting a story about early-onset puberty in girls and moderating a debate between Dan Abrams and Nancy Grace. 

But ABC didn’t just keep Couric in studio; in a smart stab at cross-promotion, they took advantage of the hype (and, they hope, new viewers) brought on by her guest spot to promote their biggest evening asset, Dancing With The Stars. So off Couric went to a behind-the-scenes tour of the studio (taped, of course), where she met with host Tom Bergeron and the various celebrity contestants, coaches and judges from the show.

It was all part of ABC’s effort to narrow the gap with Today, which was not met with just passive acknowledgment. NBC teased the return of a legend (which turned out to be Meredith Vieira) and promoted, with an interview, Sarah Palin‘s guest hosting spot, which is scheduled for tomorrow. And CBS got into the morning war, as well, bringing in Oprah Winfrey for a high-profile interview with her best friend, Gayle King.