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Former NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker, expected to set up shop Monday on Park Avenue, is already lining up his next gig — he’s talking about starting a syndicated talk show featuring CBS News anchor Katie Couric, according to three separate sources.
Word of a possible Zucker-Couric venture comes as the 54-year-old anchor nears the end of her five-year contract that will pay her $15 million this year.
Couric, whose contract expires in May, recently rebuffed approaches from several parties who wanted to work with her, these sources said.
Couric told them she already has Zucker lined up, the sources added.
“Whatever you want to say about Jeff, he’s a really talented, creative guy,” one source noted. “They’ve made magic before, there’s no reason they couldn’t do it again.”
The two have a long working relationship that began at NBC’s “The Today Show.”
Zucker, who will turn 46 this spring, is expected to hang out his shingle at 299 Park Ave., home to investment bank UBS.
The two have been putting their heads together to create a new show format that could potentially replace the recently ended program of reigning talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, sources tell The Post.
Zucker closed out his 25-year NBC career this week in Miami at NATPE, a television industry conference where producers shop their syndicated-show concepts to station groups.
In the Q&A with brother-in-law Michael Nathanson, a Nomura media analyst, Zucker said his fondest memories of NBC involved his producing news and sports at the network.
“Katie has not made any decision about her future plans,” Couric spokesman Matthew Hiltzik told The Post.
“Jeff has been a close friend and confidante of Katie’s for years and they’ve enjoyed great success together, so it’s natural that people would speculate about them collaborating again.”
Couric, of course, could opt to stay at CBS. If she does, she is expected to take a pay cut.
Less money, though, could allow her a bit more freedom to work on a syndicated talker for CBS, in addition to her day job.
Staying with the Tiffany Network, however, could likely preclude having Zucker as her producer.
If she opts to leave, the speculation is that Couric would remain at CBS through the 2012 election cycle and leave some time after.
Couric — the first solo female to anchor a broadcast news show — has long expressed interest in creating her own production company.
She already hosts her own Webcast @KatieCouric, and is a regular presence in social media.
Yesterday, she posted a photo of herself on Twitter pushing Barry Diller’s Maserati through the snow. One wag, on hearing news of a potential joint venture with Zucker, quipped, “She’s always helping moguls out.”
Zucker didn’t respond for comment. catkinson@nypost.com