'Timelines with Katie Couric' Honors Women Who Forge Their Own Path

It’s unlikely that Katie Couric has had much time to spend relaxing at her East Hampton home lately, with all the travel and filming she’s had to do. On July 10, Couric launched a new online program called Timelines with Katie Couric, a talk show and docu-series showcasing women of diverse cultures. Timelines is produced by Couric in partnership Japanese skincare and cosmetics company SK-II whose #ChangeDestiny campaign is aimed at celebrating women who forge their own path.

In the program, Couric uses her experience as an investigative and hard-hitting journalist to capture the experience of young professional women across the globe. She begins her journey in New York, then travels to Japan, China and South Korea to discuss how marriage often serves as the focal point around which women are expected to organize their personal and professional ambitions. Couric spoke to four women who work in the competitive worlds of music, acting, art and fashion.

The women interviewed unanimously believed that they alone should have agency over their respective “timeline” and reject the notion that settling down is the sole route to fulfillment. However, in each of their respective cultures, the notion of a single-by-choice woman who is currently prioritizing her career is considered undesirable, even uncouth. Maluca, a New York based musician, receives the most favorable description of the lot, with people describing her as a “free spirit.” Maina of Tokyo told Couric that being unmarried at 28 was considered “left on the shelf” in Japan.

Timelines is only one of Couric’s recent ventures. Since transitioning from broadcast news Couric has become a New York Times–bestselling author, cancer advocate, podcast host and documentary filmmaker. In 2015 Couric founded her own media company, and has since interviewed fellow Hamptonites Alec Baldwin, Ina Garten and Martha Stewart on the Katie Couric Media podcast. She also has an upcoming digital series for People magazine’s online outlets about the #SeeHer movement.