KATIE Couric has hit a new record ratings low.

Last week Couric managed to attract just 5.9 million viewers to the “CBS Evening News” – making it the first time the broadcast’s audience has ever fallen below 6 million.

Couric’s previous low, 6.05 million, came at the start of the May sweeps.

At the time, that was the smallest audience for the “Evening News” in decades.

After nearly a year on the job, Couric’s ratings are still going down, far lower than they ever sunk when Dan Rather was the anchor.

For a short time, “Evening News” had enjoyed a brief resurgence when Bob Schieffer served as the “interim” anchor, following Rather’s forced departure in 2005.

Even with a new hard-nosed executive producer – former CNN and MSNBC boss Rick Kaplan – who took over earlier this spring, the Couric-anchored telecast is struggling.

CBS officials claim that they will continue to have patience with Couric and give the broadcast at least a year to find its footing.