Casey Anthony to Sit Down With NBC?

NBC is reportedly working hard to land an interview with Casey Anthony, and thinks it may have found a way to do so without paying her a dime, either.

Technically.

An NBC news producer is reaching out to people in the literary world, according to reports, trying to score a book deal for Anthony. What's the catch?

The producer has told literary agents and others that if he scored a book deal for Casey, she'd give the network a one-hour, exclusive primetime special.

While there is believed to be a bidding war for the first interview with Casey, news networks can't or won't pay her ... so they look for crafty workarounds.

Portions of that interview would also run on Today, probably resulting in mega-ratings for the Peacock. All the while, someone else would pay Casey.

The producer makes it clear NBC couldn't pay a cent for the interview, but is pushing hard for a book deal, even saying Casey wants up front money.

Jose Baez, Casey's lawyer, says he ahs knowledge of the producer's efforts, but says, "I'm not involved in that process. I did not entice him to do it."

Baez also adds, "Casey is not ready to do an interview." Anthony, who remains in hiding, is also being courted by Barbara Walters, we're told.

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