CBS News Prepares to Shuffle Top Anchors
May 05 2019 - 7:43PM
Dow Jones News
By Benjamin Mullin
CBS News is changing the lineup of anchors at its flagship shows
as its recently appointed president, Susan Zirinsky, puts her stamp
on the news division.
According to a plan that is likely to be announced Monday, "CBS
This Morning" co-anchor Norah O'Donnell will succeed Jeff Glor as
the anchor of "CBS Evening News," according to people familiar with
the matter.
Mr. Glor is expected to be offered another spot at CBS News, the
people said, but details about that position couldn't be
learned.
The reorganization comes as Ms. Zirinsky seeks to turn the page
on a chaotic period for the network, which has been riven by
accusations of sexual harassment and dogged by lackluster
ratings.
Morning show star Charlie Rose and "60 Minutes" executive
producer Jeff Fager departed the network in recent months amid
allegations they sexually harassed women. Mr. Fager was fired after
he sent texts the network deemed inappropriate to a CBS News
reporter investigating the allegations.
Leslie Moonves also was ousted last fall as chief executive of
the network's parent, CBS Corp., as the company investigated
allegations he sexually harassed multiple women during his
career.
Messrs. Moonves and Fager denied the allegations. Mr. Rose
apologized, adding that he didn't think all of the allegations
against him were accurate.
Ms. Zirinsky, who inspired Holly Hunter's über-capable producer
character from the movie "Broadcast News," succeeded David Rhodes
as president of the news division in March as CBS Corp. looked to
move past the network's turmoil.
Appointing Ms. O'Donnell as the second woman in the network's
history to anchor its evening news program would be a prominent
marker of that change. Katie Couric, a former anchor of "CBS
Evening News," became the first solo woman to anchor that program
in 2006.
The New York Post earlier reported on CBS News's shake-up
plans.
Ms. O'Donnell's departure from "CBS This Morning" is expected to
coincide with the elevation of her co-anchor, Gayle King, who will
take a more prominent role on that show, the people familiar with
the matter said.
Ms. King, a veteran broadcast journalist who in recent months
won acclaim for trenchant interviews of R&B singer R. Kelly and
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, had leverage going into negotiations
for her new contract at CBS News, according to one of the
people.
Ms. Zirinsky is also planning to make additional changes to "60
Minutes, " the marquee newsmagazine that was recently shaken by the
departure of Mr. Fager. John Dickerson, a keen interviewer whose
profile dipped when he went from anchor of politics-focused "Face
the Nation" to co-anchor of "CBS This Morning," will join the staff
of "60 Minutes," one of the people said.
Ratings for "CBS Evening News" and "CBS This Morning" have
lagged behind rival programs at other networks, with "60 Minutes"
continuing to outperform its competition.
Since her appointment as head of the news division, Ms. Zirinsky
has been charged with the dual mandate of lifting ratings and
helping repair CBS News's culture, one of the people said. She
replaced Mr. Fager with "60 Minutes" executive editor Bill Owens,
and created two new human-resource positions to focus on
professional development.
The reorganization comes amid speculation on Wall Street about a
long-anticipated merger between CBS Corp. and its sister company,
Viacom. The company recently extended the contract of acting CBS
Chief Executive Joe Ianniello, a move that could position Mr.
Ianniello to help steer the integration of the two companies should
they merge.
Write to Benjamin Mullin at Benjamin.Mullin@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 05, 2019 19:28 ET (23:28 GMT)
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