Norah O’Donnell’s departure from CBS Evening News as anchor has been officially confirmed. She announced her decision to step down from the role after leading the news program for five years.
The journalist, aged 50, will host her last show on Friday, January 24, just four days after the inauguration of Donald Trump for a second term as the president of the United States on January 20.
On Monday, January 27, CBS Evening News will introduce an exciting format change with John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois as the new lead anchors.
After spending five years in Washington D.C., they will now be hosting the program live from New York.
The CBS Evening News is set to undergo a transformation, with plans to incorporate more content from the popular 60 Minutes show. Additionally, the news program will feature a team of correspondents ready to deliver breaking news in real-time.
It was previously announced that O’Donnell is set to transition into a new position as a senior correspondent, where she will be conducting prominent interviews.
She will keep making contributions to Evening News and 60 Minutes, alongside other CBS News programs.
In July, O’Donnell informed her staff of her departure through a memo. In the memo, she expressed her pride in the amount of work accomplished during her tenure.
After spending 12 years in the anchor chair at CBS News, I have become intimately familiar with the demands of a daily broadcast and the challenges of a fast-paced news cycle.
It’s time to make a change. I am excited to announce that I have made a long-term commitment to CBS News. I will continue to bring you compelling stories and conduct impactful interviews, which have become the signature of my work.
She expressed her belief that it was time for a change, stating, “It’s time to do something different.”
As a journalist, I have been fortunate enough to witness and report on six previous presidential elections. For those of us in this profession, these significant events often serve as markers in our careers.
Norah O’Donnell took over as anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News in July 2019. She now leads the broadcast from Washington, D.C.
She previously held the position of CBS This Morning co-host starting in 2012. Prior to that, she served as CBS News’ chief White House correspondent during President Obama’s administration.
According to sources, in April 2022, there were reports suggesting that O’Donnell might be replaced. However, she decided to re-sign with CBS News for a reduced salary of $3.8 million per year, compared to her previous package of $8 million.
According to a source, CBS executives presented Rosie O’Donnell with a significantly lower offer than anticipated, assuming she would decline. However, they were caught off guard when she ultimately accepted the offer.
O’Donnell’s clashes with CBS News co-president Neeraj Khemlani have been widely reported. Khemlani, known for his no-nonsense approach and cost-cutting strategies, has reportedly been actively seeking a potential replacement for O’Donnell.
According to a spokesperson for CBS News, they referred DailyMail.com to a statement provided to the Post. The statement denies any claims that Khemlani had attempted to replace O’Donnell.
In March 2022, there was widespread speculation in the industry about CBS potentially firing O’Donnell due to rumors of her ‘toxic behavior’ and the reported $65,000-a-year wardrobe allowance.
According to the Post, O’Donnell’s publicist, Cindi Berger, denied the accusations by stating that the given figure for her clothing allowance was incorrect. Berger also pointed out that clothing allowances are common among news anchors.