Norah O’Donnell, anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News, announced that she will be stepping down from her role following the November election. O’Donnell has been leading the program for nearly five years and will transition to a new position as senior correspondent after the election. She expressed gratitude for her time as anchor but felt it was time for a change after spending 12 years tied to the daily news cycle.
The decision for O’Donnell to leave her anchor position comes as CBS parent company Paramount Global merges with Skydance Media and undergoes a leadership change. CBS News President Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews recently announced her departure as well. While O’Donnell’s move is not directly linked to the merger, she acknowledged the changing media landscape as a factor in her decision. She expressed optimism about the opportunities presented by the industry’s transformation and thanked CBS for supporting new ways to reach audiences.
CBS Chief Executive Wendy McMahon assured staff that the network remains committed to CBS Evening News despite O’Donnell’s departure. McMahon praised O’Donnell for her storytelling and big interviews, stating that she will continue to deliver exceptional content across various platforms, including CBS Network and Paramount+. O’Donnell’s new role will provide her with flexibility to leverage big bookings on multiple platforms and participate in primetime specials, 60 Minutes, CBS News Sunday Morning, and more.
Although O’Donnell’s decision to step away from the anchor chair was her own, she had previously faced attempts by network executives to replace her. Two years ago, there were reports that then-CBS News President Neeraj Khemlani had tried to recruit Brian Williams for the role, which Williams declined at the time. O’Donnell’s successor has not yet been announced, indicating a period of transition for CBS Evening News as it navigates the evolving news landscape.
The traditional evening news broadcasts, including CBS Evening News, continue to draw significant ratings compared to other linear television news programs. However, they have faced challenges in an increasingly fragmented digital news environment that has disrupted the industry. O’Donnell’s departure and the broader changes at CBS signal a response to these challenges and a shift towards new strategies for engaging audiences across different platforms. CBS remains focused on delivering high-quality news content despite the shifting media landscape.
