Norah O’Donnell has left CBS Evening News after 12 years as the network’s anchor.
By The thrO’Donnell, 50, will become a special correspondent for CBS News on the network and will conduct “interviews and other reporting for CBS News programming with appearances on CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes.
O’Donnell wrote a note to staff on Tuesday: ‘There is so much work to be proud of!
“But I’ve spent 12 years as an anchor here at CBS News, plugged into a daily broadcast and the rigors of a relentless news cycle. It’s time to do something different.”
‘Beyond that, I’m pleased to share that I’ve made a long-term commitment to CBS News to continue the same storytelling and great interviews that have been our hallmark.’
Norah O’Donnell has left CBS Evening News after 12 years as anchor of the network
According to THR, O’Donnell, 50, will become a special correspondent for CBS News on the network and will conduct “interviews and other reporting for CBS News programming with appearances on CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes.”
“It’s time to do something different. This presidential election will be my seventh as a journalist and many of us who work in this sector tend to analyse our careers in light of these important events.
His replacement has not yet been announced.
O’Donnell replaced Jeff Glor on CBS Evening News in July 2019 and hosted the broadcast from Washington, DC.
She previously co-anchored CBS This Morning since 2012 and, before that, was CBS News’ senior White House correspondent during the Obama administration.
Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations, wrote in a note to staff: “In this new role, Norah will have the time and support to deliver even more of the exceptional stories she is known for.”
O’Donnell replaced Jeff Glor on CBS Evening News in July 2019 and hosted the broadcast from Washington, DC.
She previously co-anchored CBS This Morning since 2012 and, before that, was CBS News’ senior White House correspondent during the Obama administration.
In April 2022, following reports that she could be replaced, O’Donnell re-signed with CBS News for $3.8 million a year, down from her previous package of $8 million, sources told the network. The New York Post.
O’Donnell wrote in a memo to staff on Tuesday: “There is so much work to be proud of! But I have spent 12 years as a news anchor here at CBS News, plugged into a daily broadcast and the rigors of a relentless news cycle. It is time to do something different.” (pictured with Pope Francis)
She previously co-anchored CBS This Morning since 2012 and before that was CBS News’ senior White House correspondent during the Obama administration.
A source told the outlet that CBS executives gave O’Donnell a “very low ball” offer that they expected her to reject, and were shocked when she accepted.
This comes in the wake of numerous reports that O’Donnell had clashed with CBS News co-president Neeraj Khemlani, a no-nonsense, budget-cutting executive who had reportedly cast a wide net in search of her potential replacement.
A CBS News spokesperson referred DailyMail.com to a statement provided to the Post, which denied that Khemlani had sought to replace O’Donnell.
“Wrong again. Neeraj led the effort to retain and renew the contracts of a dozen of our top anchors and correspondents over the past year, including Norah O’Donnell and Gayle King, and recruited some new ones like Nate Burleson and Robert Costa,” the statement said.
In early April 2022, reports first emerged that O’Donnell had renewed with CBS despite widespread rumors that she could be replaced.
However, there was no indication at the time of the dollar amount of the contract that would allow her to remain as host through the 2024 election and beyond.
In March of that year, speculation ran rampant in the industry that CBS might fire O’Donnell due to her alleged “toxic behavior” and her reported $65,000-a-year wardrobe allowance.
O’Donnell’s publicist, Cindi Berger, denied the allegations at the time, telling the Post: “It’s a clothing allowance, every news anchor gets one. That number is incorrect.”
