Norah O’Donnell will be stepping down as anchor and managing editor of “CBS Evening News” after the 2024 election in November, the veteran reporter announced in a memo on Tuesday.
O’Donnell, who has helmed CBS News’ flagship program since 2019, will be staying on with the network in a new role as senior correspondent after the election. She will continue to contribute to stories and “big interviews” across the network’s platforms and shows.
In a note addressed to her colleagues, O’Donnell stated that she enjoyed her time as “CBS Evening News” anchor but stressed that it was time for a change.
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“I have spent 12 years in the anchor chair here at CBS News, tied to a daily broadcast and the rigors of a relentless news cycle,” O’Donnell wrote. “It’s time to do something different. This presidential election will be my seventh as a journalist, and for many of us in this business we tend to look at our careers in terms of these milestone events.”
O’Donnell added that she has made a “long-term commitment” to stay with CBS News and will “continue to do the same storytelling and big interviews that have been our hallmark.”
The network has not yet made an announcement about a replacement.
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O’Donnell’s move comes as massive changes are ongoing at CBS parent company Paramount Global The company’s board and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone recently approved an agreement to merge with Skydance Media for $8 billion, a move that could lead to significant shakeups within the CBS news division.
Just days after the merger was finalized, CBS News President Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews abruptly announced that she would be stepping down from her role as head of the news division ahead of the presidential election.
“I don’t need to tell you what a transformative time our business is facing. I see this as an opportunity,” O”Donnell wrote in Tuesday’s memo.
In her own memo to staff, CBS News chief executive Wendy McMahon said that the network remains committed to CBS Evening News.
“In her new role, Norah will have the time and the support to deliver even more of the exceptional stories she is known for across our shows and streams, across CBS Network and Paramount+,” McMahon wrote. “She will have the real estate and flexibility to leverage big bookings on numerous platforms, including primetime specials, 60 Minutes, CBS News Sunday Morning, and more.”