Norah O’Donnell to step down as anchor of ‘CBS Evening News’ for new role

Hadas Gold, CNN

New York (CNN) — Norah O’Donnell will measurement down arsenic anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News pursuing nan November election, nan seasoned journalist told colleagues Tuesday successful a memo.

O’Donnell, who has helmed nan venerable evening news programme for astir 5 years, will modulation to a caller domiciled arsenic elder analogous aft nan election, contributing stories and “big interviews” crossed CBS’ platforms and shows.

In a statement to unit Tuesday, O’Donnell said that while she has cherished her clip arsenic anchor of CBS Evening News, it was clip for a change.

“I person spent 12 years successful nan anchor chair present astatine CBS News, tied to a regular broadcast and nan rigors of a relentless news cycle,” O’Donnell wrote. “It’s clip to do thing different. This statesmanlike predetermination will beryllium my seventh arsenic a journalist, and for galore of america successful this business we thin to look astatine our careers successful position of these milestone events.”

O’Donnell added that she has made a “long-term commitment” to enactment pinch CBS News and will “continue to do nan aforesaid storytelling and large interviews that person been our hallmark.”

The move comes during a play of drastic alteration for CBS. Earlier this month, CBS genitor institution Paramount Global announced plans to merge pinch Skydance Media and a awesome activity change. Just days later, CBS News President Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews abruptly announced that she would beryllium stepping down from her domiciled starring nan news section up of nan high-stakes statesmanlike election.

While O’Donnell’s determination to measurement distant from nan anchor chair is not straight tied to Skydance’s takeover, nan changing media scenery weighed connected her decision, she said.

“I don’t request to show you what a transformative clip our business is facing. I spot this arsenic an opportunity,” O”Donnell wrote, thanking Wendy McMahon, nan main executive of CBS News, Stations and CBS Media Ventures, for allowing her “to widen nan scope of nan activity we do to caller audiences successful caller ways.”

McMahon, successful her ain memo to staff, said that nan web remains committed to CBS Evening News and would proceed its mission.

“In her caller role, Norah will person nan clip and nan support to present moreover much of nan exceptional stories she is known for crossed our shows and streams, crossed CBS Network and Paramount+,” McMahon wrote. “She will person nan existent property and elasticity to leverage large bookings connected galore platforms, including primetime specials, 60 Minutes, CBS News Sunday Morning, and more.”

The determination to measurement distant from nan anchor chair was her own, O’Donnell wrote, though she has survived erstwhile attempts by web brass to switch her. Two years ago, CNN reported that then-CBS News President Neeraj Khemlani had tried to enlistee erstwhile NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams for nan role, which he turned down astatine nan time.

No successor for O’Donnell was instantly announced.

While nan awesome evening news broadcasts are still a large ratings tie compared to different linear tv news programs, nan broadcasts person mislaid overmuch of their luster successful an progressively fractured integer news situation that has upended nan industry.