Norah O’Donnell Leaving ‘CBS Evening News’

Norah O’Donnell’s run as anchor of CBS Night Information is coming to an finish, however the veteran journalist isn’t leaving CBS Information.

O’Donnell is about to go away the anchor desk after the 2024 presidential election — her seventh U.S. election she has coated as a journalist — and can change into CBS Information particular correspondent on the community. In her new position, she’s going to conduct newsmaking interviews and different experiences for CBS Information programming with appearances on CBS Night Information and 60 Minutes.

“On this new position, Norah could have the time and the assist to ship much more of the distinctive tales she is understood,” wrote Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS Information and Stations, in a memo to workers (full be aware beneath).

In her new position, O’Donnell will contribute newsmaker interviews throughout CBS platforms, together with streaming, digital, primetime and Paramount+. That can embrace appearances on different information broadcasts apart from CBS Night Information.

Till her transition to a brand new publish, O’Donnell will proceed to deal with ongoing protection of the U.S. presidential election, together with the upcoming Democratic Conference, earlier than shifting to her new position. “There’s a lot work to be happy with! However I’ve spent 12 years within the anchor chair right here at CBS Information, linked to a each day broadcast and the pains of a relentless information cycle. It’s time to do one thing completely different,” O’Donnell wrote in a memo to workers Tuesday.

“Past that, I’m happy to share that I’ve made a long-term dedication to CBS Information to proceed to do the identical storytelling and large interviews which were our hallmark,” she added.

The change is a giant one for CBS, and plenty of eyes shall be on the community because it determines what occurs subsequent with the tales night newscast, which has counted Walter Cronkite and Dan Relatively amongst its former anchors.

O’Donnell changed Jeff Glor because the face of the community’s flagship information program as anchor and managing editor in July 2019 with a renewal of her deal that was to run by means of to the 2024 election. She has led CBS Information’ flagship broadcast from Washington, D.C.

Beforehand, O’Donnell was co-host of CBS This Morning since 2012. Earlier than that, she served as CBS Information’ chief White Home correspondent in the course of the President Barack Obama administration.

O’Donnell deciding to go away the anchor desk at CBS Night Information after the U.S. election isn’t associated to the proposed takeover of Paramount International by Skydance, in response to sources near CBS. However she is the second high-profile individual at CBS to announce plans to segue into new position simply this month.

Two weeks in the past CBS Information president Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews stepped down, shifting to a senior adviser position by means of the 2024 election. She instructed workers on the time that “our trade and firm are going by means of a change and a lot of short- and long-term selections should be made. I don’t wish to be disingenuous with any of you about who ought to drive these selections.”

In her personal memo, O’Donnell appeared to echo these feedback.

“I don’t have to inform you what a transformative time our enterprise is going through. I see this as a possibility,” she wrote. “I wish to thank Wendy McMahon as this new position may even enable me to increase the attain of the work we do to new audiences in new methods.”

“The truth is, now we have a giant interview arising that I hope to share extra particulars about very quickly,” O’Donnell teased.

McMahon’s full memo is beneath:

Hello everybody,

Only a few moments in the past, Norah O’Donnell shared her determination to step away from the Night Information desk after the election, shifting into a brand new position at CBS – a job that can allow her to, as she notes, do one thing completely different, and fortunately for us, do extra of the storytelling and large interviews which are an indicator of CBS Information, in addition to Norah’s illustrious profession.

The very fact is… Norah’s superpower is her skill to safe after which masterfully ship unparalleled interviews and tales that set the information cycle and seize the cultural zeitgeist. From her international unique with Pope Francis to her interviews with each residing president, Norah’s newsmaking interviews at all times ship for the viewers. How many individuals can effortlessly shift from field-anchoring on an plane provider within the Purple Sea to sitting down with Bono and Dolly Parton? Norah’s work right here is famous, and he or she has a number of main interviews within the works that shall be equally memorable and momentous.

As Norah famous in her electronic mail, it is a transformative time in our trade, the place now we have the problem and the chance to attach with viewers in fully new methods, and he or she is uniquely positioned to take action for CBS. On this new position, Norah could have the time and the assist to ship much more of the distinctive tales she is understood for throughout our reveals and streams, throughout CBS Community and Paramount+. She could have the true property and adaptability to leverage large bookings on quite a few platforms, together with primetime specials, 60 Minutes, CBS Information Sunday Morning, and extra.

However first, there’s an election to cowl, and Norah will proceed to guide our political protection, together with the Democratic Nationwide Conference and Election Evening. We stay up for Norah’s ongoing protection of this vital political cycle.

I do know lots of you should have questions on what this implies for the CBS Night Information shifting ahead. Please know we stay dedicated to its mission, we are going to share extra about our plans quickly, and we wish to thank all our colleagues who contribute to its protection each evening. As Norah stated, her Night Information signoff isn’t anytime quickly, and we stay up for seeing her reporting and interviews now and sooner or later.

Wendy