CBS News Taps Ensemble Team to Anchor ‘Evening News’ After Norah O’Donnell Exit
CBS News named a new ensemble anchor team and editorial leadership for “CBS Evening News,” after Norah O’Donnell announced her departure from the role.
The nightly program will be anchored by John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, who will move the production of the show back to New York following the 2024 election. “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan will also regularly contribute reporting from Washington, D.C.
As announced on Tuesday, O’Donnell will leave the “Evening News” anchor chair following the 2024 election, remaining with the network in a senior correspondent capacity, allowing for a focus on major sit-down interview specials across platforms.
“With Norah’s decision, we began reimagining and redesigning the Evening News,” CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures Wendy McMahon said in a statement. “The strength of CBS News has always been in its ensemble of journalists, both in front of and behind the camera, and our goal with John, Maurice, Margaret and Lonnie at the Evening News is to elevate the best in their fields every night for our viewers.”
Lonnie Quinn has also been named chief weathercaster for the program and will contribute nightly segments featuring AR/VR technology. Additionally, the program’s weekly segments “On the Road,” from Steve Hartman and “Eye on America,” from Jim Axelrod will continue.
“In addition to this ensemble team, we look forward to welcoming 60 MINUTES correspondents to file for the CBS EVENING NEWS when they have news to break; for decades this was routine, so it will be again,” McMahon added.
McMahon has tapped “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens to serve as the show’s supervising producer while producer Guy Campanile will serve as executive producer.
“Bill Owens is one of the industry’s most successful and respected journalists,” McMahon said. “Bill will be instrumental in shaping the future of both broadcasts, while also enhancing our editorial capabilities and decision-making across CBS News and Stations.”
“The mission statement is simple: every story we tell must be additive, distinctive and elegant,” Campanile said. “We refuse to waste the audience’s time.”
In an internal memo to staffers, obtained by TheWrap, Owens reaffirmed his commitment to “60 Minutes” while taking on this new role for the network.
“I couldn’t be prouder to do this. The Evening News was a defining part of my career and remains an historic broadcast. It matters to America,” Owens wrote. “I am about to talk to my team at 60 Minutes to promise them that I will not take my eye off the show with the stopwatch on Sunday. Not for a second.”
The post CBS News Taps Ensemble Team to Anchor ‘Evening News’ After Norah O’Donnell Exit appeared first on TheWrap.