The ratings-challenged “CBS Night Information” is about to make a dangerous pivot following the departure of Norah O’Donnell — scrapping the standard, anchor-driven format in favor of multi-anchor ensemble that may have the texture of a neighborhood information broadcast that the community hopes will carry again viewers.
O’Donnell, who helmed “Night Information” because it lagged behind within the scores race towards rivals at ABC and NBC, signed off for the final time on Thursday — ending her stint as anchor and managing editor of the Tiffany Community’s nationwide nightly information program that started in the summertime of 2019.
John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, who’re up towards are set to succeed her as co-anchors, with their first broadcast scheduled for Monday.
O’Donnell will proceed to file long-form tales for “60 Minutes” and “CBS Sunday Morning.”
In July, O’Donnell introduced that she would vacate her function as anchor and managing editor after the 2024 presidential election to deal with an expanded function on the community amid sagging viewership.
The choice got here months earlier than guardian Paramount International laid off some 2,000 staffers as a part of a transfer to chop $500 million from the price range forward of its merger with Skydance Media.
O’Donnell’s demotion was preceded by a big minimize in pay as her wage was decreased by greater than half — from $8 million yearly to only $3.8 million, The Put up reported in 2022.
The “Night Information” averaged simply 4.6 million complete viewers in the latest quarter and fewer than 670,000 in the important thing 25- to 54-year-old demographic — trailing “ABC World Information Tonight” and “NBC Nightly Information.”
Dickerson and DuBois, who will probably be based mostly in New York, will co-anchor a revamped model of “Night Information,” in keeping with guardian firm Paramount International. O’Donnell had been broadcasting nightly from Washington, DC.
Underneath the brand new mannequin, “Night Information” will characteristic a rotating group of correspondents, every specializing in key topic areas comparable to politics, worldwide affairs, know-how and investigative journalism.
As an alternative of counting on a single anchor delivering the information from behind a desk, this system will now incorporate stay studies, on-the-ground evaluation and a stronger emphasis on skilled commentary.
Margaret Brennan, moderator of the Sunday political speak present “Face the Nation,” will lead protection from Washington, DC, whereas Lonnie Quinn, a colleague of DuBois at WCBS-TV in New York, has been named chief weathercaster.
This shift aligns with broader trade traits the place viewers search extra in-depth, visually immersive reporting reasonably than typical studio-based broadcasts.
The transition additionally coincides with a broader restructuring of CBS’s information operations, reflecting the corporate’s shift towards a extra digital-centric strategy.
The community has already invested in enhanced graphics, digital units and new interactive storytelling instruments to create a extra immersive viewing expertise.
CBS will even lean closely on its international correspondents to offer on-location reporting, including a layer of immediacy and authenticity to the published.
“The energy of CBS Information has at all times been in its ensemble of journalists, each in entrance of and behind the digital camera, and our purpose with John, Maurice, Margaret and Lonnie on the Night Information is to raise the very best of their fields each evening for our viewers,” Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS Information and Stations, mentioned in a press launch.