Norah O’Donnell exits ‘CBS Night Information’ after 5 years as anchor in emotional sign-off
Norah O’Donnell bid farewell to her anchor chair at “CBS Night Information” on Thursday evening, calling the gig an “honor of a lifetime” — because the community prepares for an overhauled broadcast.
“It has been an unbelievable 5 and a half years,” O’Donnell mentioned.
Oprah Winfrey shocked O’Donnell, 51, with a montage that featured interviews with Pope Francis and former Vice President Kamala Harris and on-location protection throughout roughly 1,300 broadcasts.
“You’ve a lot to be pleased with,” Winfrey mentioned. “Your work because the anchor and managing editor of the ‘CBS Night Information’ has not solely gained awards, however extra importantly, has made such a distinction and knowledgeable our nation.”
O’Donnell, who has served as the published’s anchor since 2019, emphasised the significance of journalism as she delivered her last on-air sign-off.
“This has been the glory of a lifetime to anchor this legacy broadcast,” O’Donnell mentioned.
“The ‘CBS Night Information’ — for good motive — is the longest-running night newscast in America. And it’s powered by the best journalists on this planet.”
“The correspondents, producers, researchers and crews who work tirelessly to carry you the information each evening. That gained’t change as a result of journalism issues. I do know that as a result of I’ve heard that from so lots of you – our viewers. So from the underside of my coronary heart, thanks for trusting us and welcoming arduous information with coronary heart into your properties.”
She was flanked by “Night Information” staffers who showered O’Donnell with applause when the published went off the air.
“I’ll miss you too,” O’Donnell informed viewers. “So for the ultimate time, that’s tonight’s ‘CBS Night Information.’ I owe all of it to everybody I work with. Significantly. Love you. Goodnight.”
In July, O’Donnell introduced that she would vacate her position as anchor and managing editor after the 2024 presidential election to give attention to an expanded position on the community amid struggling viewership.
The choice got here months earlier than mum or dad Paramount World carried out sweeping layoffs of 2,000 staffers to chop $500 million from the price range forward of its deliberate merger with Skydance Media.
She is going to work on long-form reporting and interviews for CBS’s primetime specials, “Sunday Morning” and “60 Minutes” broadcasts, CBS introduced.
O’Donnell’s $8M wage was slashed by greater than half to $3.8M when she re-signed a cope with the community in 2022, The Put up solely reported.
CBS Information
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.”
CBS reporter John Dickerson and longtime CBS New York anchor Maurice Dubois have been appointed as O’Donnell’s successors.
The pair will function co-anchors and broadcast their first episode on January 27 from NYC, transferring the studio from Washington, DC again to the Massive Apple.
“I wish to say thanks to the viewers,” DuBois mentioned Thursday. “That is my hometown. And with out the viewers, there is no such thing as a us so thanks for the whole lot over time we’ll preserve going at a distinct time.”
