Gayle King, who has anchored CBS Morning for over a decade, is expected to resign from her position next year after facing ten years of evaluations without success.
According to several sources, King’s existing contract is set to expire in May. There’s speculation she could be reassigned within the news department, which is undergoing changes under the new management at Paramount Skydance.
King’s status as a prominent figure has certainly benefited from, well, affirmative action policies, as she’s a black female aligned with progressive ideals and closely associated with Oprah Winfrey. Interestingly, despite a decade of declining ratings at CBS, she reportedly earns around $15 million annually.
Many see this shift as a move by CBS News under its new leadership to prioritize merit over identity politics. It’s somewhat surprising, isn’t it?
There were whispers about keeping King on board because of staffing issues, but Norah O’Donnell has opted to stay on as a producer. I doubt O’Donnell will command a salary over $15 million for that role.
CBS has already let go of Stephen Colbert from “Late Night,” with plans for him to exit in March. Additionally, CBS Evening News co-host John Dickerson is apparently looking into Substack this year. Meanwhile, the crew from CBS Saturday Morning has been dismissed. It’s evident that CBS is trimming its operations in areas related to race and culture, and it seems nobody, including former contributors, found that particularly engaging.
Now, some of those let go are taking legal action against CBS, claiming racism in the layoffs. One wonders about their credibility—if they can’t find jobs based on merit, perhaps they should explore Substack and rely on their subscriber base instead.
To genuinely demonstrate they’re not biased, CBS could consider making some deeper cuts. Imagine the newsroom without well-known figures like Anderson Cooper, Scott Pelley, or Leslie Stahl.
This could potentially be a beneficial change for everyone involved.
