Is CBS looking to trim the fat at the network? Rumor has it, CBS is looking to boost ratings by replacing some of its most prominent reporters. Here’s the latest network gossip from the tabloids.
Gayle King Being Pushed Out Of ‘CBS Mornings’?
Last month, the National Enquirer reported CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King needed to watch her back. Apparently, her $11 million contract was set to expire soon, and the show’s top brass was looking to cut costs. “To be expensive and have no one watching isn’t a winning formula in the TV business,” an insider dished. As CBS Mornings trailed behind GMA and Today in the ratings, it looked like no one on the program was safe. “It’s shaping up for a bloodbath over at CBS,” the tipster concluded.
But after a little digging, it looked like this report was total speculation. While it was true that King’s contract was set to expire, it didn’t look like she was in any danger of being cut. On the contrary, it looked like other networks were starting up a bidding war in an effort to poach King from CBS. In fact, sources told Page Six that MSNBC was eyeing up King as a possible replacement for Rachel Maddow’s evening slot. But CBS insiders told the outlet they’d “do everything we can to keep King.”
CBS Looking To Fire A Reporter?
Then the Enquirer claimed CBS was desperate to cut costs, but King wasn’t the one in danger anymore. When CBS Evening News host Norah O’Donnell was conspicuously absent from the January 6th broadcast — meant to mark one year since the capitol riots — CBS sent in “far less seasoned and expensive” CBS This Morning co-host Tony Dokoupil. And according to the tabloid, the network was actually trying out Dokoupil as a potential replacement for O’Donnell.
But CBS co-president Neeraj Khemlani dismissed these rumors himself. When asked about O’Donnell’s show’s place in the ratings, Khemlani insisted that the broadcast was “the closest it has been to its competitors in 27 years.” But he didn’t stop there; when an interviewer pressed him on whether or not he was looking to replace O’Donnell, Khemlani responded, “We have no current plans to change what we are doing. We’re leaning into our strength.” So, this tabloid’s version seemed a bit speculative to say the least.
CBS Replacing Norah O’Donnell With Familiar Face?
But the National Enquirer wasn’t done. Earlier this month, the tabloid revealed that CBS wasn’t only thinking about firing O’Donnell — they were actually considering replacing her with former NBC News anchor Brian Williams. “Norah is both humiliated and livid they’re offering her job around — let alone to a guy who lost his anchor gig after lying about being under fire during the invasion of Iraq,” an insider confided. But sources insisted that O’Donnell had made plenty of enemies at CBS with her diva attitude. “Nobody will be sorry to see Norah walk out the door,” a tipster revealed.
While these rumors looked bad for O’Donnell, it didn’t seem like the end for her at CBS. As we explained before, CBS executives continuously insist that O’Donnell isn’t going anywhere. But even if we were to assume this isn’t true, we do know that she was recently given an interview series on CBS’ streaming service titled Person-to-Person. So, it didn’t seem plausible that the network was so fed up with O’Donnell that it was looking to ditch her for good. But since we can’t speak for the network, it looks like we’re all just going to have to wait to see what the future holds for CBS.
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