CBS News Announces New Ensemble Team and Editorial Leadership for the “CBS Evening News”
Aug 01, 2024 10:49AM ● By Kelsey Swire
Venerable CBS News Broadcast Will Move Back to New York After the Election and Be Anchored by Award-Winning Journalists John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois
“Face the Nation” Moderator Margaret Brennan Will Regularly Report from Washington, D.C., with Additional Correspondents to Join the Broadcast’s Dedicated Ensemble
Lonnie Quinn Named Chief Weathercaster for the “CBS Evening News” and Will Contribute Nightly Weather Segments Featuring AR/VR Technology
“60 Minutes” Executive Producer Bill Owens to Become Supervising Producer, Infusing the Iconic Storytelling and Reporting from America’s #1 News Program into the Flagship CBS Evening Broadcast
CBS News and “60 Minutes” Producer Guy Campanile Named Executive Producer and Veteran News Writer Jerry Cipriano Returns to CBS News as Senior News Editor and Senior Producer
Norah O’Donnell Becomes CBS News Senior Correspondent After the 2024 Election
Later this year, the CBS EVENING NEWS will move to New York and feature a new look and format, along with an ensemble team of journalists and new editorial leaders, it was announced by Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures.
After the presidential election, award-winning journalists John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois will anchor the CBS EVENING NEWS from the CBS Broadcast Center. Margaret Brennan, CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent and moderator of FACE THE NATION WITH MARGARET BRENNAN will regularly lead coverage from Washington, D.C., when news breaks on the political and foreign affairs fronts. Also, Lonnie Quinn is being named chief weathercaster for the CBS EVENING NEWS, where he will deliver the latest weather reporting and forecasts from the new AR/VR studio in New York. Quinn joins the ranks of the talented experts CBS News is building within its Weather Network, and he is already appearing on the CBS EVENING NEWS when major weather news happens.
Norah O’Donnell will anchor the broadcast and lead the Network’s political coverage through the election. She will then move into an expanded role as a CBS News senior correspondent focusing on longform reporting and interviews across CBS and Paramount, including primetime specials, CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING, 60 MINUTES, Paramount+ and more.
“We want to thank Norah for her exceptional work on the Evening News over the past five years, and we are grateful she has decided to continue leading our coverage through the election,” said McMahon. “Norah’s new role will give her the opportunity to contribute across CBS and Paramount, allowing us to see more of the groundbreaking stories and interviews that have been the hallmark of her career. Her superpower lies in her ability to secure and deliver big interviews and newsmaking stories that set the news cycle and capture the cultural zeitgeist. We look forward to elevating and showcasing Norah’s reporting now and in the future.”
McMahon continued: “With Norah’s decision, we began reimagining and redesigning the Evening News. 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. 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.”
When the CBS EVENING NEWS moves to New York later this year, Dickerson and DuBois will anchor from the CBS Broadcast Center and Quinn will deliver the latest weather news and forecasts from the new cutting-edge AR/VR studio. Brennan will lead the reporting from Washington, D.C., when political and foreign affairs news breaks. All of them bring a wealth of experience as respected reporters and subject-matter experts who have covered every notable story over the past three decades. Dickerson brings a mastery of politics and democratic principles. DuBois has vast experience anchoring during breaking news and covering major stories from the desk and in the field. Quinn’s reporting during significant weather events and his daily forecasts on WCBS have earned him the audience’s respect. And the hard-hitting interviews and political and foreign affairs coverage Brennan brings to CBS News and FACE THE NATION WITH MARGARET BRENNAN will be integrated into the CBS EVENING NEWS.
The broadcast’s longstanding, weekly “On the Road” stories from CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman and the newly installed “Eye on America” reports from Jim Axelrod and his team will continue as signature segments on the CBS EVENING NEWS. Additional CBS News correspondents will join this team to contribute regularly to the broadcast and offer their subject-matter expertise and reporting on key topics in the news.
As part of today’s announcement, McMahon named 60 MINUTES executive producer Bill Owens as the supervising producer of the CBS EVENING NEWS when it moves to New York. Owens will continue to oversee the Sunday newsmagazine, the #1 news program in America for 50 straight seasons, while carrying the editorial rigor and storytelling excellence of 60 MINUTES to the CBS EVENING NEWS.
“Bill Owens is one of the industry’s most successful and respected journalists. 60 MINUTES and the CBS EVENING NEWS are two of our most important franchises that help guide the editorial conscience of our news organization,” said McMahon. “We’ve acknowledged the power of coming together to create our future, and harnessing our most powerful franchises and leaders is how we win and better serve the audience. 60 MINUTES is of course the gold standard in journalism, and the importance of the Evening News as our flagship evening broadcast cannot be overstated. 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.”
Owens announced that CBS News and 60 MINUTES veteran producer Guy Campanile will become executive producer of the CBS EVENING NEWS. Veteran writer Jerry Cipriano is returning to CBS News as the senior news editor and senior producer of the broadcast. Owens said he will share additional staffing updates in the weeks ahead.
“The Evening News was a defining part of my career and it remains the broadcast of record. From Cronkite until today, it has been a source of trusted journalism and storytelling in America’s homes. Moving the Evening News back to New York and working with John, Maurice and Margaret and all of CBS News’ best journalists to deliver a program that prioritizes good writing and storytelling is exciting,” said Owens. “This broadcast won’t be the traditional headlines that move from one clipped story to the next. There will be a new format and cadence for how we deliver the news, and Guy and Jerry are the best partners to do this with.”
“The mission statement is simple: every story we tell must be additive, distinctive and elegant,” said Campanile. “We refuse to waste the audience’s time. Our viewers can expect a premium broadcast featuring the very best of CBS News digging for new information on important stories of the day and providing critical context. We will be relentless.”
In addition to their CBS EVENING NEWS duties, Dickerson will continue anchoring on CBS News 24/7, CBS News’ free national streaming service, and serving as CBS News’ chief political analyst and senior national correspondent. DuBois and Quinn will continue to have a regular presence across WCBS. Brennan will continue as the moderator of FACE THE NATION WITH MARGARET BRENNAN and CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent contributing across the Network.
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A Message from Norah O'Donnell
Good Afternoon,
For those of you not on our Evening News call, I wanted to share some news that I just shared with our team.
After this year’s election, I’ve decided I will be leaving my role as anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News to take on a new position at the network. We just celebrated an amazing five years together. I love what I do, and I am so fortunate to work with the best journalists and people in the business. Together, our team has won Emmy, Murrow, and DuPont awards. We managed to anchor in-studio through COVID; we took the broadcast on the road from aircraft carriers to the Middle East, and around the world. We were privileged to conduct a historic interview with Pope Francis. There’s so much work to be proud of! But I have spent 12 years in the anchor chair here at CBS News, connected to a daily broadcast and the rigors of a relentless news cycle. It’s time to do something different. This presidential election will be my seventh as a journalist, and for many of us in this business we tend to look at our careers in terms of these milestone events.
I’ll still be anchoring all of our major coverage this year, election night and hopefully a debate! Beyond that, I’m pleased to share that I have made a long-term commitment to CBS News to continue to do the same storytelling and big interviews that have been our hallmark. I will continue to contribute to Evening News and all of our news broadcasts, including 60 Minutes.
I don’t need to tell you what a transformative time our business is facing. I see this as an opportunity. I want to thank Wendy McMahon as this new role will also allow me to extend the reach of the work we do to new audiences in new ways. Those interviews and reporting will be shared across the many platforms CBS offers - streaming, digital, primetime, Paramount+, and more. And in fact, we have a big interview coming up that I hope to share more details about very soon.
We have a lot of work to do covering the most important election of our lifetime. My final nights on the Evening News broadcast are still a long way away, and we will have plenty of time to celebrate our accomplishments. As some of you have heard me say before — the quality of your life is built on the quality of your relationships. I am so grateful for OURS.
Our broadcast was nominated for an Emmy this year for “Outstanding Live News Program,” and make no mistake that is because we have the best producers, correspondents, crews, and technical teams. On the Sunday afternoon that President Biden dropped his re-election bid, our CBS News teams ended their weekends early, hustled into work and produced nearly 6 hours straight of live television with new reporting. I am constantly in awe of the professionalism and skill of this team.
Thank you for all that you do for our broadcast and our audience every single day. There’s nothing more important to me than making sure we cover this election with the excellence and humanity that defines our work together. I’m so fortunate to share those values with so many hard-working journalists who believe how important the work of journalism is to a healthy democracy. Onward!
Norah
A Message from Wendy McMahon
Hi everyone,
Just a few moments ago, Norah O’Donnell shared her decision to step away from the Evening News desk after the election, moving into a new role at CBS – a role that will enable her to, as she notes, do something different, and thankfully for us, do more of the storytelling and big interviews that are a hallmark of CBS News, as well as Norah’s illustrious career.
The fact is… Norah’s superpower is her ability to secure and then masterfully deliver unparalleled interviews and stories that set the news cycle and capture the cultural zeitgeist. From her global exclusive with Pope Francis to her interviews with every living president, Norah’s newsmaking interviews always deliver for the audience. How many people can effortlessly shift from field-anchoring on an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea to sitting down with Bono and Dolly Parton? Norah's work here is legendary, and she has several major interviews in the works that will be equally memorable and momentous.
As Norah noted in her email, this is a transformative time in our industry, where we have the challenge and the opportunity to connect with viewers in entirely new ways, and she is uniquely positioned to do so for CBS. In this new role, Norah will have the time and the support to deliver even more of the exceptional stories she is known for across our shows and streams, across CBS Network and Paramount+. She will have the real estate and flexibility to leverage big bookings on numerous platforms, including primetime specials, 60 Minutes, CBS News Sunday Morning, and more.
But first, there is an election to cover, and Norah will continue to lead our political coverage, including the Democratic National Convention and Election Night. We look forward to Norah’s ongoing coverage of this important political cycle.
I know many of you will have questions about what this means for the CBS Evening News moving forward. Please know we remain committed to its mission, we will share more about our plans soon, and we want to thank all our colleagues who contribute to its coverage every night. As Norah said, her Evening News signoff is not anytime soon, and we look forward to seeing her reporting and interviews now and in the future.
Wendy
A Message from Bill Owens on the CBS Evening News
Hello everyone,
As Wendy just announced, I will be taking on a new role to help reshape the CBS Evening News, and 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.
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. I appreciate Wendy’s commitment to all of us.
Moving the Evening News back to its home in New York and working with John, Maurice and our correspondent team to bring our audience a news show that prioritizes good writing and storytelling is our simple goal. Simple shouldn’t be confused with easy. We have work to do. We aim to put on a very different broadcast than the other networks – respecting our past as we move into the future.
I am extremely grateful that Guy Campanile, one of the most experienced journalists in the entire news division, will become the executive producer of the CBS Evening News when it moves back to New York. Guy is an award-winning 60 Minutes producer, who also was an integral part of the terrific Scott Pelley Evening News broadcast. His instincts, taste, writing ability and passion for this place make him the perfect partner. We both agree that every Evening News story must be well-written, additive, and elegantly produced. Thank you, Guy.
I am also delighted to announce that Joe DiMaggio, actually, no, Jerry Cipriano will return to CBS as the senior news editor and senior producer of the Evening News. The DiMaggio thing was only half a joke. Jerry is a legend and one of the greatest writers/editors the Evening News has ever known. He will partner with Guy, focusing on story selection, writing, and editing. His commitment to well-written, accurate, and engaging content will once again be the North Star that drives the “Fish Bowl” of the Evening News.
While Guy and Jerry will handle day-to-day operations, we look forward to working with all of the talented journalists at the broadcast, including Jim Axelrod’s Eye team, chief weathercaster Lonnie Quinn, and Steve Hartman for “On the Road.” There will be more changes as we move forward, as well as opportunities.
I consider the Evening News the pinnacle of daily news broadcasts. Our bar will be high. The goal is to deliver an informative broadcast every night, prioritizing the audience’s time and attention over headline lists and viral videos. Our viewers can expect thoughtful reports on the day’s most important stories and conversations between our anchors and correspondents. It’s an entirely new format that the audience will learn from, and we will never take them for granted.
We will be in the New York newsroom to meet with the Evening News team and will share plans soon for visits to our bureaus. We have an incredible opportunity to set a new standard for this historic broadcast and showcase the best of CBS News.
Let’s go.
Bill
A Message from Wendy McMahon on the CBS Evening News
Hi everyone,
Over the past months, every correspondent… every newsroom… every team member… has risen to the occasion during this non-stop news cycle to deliver coverage rich in context, depth, and thoughtfulness. I cannot thank you enough for all you’ve done to provide reporting that exemplifies the highest standards of CBS News. This is a moment that demands our very best: a time that requires us to come together, to leverage our top editorial minds across the organization, to strengthen our commitment and our coverage across every show and stream, in service to our viewers and one another.
With Norah’s decision to take on a new role at CBS, we’ve decided to rethink and redesign the Evening News, driven by our goals to maximize the power of our people and our most important franchises, to produce courageous and distinctive journalism that informs and enlightens, and finally, to compete aggressively… on broadcast and beyond.
As such, we have a few announcements to share today.
First, after the election, the CBS Evening News will return to New York – back to the Fish Bowl – where it will once again be the nerve center and the editorial backbone of the News Hub in the Broadcast Center. The D.C. bureau will continue being a vital part of our coverage across the Network as it always has, and our journalists and their work will remain prominent on the Evening News. Rest assured that after the broadcast moves to New York, our commitment to the D.C. bureau and the exceptional journalism it produces will remain unwavering.
Leading the CBS Evening News’ return to New York will be Bill Owens, the executive producer of 60 Minutes, who has agreed to take on an expanded purview as the supervising producer of the CBS Evening News. As supervising producer, Bill will manage the overall editorial direction of the broadcast, infusing 60 Minutes’ DNA and values into the program while introducing a new format and team. Bill will share more details on his editorial plans and announce key leadership posts soon. Thankfully, he’s agreed to become supervising producer of the Evening News, while remaining executive producer of 60 Minutes, where he has also agreed to a multi-year extension. This marks a return to the Evening News for Bill, where he served as the senior broadcast producer with Bob Schieffer beginning in 2005, and before that, reported from the White House and around the world with CBS News greats like Bill Plante, Scott Pelley and Rita Braver.
Bill's expanded role will be instrumental in maximizing our editorial capabilities across the division and every night on the Evening News. As we evolve and enhance our news gathering operations, the importance of the Evening News as our flagship evening broadcast cannot be overstated. It will be at the center of our efforts to report and reveal the news in service to the audience. Bill’s leadership will be essential in shaping it into a broadcast for the future that embodies the best of CBS News values.
When we launch the CBS Evening News from New York, it will feature a new look and format, led by an ensemble team of award-winning and respected journalists: John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois will anchor from the Broadcast Center. Regularly leading our coverage from Washington, D.C. when news breaks on the political and foreign affairs front will be Margaret Brennan, CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent and moderator of Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan. Lonnie Quinn is being named chief weathercaster for the CBS Evening News, where he will deliver the latest weather reporting and forecasts from our new AR/VR studio.
John’s unparalleled mastery of politics and democratic principles enables him to contextualize complex subjects. Viewers experience this streaming nightly on CBS News 24/7 via The Daily Report with John Dickerson. Maurice is a trusted voice and a skilled broadcaster who has guided CBS New York’s audiences through some of the most pivotal breaking news stories of our time, both from behind the desk and on the scene. Lonnie’s reporting during major weather events and his daily forecasts on WCBS have earned him the audience’s respect. We all know when he rolls up his shirtsleeves, he means business. And Margaret’s incisive interviews and analysis on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, the #1 Sunday morning public affairs program in America, as well as her foreign affairs reporting across CBS News will now become a staple on the Evening News.
During our recent political coverage, John, Maurice and Margaret’s unmatched reporting and analysis were on full display alongside our exceptionally talented colleagues across the organization. They will continue to be a fixture of our coverage. And in the months ahead, in addition to their Evening News duties, John will continue anchoring on CBS News 24/7, and Maurice will continue to anchor on WCBS. Lonnie joins the ranks of the talented experts we are building within the CBS News Weather Network, and he’s already gotten started with appearances on the Evening News. He will continue in his role at WCBS. Additional CBS News correspondents will join this ensemble of journalists to contribute regularly to the broadcast and offer their subject-matter expertise and reporting on key topics in the news.
As Bill often notes, CBS News’ legacy is one of legendary giants in the field – courageous teams in front of and behind the camera. Returning to our roots and elevating those who are the very best in their respective fields every night – in service to the Evening News viewer – will be the goal.
With Bill overseeing both 60 Minutes and Evening News, we look forward to 60 Minutes correspondents filing for the Evening News when they have big news to break. For decades this was routine; so it will be again. They will join veteran journalists like Jim Axelrod and Steve Hartman who spearhead the broadcast’s signature segments Eye on America and On The Road, which will continue as differentiated offerings the audience has come to expect from us.
As Norah shared in her announcement, we look forward to her continuing to lead our political coverage and the Evening News through the election. Her significant contributions across CBS will remain prominent on our shows and streams when she begins her new role later this year. Adam Verdugo, a 10-year veteran at CBS News, will continue to executive produce the duPont and Emmy award-winning Evening News and support the team through the transition.
During the town hall in April, we talked about the opportunity to redefine television for an evolving audience. This vision for the CBS Evening News draws on the innovation and imagination of our past and brings together the incredible storytelling and reporting power from every one of our correspondents and newsrooms to shape our future.
We recognize there’s a lot here. These are big changes, and they are happening amid a turbulent political season and heightened conflicts overseas. But what we know is that CBS News is at its best when we come together to honor our purpose and mission as journalists to meet the audience where they are today – and ensure we exceed their expectations for tomorrow.
In the days and weeks ahead, we will host meetings across the organization in New York, Washington, London and Los Angeles to answer questions and share more about our plans for this next chapter of the Evening News broadcast and CBS News. For now, let’s all remain focused on the task at hand: the incredible work you are all doing and will continue to do as we cover this important moment in our country’s history.
Thank you,
Wendy