News

From left: Julie Wolfe, Carol Fowler, Chris Peña.

Local television broadcaster Tegna on Monday announced the promotions of three new vice presidents of content.

Julie Wolfe, Carol Fowler and Chris Peña will start in their new VP roles on June 30, the company said, adding that the appointments are part of Tegna’s “commitment to invest in content as the company continues to build a sustainable future for local news.”

The announcement comes about a week after Tegna said it will increase its local news output at many of its local TV stations, with new 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. newscasts that will stream on Tegna-owned digital apps and online channels.

Wolfe, Fowler and Peña will each serve a specific geographic region that covers many of Tegna’s 50-plus local TV markets, the company said. Each will also oversee a robust content-related priority that affects all stations, including weather, “big stories and events,...

The studios of Kusa-tv in Denver, Colorado, one of over 60 television stations owned by Tegna. (Photo via Google Street View)

Local television broadcast Tegna is launching new, two-hour newscasts on nearly three dozen local TV stations this month.

The newscasts will run from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. each weekday, during the same time slot as network-owned shows like “Today” on NBC and “Good Morning America” on ABC.

With the broadcast signals occupied by network news, Tegna will distribute its live local newscasts on its streaming apps and websites. Tegna will also offer the live newscasts on third party platforms like Local Now and Fox-owned Tubi where its news streams are available.

Three Tegna-owned NBC affiliates — Kgw (Channel 8) in Portland, Wcnc (Channel 36) in Charlotte and Wkyc (Channel 3) in Cleveland — began offering the 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. newscasts earlier this year as part of a test run.

Stations...

Updated, with additional comments and Trump lawyer statement: Wendy McMahon has announced her resignation as the president and CEO of CBS News and Stations, the latest departure from the network amid the pending acquisition by Skydance.

McMahon wrote to staffers, “Championing and supporting the journalism produced by the most amazing stations and bureaus in the world, celebrating the successes of our shows and our brands, elevating our stories and our people … It has been a privilege and joy.

“At the same time, the past few months have been challenging. It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.”

Her exit comes as the network has been in negotiations with Donald Trump’s team over a settlement of a $20 billion lawsuit he filed over the way...

Wendy McMahon, a TV executive who aggressively pushed CBS News and TV stations into new business operations and formats during a tumultuous era under parent company Paramount Global, said Monday she would step away from her role.

She is the second senior executive overseeing the company’s news division to leave unexpectedly as Paramount pursues a settlement with President Donald Trump over a what many legal experts believe is a flimsy lawsuit alleging that the venerable newsmagazine “60 Minutes” tried to mislead voters with an interview of former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Bill Owens, the executive producer of “60 Minutes” announced his decision to leave last month, citing interference from the corporate parent.

Her departure will likely be seen as yet another sign that Paramount intends to settle its legal conflict with Trump, even if doing so will undermine “60 Minutes” and the news division.

McMahon felt in recent...

A behind-the-scenes look at the news set at Tegna-owned Kxtv Sacramento. (Still frame via Kxtv promotional video)

This column originally appeared at The Topline, and is republished here with permission. Subscribe to Tvnd.com’s e-mail newsletter by clicking or tapping here.

A favorite read on our bookshelf is Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead.” Her sweeping 1943 novel tells the story of the central character, an intransigent architect, Howard Roark, and his fight for what the author calls “individualism over collectivism.” Over the years, much debate has been had on how much the Roark character is based on real-life architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright—with whom Rand had a long-standing correspondence.

Early in the book, the Roark character delivers this crucial line: “I’ve chosen the work I want to do. If I find no joy in it, then I’m only condemning myself to sixty years of torture. And...

CBS News has named Tom Cibrowski president and executive editor, tapping an ABC News veteran to lead the news division at a critical moment.

Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Television Stations and CBS Media Ventures, announced Cibrowski’s hiring Thursday morning. Cibrowski succeeds Adrienne Roark, the former CBS News president of newsgathering, who left for a job at Tegna earlier this month.

Cibrowski, however, will have a wider purview. Roark led newsgathering and editorial, but McMahon herself oversaw some key shows. Cibrowski will run all CBS News shows, as well as newsgathering and reporting units.

“Tom brings three decades of experience in broadcast journalism to CBS News, some of it here at CBS, where he served as a broadcast producer at The Early Show,” McMahon wrote in a memo to staff. “Everything he does is marked by a deep understanding of the news landscape, and he...

CBS News has named Tom Cibrowski as president and executive editor, taking over for Adrienne Roark, who departed last week for a job at Tegna.

“Tom brings a clear vision, fresh perspective and competitive edge that will serve us well here at CBS News. From bringing ‘GMA’ to No. 1 to his vast international experience, I have no doubt he will lead CBS News to new heights,” CBS News and Stations CEO and president Wendy McMahon said in a Thursday statement. “He will be instrumental in our mission to elevate the quality of our news coverage and strengthen our commitment to excellence.”

“Journalism and storytelling are what CBS News does the best,” Cibrowski added. “There is simply no one better. I’m beyond thrilled to be returning to this iconic and unmatched organization and can’t wait to hit the ground running.”

Cibrowski will report to McMahon and will oversee all CBS News newsgathering,...

Tom Cibrowski, who had top roles at ABC News, has been named president and executive editor of CBS News.

Cibrowski’s appointment follows the exit of Adrienne Roark, who announced last week that she was going to Tegna for a senior role.

Cibrowski will oversee the news division at a time of upheaval and uncertainty at the network news division, with the pending acquisition of CBS parent Paramount Global by Skydance. The FCC also opened an inquiry into the way that 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris last year, although Democrats on the commission say that the investigation is a politically motivated effort and that the network’s news judgment is protected by the First Amendment.

Cibrowski was previously a broadcast producer for CBS News’ The Early Show, and he later spent 25 years at ABC News in multiple leadership positions. That included a tenure as senior executive producer...

There’s yet another person at the top of CBS News, a job that hasn’t been as long-lived as it may have been in the past.

Tom Cibrowski, a TV news veteran who has managed both “Good Morning America” and the San Francisco station Kgo, has been named president and executive editor at CBS New, and will take the helm of the Paramount Global news operation at a challenging time. Variety reported on the plans Wednesday.

CBS News is under an array of pressures. It is at the center of of a case levied against Paramount Global by now-President Donald Trump, who claims editing of a “60 Minutes” interview of former Vice President Kamala Harris had an influence on the 2024 election. Executives at Paramount Global have mulled settling the case, because they fear the White House could slow down its deal to be acquired by David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Adrienne Roark.

Adrienne Roark is leaving Paramount Global and its CBS News & Stations division to become the Chief Content Officer at local television broadcaster Tegna, the company announced on Tuesday.

As Chief Content Officer, Roark will oversee Tegna’s local news and content businesses, reporting directly to the company’s CEO, Mike Steib. She effectively succeeds Ellen Crooke, who retired as Tegna’s Senior Vice President of News in January.

Roark has spent the last three years with CBS, starting first as its co-President of CBS Television Stations, where she oversaw the company’s East Coast and Midwest television operations, including flagship station Wcbs-tv (Channel 2) in New York City. She became President of CBS News & Stations — the relatively new name given to the local broadcast division of CBS — in October 2023, though her duties were split with another local CBS TV executive in August. After what was ostensibly a demotion,...

Another top executive is exiting CBS News, as the news division continues to reel amid reported settlement talks between owner Paramount Global and President Trump.

Adrienne Roark, who was named president of editorial and newsgathering at CBS News just seven months ago, is exiting the company to take a senior role at the local TV station giant Tegna. The exec was named chief content officer reporting to CEO Mike Steib, beginning on March 31.

Roark was elevated to the role last August after former CBS News president Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews announced her plan to leave the news division. Ciprian-Matthews had only been running CBS News for a year when she announced her plan to leave.

“I’m thrilled to join Tegna and look forward to working with the talented team to continue innovating and delivering high-quality, audience-driven stories for the tens of millions of community members who come to our platforms daily for their local news,...

Adrienne Roark, CBS News’ president of editorial and newsgathering, is leaving the company for a senior position at Tegna. Her exit comes just seven months after being named president of the operation.

Her departure comes at a time when CBS is facing a $20 billion lawsuit from President Trump, who has claimed CBS and “60 Minutes” deceptively edited an interview with Kamala Harris leading up to the 2024 election. Roark’s exit also comes as Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, and Skydance Media are moving closer towards a planned merger — a deal that was given the green light by the Securities and Exchange Commission last week.

Roark began her career at CBS. After managing newsrooms in major markets, she returned in 2021 to become president of CBS Stations. She was then named president of content development and integration for CBS News, Stations and Media Ventures in 2023, before earning her most recent...

Updated, with details of Tegna role: Adrienne Roark is exiting her top leadership post at CBS News after just a half-year in the job.

Roark will serve as chief content officer at Tegna, the station group, and will report to CEO Mike Steib.

“Throughout her impressive career, Adrienne has delivered exceptional journalism at scale while staying deeply committed to local communities,” Steib said in a statement.

Roark’s departure was announced to staffers this morning, a network spokesperson said, confirming a report in the newsletter Breaker. No successor has been named.

Roark was named president of editorial and newsgathering at CBS News and Stations in August, assuming the responsibilities of Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, who stepped down from her role stop the news division after just a year in the post. She had cited the pending merger between Skydance and Paramount Global, with cuts throughout the company.

Roark’s departure comes amid...

They just can’t keep senior executives at the top of CBS News.

Adrienne Roark, who was named president of the Paramount Global news division in August of last year, revealed Wednesday morning to staffers that she plans to leave the company at the end of February to take a role at Tegna, the TV-station group that was once part of Gannett. A CBS News spokesperson confirmed Roark’s announcement, but declined to offer additional comment.

Roark’s exit was previously reported by Breaker, a newsletter focused on New York media, politics and culture. Tenga on Wednesday afternoon confirmed that Roark would join the company at the end of March as its chief content officer, reporting directly to CEO Mike Steib.

Her departure is just the latest in a parade of executives assigned to lead the home of “60 Minutes” and “CBS Evening News” in recent years. Roark was named...

Robert Costa has been named CBS News’ chief Washington analyst as well as a national correspondent for “CBS Sunday Morning,” marking a rapid rise for the former Washington Post correspondent since joining the Paramount Global news unit in 2022.

Costa is expected to cover a range of issues for “Sunday Morning,” including politics as well as culture and the arts. He will continue to report on all things in the world of U.S. politics for CBS News, including Congress, the Trump administration, President Trump and potential 2028 candidates.

His new assignments were unveiled Thursday by Adrienne Roark, CBS News’ president of editorial and newsgathering, along with a handful of other moves tied to the news operation’s Washington personnel. There have been reports of concern among CBS News correspondents assigned to cover Beltway affairs after “CBS Evening News” moved to New York from a perch in D.C. ., and changed its...

Updated with date change: Norah O’Donnell’s final night anchoring the CBS Evening News is now January 23, 2025, CBS confirmed Friday.

O’Donnell, who announced in July that she was exiting the role, was to have had her final show January 24, but because of CBS Sports’ coverage of the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open that day, the CBS Evening News will be a West Coast-only edition.

The network shifted the date by a day so O’Donnell’s final show can be a full, national broadcast.

As previously announced, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois are taking over as lead anchors beginning January 27 as the CBS Evening News returns to New York as its home base after five years Washington, D.C.

Previously, November 22, 2024: Norah O’Donnell’s final night anchoring the CBS Evening News will be January 24, the CBS network’s news division told its staff Friday, which will bring...

Alison Pepper, who has been CBS News’ senior vice president of talent strategy, said that she is leaving after the election, as she cited the “seismic shifts” facing the network.

Pepper was appointed to the role in 2021, overseeing talent recruitment and development. She previously had been a network executive and senior producer at CBS News and 60 Minutes.

In a memo to staffers, Pepper wrote, “Throughout my life and career, I have tried to make the best decisions that I can with the information I have in front of me. CBS News has been my home for the better part of 25 years. I have had the privilege of working each day with all of you, many of whom I consider to be like family, as you navigated some of the most impactful news stories of our time with integrity, ingenuity and grit… and I have loved every minute of it. But...

CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King says the show’s controversial interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates earlier this fall has been “a learning experience for everybody.”

During a panel Tuesday dedicated to the morning show at PaleyFest New York, King and executive producer Shawna Thomas responded to a question about the episode from moderator Lisa Ling. Co-hosts Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil, who did the interview with Coates, were onstage with King and Thomas, as was featured host Vladimir Duthiers, but they did not weigh in on the situation.

“Life is hard,” King said. “The news is hard. Sometimes, you have hard conversations on television.”

She continued, “We know that it comes with a great responsibility. And we’re mindful of that. Certain topics you know are just hot-button issues. You have to be very careful about how you ask the questions, how the questions are received. So, I think it...

The International Women’s Media Foundation (Iwmf) hosted the 35th annual Courage in Journalism Awards in New York City.

Now in its 35th year, the awards remind news media audiences worldwide of the sacrifices women journalists make, and the odds they face, simply to report the truth.

Hosted by Linsey Davis (ABC News), the event honored Lauren Chooljian, an American journalist with New Hampshire Public Radio (Nhpr) and Mónica Velásquez Villacís, an Ecuadorian journalist with La Posta with the Courage in Journalism Awards for their remarkable bravery in the pursuit of reporting. As the principal award in journalism solely dedicated to women’s contributions in the field, the Courage Award stands as a pillar of thanks for the role diversity plays in upholding press freedom.

Presenters during the program included Deborah Roberts (ABC News), Suzanne Malveaux (CNN), Marites Vitug, Anna Nemtsova, Lydia Cacho and Iwmf Deputy Executive Director Nadine Hoffman.

In addition,...

There was a hugely controversial interview on CBS Mornings. Producers of the show apologized and admonished Tony Dokoupil for his line of questioning. However, while people are debating what Dokoupil did, more people have focused attention on Gayle King, with one person saying she violated “journalistic standards” before the interview.

Here is what happened and the accusations against Gayle.

CBS Mornings Interview With Ta-Nehisi Coates Breaks Down

Ta-Nehisi Coates appeared on CBS Mornings to discuss his new book, The Message. This book has three sections and follows Coates as he traveled to Africa, South Carolina, and Palestine. In each stop, he writes about what he sees there and delivers first-hand accounts of the people involved in various racial discord.

Yellowstone: Gayle King

Nate Burleson introduced the interview and the first question was about how Ta-Nehisi Coates feels his book is good for writers to read. He explains that writers, especially...

In a stark departure from its own corporate precedent and the usual circle-the-wagons approach of news divisions in crisis, top execs at CBS News parent Paramount Global have publicly disagreed this week.

At the center of the situation was an interview last week with author Ta-Nehisi Coates on CBS Mornings. While co-hosts Gayle King, Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil all sat in on the chat, Dokoupil drew criticism for dominating and pressing Coates on the section of his book, The Message, that criticizes Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. Dokoupil, who is Jewish, challenged Coates on whether he believed the state of Israel had a right to exist.

CBS News brass addressed the matter during a staff call Monday featuring Adrienne Roark, the president of editorial and newsgathering, and Wendy McMahon, president of CBS News and Stations. They told employees that Dokoupil’s questioning did not meet the news division’s “editorial standards.

Paramount Co-CEO George Cheeks said the company needs to have “substantive dialogue” about perceptions of bias and “inconsistent treatment,” following the CBS Mornings interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates.

In the interview about Coates’ new book, The Message, which argues that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is immoral, host Tony Dokoupil drew criticism from some for his pointed questioning around Coates’ views. In statement, Cheeks wrote that an editorial meeting should be called to talk about the standards for fairness and objectivity set within the news division.

But he added that hosts should still be allowed to ask tough questions.

“Our hosts and correspondents will continue to ask the toughest questions on the most important and complex issues,” Cheeks wrote.

In the interview, which took place last week, Dokoupil asking pointed questions of Coates such as “Why leave out that Israel is surrounded by countries that want to eliminate it?” and commented “I have to say,...

Paramount Global co-ceo George Cheeks released a memo to staffers Wednesday afternoon, defending top CBS News executives for calling out the way that CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokuopil handled an interview last week with author Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Cheeks’ statement came after Shari Redstone, in an appearance at New York Advertising Week, stood behind Dokoupil and said it was a “mistake” for the way that the backlash to the interview was handled. In an internal meeting Monday, CBS News and Stations President Wendy McMahon and Adrienne Roark, president of editorial and newsgathering, said in a staff meeting that the interview did not meet the network’s editorial standards.

“There has been strong and growing discord within CBS News that needed to be addressed in an editorial meeting,” Cheeks wrote in his memo. “This must lead to further substantive dialogue about perceptions of inconsistent treatment, implicit bias and the important standards our...

Memo to CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil: Looks like the boss has your back (at least for now).

Shari Redstone, the controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, in some of her last days in that role, reprimanded executives at CBS News for telling staffers earlier this week that a sharp exchange on “CBS Mornings” between Dokoupil and author Ta-Nehisi Coates about his new book “The Message” had not met the news division’s editorial standards. The segment raised eyebrows both among viewers and internally, because it progressed into a tense back-and-forth as Dokoupil grilled Coates on whether his writing expressed antipathy toward Israel.

“I think we made a mistake,” said Redstone, while speaking at an event in New York City that was part of Advertising Week, an industry conference. “I think we made a bad mistake this week.”

At issue, according to people familiar with the matter, was whether Dokoupil...

The chair of Paramount Global, Shari Redstone, is backing CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil after a contentious interview last week with author Ta-Nehisi Coates.

“I frankly think Tony did a great job with that interview,” Redstone said on Wednesday. “I was very proud of the work that he did. Yes, as hard as it was for me to go against this company, I think they made a mistake here.”

“I just want to be clear that I’ve been working with the CEOs,” the mogul elaborated. “I’ve been working with the woman who does a lot of our diversity training, and I think we all agree that this was not handled correctly, and we all agree that something needs to be done. I don’t have, you know, editorial control. I am not an executive, but I have a voice in our platform, like all of us.”

The comments...

Ta-Nehisi Coates offered more thoughts on his much talked-about CBS Mornings interview in a trailer for the next episode of the What Now? With Trevor Noah podcast, suggesting that host Tony Dokoupil “commandeering” the interview didn’t serve his colleagues Gayle King and Nate Burleson well.

In a three-minute trailer for the next episode, Coates is asked about the CBS interview last week that covered his new book The Message. Noah begins by relaying to Coates his own anger at the tone and line of questioning Dokoupil aimed at the author over his writings about the Israel-Palestine issue. “I very seldom get angry on people’s behalf, but man, we haven’t been able to stop talking about the CBS interview,” Noah said. “I don’t think you understand the shock wave that interview created, not because of what you said, but because of the way people felt like you were treated.

On the evening of what should be a landmark moment — a “60 Minutes” election special with Vice President Kamala Harris airs Monday night — CBS News suddenly finds itself embroiled in l’Affaire Dokoupil, in which a new senior executive had to explain why the tone taken by one of the news division’s rising stars was inappropriate.

CBS News executives on Monday told staffers that a recent interview conducted by Tony Dokoupil on “CBS Mornings” failed to meet the network’s editorial standards, a decision that has spurred some pushback.

Dokoupil last week interviewed author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates about his new book “The Message.” The segment raised eyebrows both among viewers and internally, because it progressed into a tense back-and-forth as Dokoupil grilled Coates on whether his writing expressed antipathy toward Israel.

The Free Press published a recorded conversation from CBS News’ daily editorial meeting, during which Adrienne Roark,...

Top CBS News executives told staffers on a call Monday morning that a contentious interview exchange between CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil and author Ta-Nehisi Coates over Coates’ book that delves into the Israel-Palestinian conflict did not meet the network’s editorial standards.

But the call, which featured Adrienne Roark, the president of editorial and newsgathering, and Wendy McMahon, president of CBS News and Stations, drew some pushback by others who saw the CBS Mornings conversation as a civil conversation that captured both sides of a divisive issue.

In the internal call, Roark told staffers that after a review of the coverage “it’s clear there are times we have not met our editorial standards.” She added that the situation “has been addressed, and it will continue to be in the future.”

“This is a highly charged and complex issue, and it was really important for us, for Wendy [McMahon], for me,...

A contentious interview last week on CBS Mornings did not meet the network’s editorial standards.

That was a message shared by CBS News brass to staff in an editorial meeting Monday.

Last week’s interview saw CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil speak with author Ta-Nehisi Coates about his new book The Message, which passionately argues that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is immoral and should be condemned.

The interview was contentious, but civil, with Dokoupil asking pointed questions of Coates like, “Why leave out that Israel is surrounded by countries that want to eliminate it?” and comments like, “I have to say, when I read the book, I imagine if I took your name out of it, took away the awards, the acclaim … the content of that section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist.”

Not surprisingly, given the high emotional stakes of anything that involves Israel and Palestine,...

CBS News leadership announced to staff Monday morning that journalist Tony Dokoupil’s contentious approach to an interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates failed to meet the organization’s editorial standards, following an internal review of the interview. Executives said that they addressed the interview with Dokoupil directly.

Coates appeared on “CBS Mornings” last week to discuss his new book, “The Message,” which includes criticism of Israel’s approach to its war against Hamas in Gaza following Coates’ own visit to Jerusalem. Co-anchor Dokoupil turned the focus to the portion of his book discussing Israel and asserting that the content of that section, without Coates’ name attached, “would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist.”

Audio of the call with staff was obtained and released by Bari Weiss’ conservative Free Press outlet, which has taken a stance in support of Israel’s prosecution of its war in Gaza and beyond.

Jericka Duncan will now anchor the Saturday and Sunday editions of CBS Weekend News.

Duncan has been anchor of the Sunday edition of the newscast since late 2020. Adriana Diaz, who anchored on Saturday, departed last month to co-host CBS Mornings Plus, the new third hour of the network’s morning show, along with Tony Dokoupil.

In a memo to staffers, Adrienne Roark, president of newsgathering and editorial for CBS News and Stations, wrote that Duncan “is often one of the first reporters on the scene when news breaks.” Duncan was in Georgia last month to interview students following a school shooting at Apalachee High School.

“Reporting those stories is never easy, but in every situation, Jericka forges real connections with the people and communities she covers — in moments of tragedy and triumph — allowing them to share their experiences authentically.”

Duncan will continue to anchor from New York and to report...

CBS News and Stations announced the lineup of journalists who will be based in community “news hubs” the South and the middle of the country.

Adrienne Roark, president of editorial and newsgathering, wrote in a memo to staff that the journalists “will be based in cities across the South and the middle of the country with growing populations.”

“They join our local-to-global team already delivering thoughtful, engaging, and timely reporting across our platforms,” she wrote. “These news hubs will allow us to respond to breaking news quicker, unearth stories of national importance from their own communities and deliver deeper reporting on the 2024 Election from every corner of the country.”

She also wrote that they “represent a wave of journalists who shoot, edit, report, and present their stories in creative ways across platforms.” Some are new hires and others are moving from other cities.

They are:

Jason Allen, previously a reporter with CBS News Texas,...

After the network chose to replace Norah O’Donnell with two male anchors on “CBS Evening News,” Katie Couric openly attacked CBS News for being “out of touch.” Despite CBS’s recent efforts to advance women in senior jobs, decision-making authority still resides primarily in the hands of men, as Couric noted in an op-ed for The New York Times.

The irony in CBS’s reorganization—which saw the appointment of more women to managerial roles—was brought to Couric’s attention when the network chose two men, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, to anchor the evening newscast. Although she recognized the skill of both men, she thought it strange that during a period of profound social and political transformation, the hosts of CBS’s evening broadcast would be men.

O’Donnell’s Departure And CBS’s Leadership Changes

Norah O’Donnell, who announced her departure from the anchor chair in July,...

Katie Couric, the former anchor of CBS Evening News, weighed in on the network’s recent overhaul of the nightly broadcast, calling it “more than a little disappointing” that Norah O’Donnell’s successors will be two male anchors.

The network recently announced that John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois would be anchoring CBS Evening News after O’Donnell’s steps down following the November election.

Couric wrote in an op ed in The New York Times, “Don’t get me wrong: I know, like and respect these two journalists. But soon, on the big three networks, there will be four male anchors. Yes, the talented Margaret Brennan will be contributing stories from the Washington bureau for CBS, but the two people who will be greeting Americans watching the CBS evening newscast will be men.”

As Couric noted, after the change, the three broadcast networks’ evening newscasts all will be anchored by men,...

From left: Adrienne Roark, Jennifer Mitchell, Wendy Fisher, Terri Stewart, David Reiter, and Alvin Patrick. (Photo courtesy Paramount Global)

(The following is a press release; its contents were not editorially vetted by The Desk.)

CBS News and Stations is introducing a new editorial leadership structure, with Adrienne Roark and Jennifer Mitchell taking on expanded roles across the local-to-global news organization. Additionally, veteran CBS News and Stations executives will assume key roles and additional responsibilities to join the current team that oversees daily editorial and newsgathering across all platforms. The announcement was made today by Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures.

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we write the future of CBS News and Stations. Our journalists and team members across the division are working together more collaboratively and efficiently to drive impact across all of our shows and streams,...

CBS News and Stations is naming Adrienne Roark the president of editorial and newsgathering as part of a larger organizational shift for the company. Under this same restructure, Jennifer Mitchell has been named president of stations and digital.

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we write the future of CBS News and Stations. Our journalists and team members across the division are working together more collaboratively and efficiently to drive impact across all of our shows and streams,” Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, said in a statement to press. “I have great confidence in the team we are assembling, beginning with Adrienne and Jennifer, who are terrific partners and inspirational, aspirational and empathetic leaders. This structure is designed to support and build our next-generation news organization. By working with our talented teams in every newsroom, each of...

The next president of CBS News will also run a group of major market local stations in New York and Boston. The next head of CBS’ local stations will also supervise digital properties tied to national programming.

Adrienne Roark and Jennifer Mitchell will take new oversight of CBS News and CBS’ local stations, respectively, in the latest batch of maneuvers by Paramount Global to combine the operations of both businesses. Their duties show the emphasis CBS is putting on merging local TV operations and national newsgathering — two of the bedrock operations of the media business — at at time when the rise of streaming video has thrown their economics into disarray. And they leave CBS News with a senior executive team that is better versed in the business of TV than in the editorial decisions that lead to the creation of news content.

“Our journalists and team members across the division...

CBS News and Stations is rolling out a new executive leadership structure under CEO Wendy McMahon.

Among the big changes are some promotions: Adrienne Roark will become president of editorial and newsgathering for CBS News and Stations, assuming most of the responsibilities of Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, who exited as president of CBS News last month.

Jennifer Mitchell will become president of stations and digital for CBS News and Stations, overseeing the local TV stations and the division’s digital efforts.

Notably, McMahon will oversee all CBS News network broadcasts, “working directly with the executive producers of those shows to continue to maximize the organization’s brands and editorial capabilities across all screens and platforms,” per CBS.

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we write the future of CBS News and Stations. Our journalists and team members across the division are working together more collaboratively and efficiently to...

Exclusive: Adrienne Roark and Jennifer Mitchell will take on expanded roles as part of a new leadership structure at CBS News and Stations, the latest changes at the division.

Roark will serve as president of editorial and newsgathering for CBS News and Stations, assuming the responsibilities of Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, who stepped down as president of CBS News and will serve as senior editorial adviser through the election. Roark will lead field and newsroom and newsgathering teams as well as CBS News Radio.

Roark, who had been president of content development and integration, also will continue to lead the CBS Local News Innovation Lab in Dallas-Fort Worth; the Centers of Excellence she has built around data journalism, weather and specialized beats/units; and Wcbs and Wlny in New York, as well as Wbz and Wsbk in Boston.

Mitchell will become president of stations and digital for CBS News and Stations, with primary responsibility for CBS Stations,...

Anna Schecter Zigler (Courtesy photo)

The local TV unit at Paramount Global’s CBS has named a new senior coordinating producer for its recently-organized Crime & Public Safety unit.

Anna Schecter Zigler will oversee the unit for CBS News & Stations, the broadcaster announced this week. She will be based in New York and start in her new role on June 17.

Adrienne Roark, the President of Content Development and Integration at CBS News & Stations, said the Crime & Public Safety department is “the next step in our evolution to deepen coverage across CBS News and Stations in key areas.”

“Crime and public safety stories matter greatly to individuals across the country, and investing in this centralized beat helps us advance our reporting in meaningful ways to serve the audience,” Roark said in a statement.

It is the latest specialized unit at CBS News & Stations set up by the operation over the past several months.

Anna Schecter Zigler will lead a new crime and public safety unit for CBS News and Stations, joining the network as senior coordinating producer.

Schecter Zigler will work with journalists across the network to produce stories and other types of content. She also will report on air for CBS News and for CBS News and Stations programs. She will start on June 17.

Schecter Zigler joins the network from NBC News, where she most recently was senior producer and head of special projects for the NBC News investigative unit. She also was a regular contributor to NBC News Now and MSNBC.

Before NBC News, she was a producer with the ABC News investigative unit.

Adrienne Roark, president of content development and integration for CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, said that Schecter Zigler “is a multi-level player who can report, produce and effectively lead teams to create engaging stories.

CBS News announced the creation of a Medical, Health and Wellness unit, led by Senior Coordinating Producer Sara Kuzmarov.

Leigh Ann Winick will be the lead producer and Sandra Temko will be producer.

Adrienne Roark, president of content development and integration for CBS News and Stations, wrote in a memo, “There is no doubt that medical and health news is important to our audience, and by centralizing our brain trust in this area, we can drive headlines and drive engagement even further across all platforms.”

Among those reporting on air for the unit will Dr. Jon Lapook, chief medical correspondent; Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News contributor and editor-at-large for Kff Health News; Dr. Malika Marshall, CBS Boston medical contributor; Stephanie Stahl, CBS Philadelphia medical reporter; CBS News’ Elaine Quijano; CBS News contributor Lisa Ling; Tom Hanson, a correspondent in the Innovation Lab team; and Anna Werner, who will also report for the Consumer,...

The CBS Building in New York City.

Gray Television has struck a deal with Paramount Global that will see the latter leverage Gray’s in-house market research to benefits its CBS-owned local broadcast stations.

The deal announced on Tuesday will benefit CBS News and Stations, the CBS-owned local broadcast division, which will use Gray’s Strategic Insights and Activation Team — or Strat Team — for news consultations and other market research.

“We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with CBS by providing their owned and operated stations with first-class news research and consulting,” Sandra Breland, the Chief Operating Officer at Gray Television, said in a statement. “The Strat Team has exceeded every expectation for our content and marketing teams, and their expertise will be an impactful resource for CBS.”

Gray developed the Strat Team early last year as a way to produce actionable research projects that provide insight on sales and...

Elita Fielder Adjei has been named vice president of communications for CBS Stations.

Adjei will work closely with Adrienne Roark, president of content development and integration for CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures; Jennifer Mitchell, president of CBS Stations; and Mike Nelson, senior vice president of communications, CBS Stations. She also will work with general managers, news directors and on-air talent across the station group, which includes 27 owned-and-operated outlets in 17 major markets, as well as streaming services.

Adjei most recently served as vice president of corporate communications at Disney General Entertainment, overseeing communications for National Geographic Content. She previously was the director of publicity and communications at Disney’s ABC Owned Television Stations group. Her duties included spearheading the development and communications strategies for ABC’s race and culture content team, data journalism initiatives and docuseries publicity campaigns.

Christa Robinson, executive vice president of communications for CBS News and Stations,...

CBS Stations is launching a local news innovation lab with a focus on “next-generation storytelling” out of two ViacomCBS-owned stations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Tex.

Based at Ktvt-tv and independent sister station Ktxa-tv, “The lab will serve as the home of a curated team of CBS News and Stations employees including several new hires, who will be empowered to experiment with next-generation storytelling, such as data journalism, and test new products, workflows and production models for the future.”

Award-winning local news executive Chad Cross (pictured above right) will serve as a senior leader at the lab as vice president, content development, CBS Stations. Andrea Parquet-Taylor (pictured above left) will transition from her current role as vice president and news director at ViacomCBS’s Kcbs-tv and independent sister station Kcal-tv in Los Angeles to lead the first initiative that will be developed at the lab in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Cross will be...

For years, CBS’ Wwj-tv Detroit held the dubious distinction of being the only major network owned-and-operated station without a news department. But that’s about to change: 20 years after eliminating its news presence, Wwj will launch a news department in 2022, as part of an ambitious plan to create a “CBS News Detroit” hub.

The announcement was made Tuesday by Wendy McMahon, president and co-head, CBS News and Stations; Adrienne Roark, president, CBS Stations; and Brian Watson, V?/general manager of Wwj-tv and sister station Wkbd-tv.

“We view this as an unprecedented opportunity to start from scratch at a large-market, network-owned station and build the newsroom of the future – where we focus first on streaming and then have our content flow like water across our linear broadcast, digital and social media platforms,” McMahon said. “When Brian and his team presented their vision for CBS News Detroit earlier this year, I thought to myself ‘This never happens.