Despite rumors circulating that she might be exiting CBS News, particularly as her current contract was set to expire in May, veteran journalist Gayle King, who recently made a guest appearance on “Beyond the Gates,” playing herself, has signed a new deal with the network that will keep her as co-host of “CBS Mornings.”
Though the specific terms of her new deal weren’t disclosed, King released a statement on Wednesday via The Wall Street Journal, saying, “Rumors of my demise were inaccurate and greatly exaggerated.” She added, “CBS News is my longtime home, and I am committed to our mission. I’m excited about continuing at ‘CBS Mornings.’ As always, I’m open to new adventures here and ready to go. It took a minute, but we got there. And now that we are here, I am all in.”
Signing King comes at a crucial time for CBS News as it looks to pick up viewers, particularly for its morning and evening newscasts, which air against ABC and NBC.
In recent months, King’s former “CBS Mornings” co-host Tony Dokoupil was elevated to anchor the “CBS Evening News,” which has been lagging in third place for decades, and the loss of Anderson Cooper at “60 Minutes,” after the long-time correspondent declined an offer to renew his contract with the network.
“There is only one Gayle King,” said CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss, who in October was tasked with overhauling the network’s news division in the hopes of increasing viewership across its linear and digital spaces. “We’re so proud that she’ll continue to call CBS home. We’re thrilled to have her on in the morning—and equally excited to work with her on new, enterprising projects that bring her talents to new audiences.”
While King will remain co-host, changes at “CBS Mornings” are expected, according to CBS News President Tom Cibrowski. “Gayle and [co-host] Nate Burleson are fantastic partners on the show and morning TV is more vibrant than ever,” he said. “We are excited to continue to evolve ‘CBS Mornings’ and can’t wait for what’s to come.”
On Thursday, it was announced that Shawna Thomas, who had been executive producer of the morning show since 2021 and had overseen the program through its evolution from “CBS This Morning” to its current moniker, will be exiting.
“For five years, I’ve tried to make this show something you all want to watch. Want to be a part of. Want to learn from,” said Thomas in a note shared with staffers on Thursday and obtained by Variety, which first reported the news of Thomas’ exit. “I’ve had the privilege of helping to make 10 (now 12!) hours of television each week that goes out free to people everywhere. I’ve taken that responsibility of trying to inform, educate, entertain and make people care about the world around them very seriously and I know the people here do, too.”
In a statement, Cibrowski called Thomas “a passionate journalist, especially when it comes to reporting and understanding our country’s very dynamic political arena. We will certainly miss her reasoned voice at our morning meeting.”
As Thomas departs, Jon Tower will assume executive producer duties on an interim basis. Meanwhile, executives are reportedly exploring other ways to work with Thomas, whose expertise is deemed valuable to the network and is likely to keep her in some contributor capacity.
Note: The post Gayle King Signs New Deal With CBS News To Remain Co-Host Of ‘CBS Mornings’; Morning Show EP Shawna Thomas To Exit first appeared on Soap Opera Network.
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