Big-name CBS journalist expected to leave after Trump attack
Gayle King, a high-profile journalist at CBS News, is planning to depart as the anchor of "CBS Mornings" next year after a spate of attacks from President Donald Trump, according to a new report.
Variety reported on Thursday that King may shift to a new role at CBS News, which is now under the ownership of Paramount Skydance and the leadership of Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss. CBS told the outlet that it would prefer for King to stay with the network and produce her own show, according to the report.
Trump has previously cheered reports that King's ratings were starting to drop, along with other television anchors with whom Trump disagreed.
"Moving King is a risky maneuver, especially because morning-TV is built on the relationships viewers build with the hosts," the report reads in part. "If audiences feel King was pushed out for no good reason, they could be ripe for the picking by rivals like NBC’s 'Today' or ABC’s 'Good Morning America.'"
The move may also occur at a time when other networks are moving high-profile anchors into other "less costly" positions, the report adds.
"BS’ O’Donnell, NBC News’ Hoda Kotb and Andrea Mitchell and Fox News’ Steve Doocy are among those who have shifted out of prominent daily anchor jobs in favor of new roles that keep them tethered to their networks, but give them less regular screen time," the report continues. "Veterans who have left their news employers over the past year include CNN’s Chris Wallace and Alisyn Camerota and Fox News’ Neil Cavuto."