Norah O’Donnell to Step Down from ‘CBS Evening News’ in January 2025

Norah O’Donnell is set to conclude her tenure as anchor of «CBS Evening News» on January 24, 2025, as announced on November 22, 2024. This marks the end of her leadership on the network’s flagship evening news program. O’Donnell has served as anchor since July 2019, following her previous role on the CBS Mornings desk.

The announcement comes as CBS prepares for a strategic shift in the format of «CBS Evening News,» opting for a collaborative approach rather than a single anchor. From January 27, 2025, the program will host a team of correspondents, including co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois from New York, with Washington D.C. input from «Face The Nation» moderator Margaret Brennan and weather reports by Lonnie Quinn.

While Norah O’Donnell steps back from her principal role, she remains with CBS News. Her future contributions will include special reports focused on in-depth interviews and investigative pieces. This new direction is part of a broader commitment by both O’Donnell and CBS News to continue her role within the network across various programs, including «60 Minutes.»

O’Donnell’s period as anchor has been marked by notable interviews and a focus on investigative journalism. She gained recognition for securing interviews with figures such as Pope Francis and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where she addressed the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Despite these successes, «CBS Evening News» has struggled with ratings, consistently ranking third behind competitors such as «World News Tonight» on ABC and «NBC Nightly News» on NBC. This challenge has spurred frequent changes in the program’s anchoring and format over the years.

The upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, scheduled to occur shortly before O’Donnell’s departure, will mark her final major coverage before the transition. The shift in program strategy was influenced by an aim to provide more depth and substance in reporting, under the guidance of Bill Owens, who also works as the executive producer of «60 Minutes.»