Katie Couric Calls Out CBS for Tone-Deaf Decision

"It’s odd and more than a little out of touch..." — Katie Couric

Katie Couric criticizes CBS News for replacing Norah O'Donnell with two male anchors, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois. In a New York Times op-ed, Couric expresses disappointment, especially given CBS's recent promotion of women to executive roles.

"Installing Mr. Dickerson and Mr. DuBois was likely an easy decision... But even an industry that may one day be fully seen as a relic needs to be mindful of societal changes."

Couric, a former CBS Evening News anchor herself, highlights the Paris Olympics' gender equality, and Kamala Harris' potential historic presidency, arguing that diverse journalists are needed to cover these stories. She also recalls her own motivations for wanting to inspire young boys and girls as a solo anchor.

Couric acknowledges the industry's challenges, such as declining revenues and layoffs, but urges mindfulness of societal progress, even if TV news becomes "a relic."

CBS's Restructuring

As part of a larger restructuring, CBS News and Stations announced Adrienne Roark and Jennifer Mitchell as presidents of editorial/newsgathering and stations/digital, respectively. The Wrap reports that Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews and Terri Stewart also transitioned to new roles, with Wendy Fisher joining as SVP of Editorial.

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URLs:

• Katie Couric's Op-Ed: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/11/opinion/katie-couric-network-anchors-women.html
• The Wrap's CBS Restructuring Article: https://www.thewrap.com/cbs-news-restructuring-adrienne-roark/
• USA Today's Kamala Harris Article: https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/kamala-harris/